Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” when asked about Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton describing Republican nominee Donald Trump’s supporters as irredeemable and deplorable, Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said he would not have used that word.
Partial transcript as follows:
RADDATZ: — Secretary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” comments by saying some Trump supporters are motivated by dark emotions borne out of anxiety over changing demographics. But you said that transitional anxiety will go away. While Secretary Clinton said those people are irredeemable.Does she believe there are people in this country who are irredeemable?
KAINE: Well, look, she is very worried, as am I, about the deplorable motivations of those who would question President Obama’s citizenship or people like David Duke, who are doing robo calls, saying people should vote for Donald Trump. We’ve expressed it differently, but you have to call out these dark emotions because if you let them pass or you — you actually can let them grow. But I think the obligation that we have — and — and Secretary Clinton — Hillary said this, too — is while that is a motivation of some of the Trump supporters — and we won’t get them — I do have confidence over time that that kind of motivation is reducing. There are other Trump voters who are really concerned about economic anxieties, not demographic issues, but economic anxieties. And we have an obligation to speak to them and to make the case that — that our economic plan, which Moody’s says will grow the economy by 10 and a half million jobs, is better for them than a Trump plan, which Moody’s says will shrink the economy by three and a half million jobs…
RADDATZ: So — so is it appropriate…
KAINE: — and put us into a recession.
RADDATZ: — to use the word irredeemable?
KAINE: I — you know, I — I — that’s not a word I would use. I wouldn’t use it. I think that — I think we would be unrealistic to think that some people are going to fundamentally change their view. If they’ve — if they’ve clung to the view for five years, as Donald Trump has, that President Obama is not a citizen of this country, I don’t think they’re going to change their views. But, Martha, here’s what I’ve seen in Virginia. The — the state I was — when — when I was born, my state wouldn’t let you go to school together if you’re skin color was different and wouldn’t let women go the University of Virginia. And guess what? Our economy was in the bottom 15. Today, we’ve opened the doors of opportunity and our economy is in the top 10. And people who fought at every step of the way have realized, wait a minute, we’re better when we let everybody around the table. We’re actually a stronger state. I’ve seen that transition work in my state, from fighting against equality, fighting against inclusion, to embracing it and being stronger as a result. That’s what Stronger Together means. I’ve seen it work in Virginia. And I know that that’s the path we’re on as a nation.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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