Tim Kaine Laughs Off Interruption Criticism At First Post-Debate Rally: ‘I Am Irish’

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:18 pm

In his first rally since Tuesday night’s Vice Presidential debate, Tim Kaine laughed off criticism that he interrupted too much, chalking it up to his Irish background.

“The debate was a little feisty,” Hillary Clinton’s running mate said at a Philadelphia campaign event. “I mean, I got to admit. I am Irish.”

The Democratic VP nominee also acknowledged that criticism of his enthusiastic debate performance didn’t just come from his political foes; he even felt some backlash from his wife, Anne.

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“I got dinged a little bit, even by my wife, for interrupting too much,” Kaine said.

Republicans have spent the time following the debate criticizing Kaine’s scrappy demeanor, but the lasting impact from the debate isn’t the style of either of the candidates – it’s the repeated lies by Trump running mate Mike Pence.

While Pence was more subdued than Kaine, he spent much of the 90-minute exchange either refusing to defend his running mate or lying to voters about Trump’s rhetoric and policy proposals.

The Clinton campaign was quick to release a web video on Wednesday calling Pence out for his constant lies during the debate.

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Tim Kaine making light of his scrappy performance is a sign that Republican efforts to use it as an attack line are failing. Instead, it is their own vice presidential nominee’s repeated mistruths that are under fire following the debate.

Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.