When a person runs for political office, the media often resurrects a candidate’s old statements for further dissection, and there may be some regret. Donald Trump is a good illustration of more immediate backlash, but for Tim Kaine, he’s addressing a statement he made many years ago about the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal.
A few days ago, The Daily Beast dug up an old interview from Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential selection, who once said cheating politicians — including Bill Clinton — should resign from office. Kaine’s comments were said in 2002 while Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Vance Wilkins was embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal. Kaine originally said if the allegations of this matter were true, then Wilkins should resign. He believed the same applied to Bill with the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
When quizzed recently by ABC News affiliate KWWL, Kaine confirmed his previous statements, but he believes they don’t apply to the future:
“20 years ago I was disappointed like a lot of folks were but I tell ya, there is no reason to re-litigate problems of 20 years ago when Americans want to talk about is what do we do today and tomorrow, and so as I’m campaigning all across the country people are saying what do we do to get an economy growing again with prosperity that’s shared … So past controversies aren’t really important to the voters they want to know what we are going to do tomorrow.”
Donald Trump has used the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal as prime fodder to call on the campaign trail. He may also bring up Kaine’s previous statements, but Kaine owning up to them pretty quickly will lessen this method of attack.
(Via ABC News & The Daily Beast)