Here & Now

Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Kaine Campaigns In Milwaukee

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IN CERTAIN CORNERS, THERE IS PLENTY OF ENTHUSIASM FOR A TRUMP PRESIDENCY TONIGHT IN GREEN BAY AS MR. TRUMP TAKES THE PODIUM. IT’S HAPPENING RIGHT IN THE BROWN COUNTY REPUBLICANS FRONT YARD AND THE CHAIR IN BROWN COUNTY, MARIAN KRUMBERGER, TELLS US QUOTE TRUMP HAS CREATED WELL-PAYING JOBS FOR THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WHILE WASHINGTON POLITICIANS HAVE CREATED A NATIONAL DEBT THAT WILL BANKRUPT OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. HE COMMUNICATES IN CLEAR LANGUAGE THAT AMERICANS UNDERSTAND. HE IS EVERYTHING THAT HILLARY CLINTON IS NOT. THESE ARE THE REASONS THAT I AND THOUSANDS OF REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS AND DEMOCRATS SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT UNQUOTE. AS WE MENTIONED IT’S A BIG DAY FOR PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS IN WISCONSIN. DEMOCRATIC VP CANDIDATE TIM KAINE APPEARED AT A RALLY IN DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE THIS AFTERNOON. “HERE AND NOW’S” ZAC SCHULTZ WAS THERE AND JOINS US NOW FROM MILWAUKEE. HEY, ZAC.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

HOW YOU DOING, FRED?

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

GOOD. SO NOW YOU COVERED MIKE PENCE LAST WEEK. HOW DID THIS TIM KAINE APPEARANCE COMPARE TO THAT?

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WELL, WHAT A DIFFERENCE 20 MILES MAKES. THAT WAS IN WAUKESHA AT THE WAUKESHA COUNTY EXPO HALL ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 7:00. ALL THE REPUBLICAN BIG-WIGS WERE THERE, REINCE PRIEBUS, SCOTT WALKER, ROBIN VOS, SCOTT FITZGERALD. THIS EVENT WAS DOWN ON THE LAKE FRONT. IT WAS LAKEFRONT BREWERY IN MILWAUKEE, RIGHT ALONG THE RIVER UNDERNEATH A BRIDGE. IT WAS A REALLY NICE SETTING, BEAUTIFUL DAY. ALL THE PROPS AND BIG FLAGS WERE THERE. IT REALLY COULDN’T HAVE LOOKED ANY DIFFERENT. NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT PICTURES OF IT, YOU MIGHT WONDER ABOUT THE CROWD SIZE. THE CROWD AT THE PENCE RALLY WAS A FEW HUNDRED. I’VE HEARD ESTIMATES ANYWHERE FROM 600 TO JUST UNDER 1,000 BUT IT’S A MUCH BIGGER BUILDING SO IT LOOKED LIKE A SMALLER CROWD. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY MAKE HAVE PICKED A VENUE THAT WAS TOO LARGE. WHEREAS THIS RALLY THERE WERE MAYBE ONLY 300, 400 AT MOST THERE, BUT IT WAS A SMALLER SIZE. IT WAS STAGED WELL SO THE CROWD FILLED THE ROOM IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS, UP TO THE CANDIDATE AND IT LOOKED MORE LIKE A TYPICAL PRESIDENTIAL RALLY THAT YOU’D SEE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

DID TIM KAINE MAKE HAY OF BIG NAME REPUBLICANS NOT ATTENDING DONALD TRUMP’S RALLY IN GREEN BAY?

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WE WERE WAITING FOR THAT AND IT DIDN’T HAPPEN. HE MADE A FEW REFERENCES TO DONALD TRUMP, BUT HE DIDN’T SPECIFICALLY MENTION THE RALLY TONIGHT OR THE FACT THAT NO ONE ELSE WAS GOING TO BE THERE. MOST OF HIS ATTACKS ON DONALD TRUMP WERE FAMILIAR IF YOU WATCHED HIS SPEECH FROM THE CONVENTION OR ANYTHING ELSE HE SAID. WE HAVE A SOUND-BITE FROM WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT DONALD TRUMP AND LET’S HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

TIM KAINE:

WHILE WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT JOBS, DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN GOING AFTER A FAMILY OF A WAR HERO. OR DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN GOING AFTER FELLOW REPUBLICANS AND TALKING ABOUT WHY HE WON’T ENDORSE THEM IN THEIR PRIMARIES. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT JOBS AND DONALD TRUMP IS BASICALLY SHADOW BOXING WITH EVERY ENEMY HE CAN THINK OF INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT AMERICANS WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO HE SAYS AMERICANS WANT TO TALK ABOUT JOBS. HE’S CLEARLY LOOKING AT JOBS AND THE ECONOMY. WHAT OTHER KINDS OF POLICY MESSAGES DID TIM KAINE BRING TO THE STUMP TODAY IN MILWAUKEE?

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WELL, HE REITERATED HILLARY CLINTON’S FIVE-POINT ECONOMIC PLAN, TALKED ABOUT WHAT’S ON HER WEBSITE. IT’S A LOT OF THE SAME STUFF WE’VE HEARD BEFORE. THERE’S NOT A LOT OF NEW STUFF, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE PLATFORM THAT WAS RELEASED AT THE CONVENTION, HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE AND TALKING ABOUT ATTACKS ON PEOPLE, COMPANIES THAT EXPORT JOBS TO OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING SOME TAX INCREASES ON THE WEALTHIEST IN AMERICA. HE SAID THAT THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT HILLARY CLINTON’S PLAN ACTUALLY PROVIDES A WAY TO EXPLAIN HOW YOU’RE GOING TO PAY FOR MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS, WHERE DONALD TRUMP DOESN’T HAVE THE SPECIFICS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO HE ALSO SEEMED TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE ENERGIZED KIND OF TOWARD THE END OF HIS COMMENTS, AND WE HAVE A SOUND-BITE FROM THAT AS WELL. LET’S LISTEN TO HOW HE CLOSED OUT HIS APPEARANCE.

TIM KAINE:

THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY TOUGH AND CHALLENGING ELECTION BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH SOME THINGS ARE LOOKING OKAY IN THE POLLS NOW, WE KNOW THAT SINCE CITIZENS UNITED, SINCE WE’VE OPENED THE FLOODGATES TO SECRET DARK MONEY SAYING WHATEVER THEY WANT. AND WE’VE GOT THESE GOVERNORS OUT THERE TRYING TO SCREW AROUND AND KEEP PEOPLE FROM VOTING, WE KNOW THAT FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE ARE PLAYING FOR KEEPS. WE WANT TO SERVE. THEY WANT TO WIN. I’M GLAD I’M WITH THE “WE WANT TO SERVE” PEOPLE, BUT WE GOT TO WIN, TOO. WE GOTTA WANT TO WIN. WISCONSIN, YOU KNOW HOW TO WIN. YOU’VE DONE IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN, WISCONSIN COMES THROUGH. ON, WISCONSIN. WE’RE GOING TO WIN BIG IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE OF YOU. I’M SO HONORED TO BE WITH YOU TODAY. LET’S GO OUT, MAKE HISTORY WITH HILLARY CLINTON AND THEN DO GREAT THINGS TO GROW THIS ECONOMY FOR EVERYBODY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THERE’S THAT ENERGY. NOW, WHAT ROLE, ZAC, ARE THESE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES TAKING ON BEHALF OF THESE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS?

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WELL, IN PRIOR ELECTIONS WE’VE SEEN THE VP KIND OF TAKE THE ROLE OF THE ATTACK DOG. THAT’S BEEN THEIR JOB AS THE MAIN CANDIDATE STAYS ABOVE THE FRAY AND LOOKS PRESIDENTIAL. THE VP IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE DONE THAT DOES THE DIRTY WORK OF ATTACKING THEIR OPPONENT. OBVIOUSLY IN THIS RACE DONALD TRUMP IS NOT SHY ABOUT DOING HIS OWN DIRTY WORK AND ATTACKING HIS OPPONENT AND HILLARY CLINTON AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE SHY ABOUT ATTACKING DONALD TRUMP IN RETURN. WE’VE SEEN BOTH THESE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TAKE THE STAGE AND OFFER VERY WARM AND ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTIONS TO THE AUDIENCE, TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY’RE AT AND TO THE CANDIDATES AND NOT REALLY ATTACK TOO MUCH. I MEAN, TIM KAINE’S MENTIONS OF DONALD TRUMP TODAY WERE NOT TOO ATTACKING AT ALL. THEY WERE RIGHT IN LINE OF — SEEN ATTACK ADS ON THE INTERNET THAT ARE A LOT WORSE. HE’S ALREADY BEEN DESCRIBED AS AMERICA’S DAD. AND SOME OF THESE OTHER PHRASES. HE CERTAINLY DIDN’T GO AWAY FROM THAT, OFF THE SCRIPT TODAY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ZAC SCHULTZ, THANKS A LOT.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THANK YOU.