PHILADELPHIA, July 27 (UPI) — Vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine introduced himself to delegates at the Democratic convention on Wednesday, telling delegates his story of growing up in a devout, working class family and encouraging Americans not to trust Republican Donald Trump.
Kaine, a first-term senator from Virginia and the commonwealth’s former governor, called his Christian faith “the North Star orienting my life.” He spoke fondly of attending an all-boys Jesuit high school and spending a year after college doing charitable work in Honduras.
It was there Kaine picked up a fluency in Spanish, a fact put on display several times throughout his convention address. His turns in Spanish drew large cheers from the crowd.
He spoke of his father-in-law, a former Republican governor of Virginia who fought to desegregate schools during his time in office and offered praise for the GOP legacy as the “party of Lincoln.”
“Any party that nominates Donald Trump has moved too far away from his party of Lincoln. And if any of you are looking for that party of Lincoln, we’ve got a home for you right here in the Democratic Party,” Kaine said.
He also offered a takedown of Trump’s past business practices, saying his multiple business bankruptcies left hardworking laborers stiffed, while Trump protected his personal fortune
“Trump is a guy who promises a lot, but you might have noticed, he’s got a way of saying his same two words every time he makes his hugest promises: ‘believe me,'” Kaine said.
“Folks, you cannot believe one word that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth.”
Conversely, he praised Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton as a consistent fighter for children and families throughout her public service.
“She’s consistent. She has battled to put kids and families first since she was a teenager. When you want to know something about the character of somebody in public life, look to see if they have a passion long before they were in office and if they have held it consistently in their career,” he said.
