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Kaine targets Trump in Wilmington speech

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Virginia senator and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine delivered a national-security focused speech to a Wilmington audience on Tuesday, Sept. 6, that largely targeted Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposals and statements.

Speaking to an invitation-only audience of about 200 at the Hannah Block Historic USO Building, Kaine devoted much of his approximately 40 minute speech highlighting comments and positions that Trump has taken, calling him “unqualified and temperamentally unfit to be president and commander in chief.”

“Trump has offered empty promises and divisive rhetoric,” Kaine said. “Under his leadership, we would be unrecognizable to the rest of the world, and we would be far less safe.”

That rhetoric, Kaine said, is serving to embolden enemies of the United States, including Islamic terrorists in the Middle East.

“Donald Trump’s un-American talk of banning all Muslims plays right into their hands for propaganda purposes,” Kaine said.

Kaine also referenced Trump’s recent trip to Mexico, where he met with President Enrique Peña Nieto to discuss issues, but said afterward that the question of whether Mexico would pay for a border wall between the two countries was not discussed.

“On the central issue of his campaign, when he had the chance to bring it up, he choked,” Kaine said. “Turns out Donald Trump isn’t such a great negotiator after all.”

Kaine added that Trump treats immigrants as “convenient scapegoats for a problem that he doesn’t know how to solve.”

The trip was the first to the Wilmington area by a candidate on the Democratic presidential ticket. Trump spoke in Wilmington on Aug. 9 and Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence spoke in Leland on Aug. 24.

Kaine said he represents a state that, like North Carolina, has deep ties to the military, noting that one in 10 Virginians is a veteran. Additionally, he said his membership on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees give him relevant national security experience.

“When it comes to American national security, I take this personally,” Kaine said. “No challenge that makes its way to the White House is easy to solve.”

Kaine also touted the policies and decision making abilities of his running mate, Hillary Clinton.
“She’ll be a commander in chief with a cool head, a steady hand and an open mind,” Kaine said. “I trust Hillary to lead with consistent principles that have always been our nation’s trademark.”

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