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Hillary Clinton Introduces Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as Vice Presidential Running Mate. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired July 23, 2016 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[13:00:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world.

This is CNN special live coverage of the Democratic choice for vice president of the United States. We're just two days away from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. You're looking at live pictures coming in from the convention floor.

But, the big news of the day, the new Democratic ticket. Hillary Clinton will be introducing Virginia Senator, Tim Kaine, as her Vice Presidential running mate.

She tweeted, and I'm quoting her now. "I thrilled to announce my running mate Tim Kaine. A man whose devoted his life to fighting for others."

Look at this, these are live pictures coming in from Florida International University in Miami. Where the two are set to appear just minutes from now. We have a team of reporters and analysts that are all standing by.

Let's go to the scene first. I want to bring in our senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar. She's on the scene for us. Jeff Zeleny is there as well.

Brianna, first to you. Set the scene for us. I take it we're only a few minutes away from both of them appearing?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right Wolf. They're running a little late. That's actually pretty usual, but this is the first joint appearance between Secretary Clinton and her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine.

We're here in a very auditorium at Florida International University. We've already heard the entire slate of preliminary speakers.

We're waiting right now for them to be introduced and then to take the stage. Something that could happen any moment.

It's interesting, we expect Hillary Clinton to emphasize something that we've heard many Trump supporters emphasizing actually. That is Tim Kaine's progressive credentials. It speaks to perhaps where the Clinton campaign is worried that Tim Kaine may be vulnerable on his Left flank.

How some of her liberal voters that she's trying to court may take issue with some of his past positions when it comes to the environment. Like being in favor of off-shore drilling. Or his support for some restrictions on abortion for instance. Some of these issues.

It also speaks to where the campaign - - The Clinton campaign thinks that Tim Kaine can help her with more moderate voters. That's why you also hear Trump supporters emphasizing that he is a progressive, trying to dissuade some of those more moderate voters from supporting Tim Kaine.

We are of course awaiting both of them. Still, we know that Hillary Clinton is going to speak first and then Tim Kaine. We're going to hear from him for the first time as the presumptive Vice Presidential nominee.

BLITZER: Jeff Zeleny is on the scene for us there as well as we await the start of this event. Huge crowd has gathered there. Tell us a little bit more, Jeff, about Tim Kaine's background. How he has managed to garner so much respect in the senate.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, I think one of the reasons he's garnished so much respect in the senate, he kind of does come up a traditional way of politics.

This is an anti-establishment year as we've seen to the rise of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. But boy, Tim Kaine is an insider if there ever was one. From city hall in Richmond, to the Mayor's office in Richmond. To the Lieutenant Governor, to the Governor's office, to the Senate. You may wonder how he did all that at the age of 58?

Part of it is, in Virginia you can only run for one term as Governor. You can only run as one term as Lieutenant Governor. He's moved up quickly here.

But, Wolf, I think one of the things that I struck by talking to some voters here. They don't know a lot about Tim Kaine. He does have the chance to define himself. I've noticed the tweets this morning, coming from Donald Trump. He is trying to, sort of, stir up Bernie Sanders supporters into saying that Tim Kaine is not one of them.

It will be interesting to see what Bernie Sanders himself says here about Tim Kaine. And what other liberals do.

The President weighing in. Calling Tim Kaine a good man. A progressive man here. Wolf, I think, Tim Kaine's importance to this ticket is going to be - - of course electoral in Virginia. Those thirteen electoral votes, so critical.

But, also, we're about to hear him speak Spanish. You may wonder why and how a man who was born in Minnesota, to the son of a welder. He grew up in Kansas City. Then he found himself in Virginia.

How he speaks such fluent Spanish? It's because of the very pivotal time in his life in Honduras. He was a member of a Jesuit missionary there. He went on a missionary trip and he really embraced the teachings there.

Wolf, I've heard him give many interviews in Spanish. He is intending to go after Donald Trump entirely in Spanish, here, and of course, for the next few months or so. We'll be hearing part of that, so critical here in Florida.

Going forward Wolf, as they head into the convention next week. How they join together and convince progressives he's one of them, is one of the central goals of this ticket. Wolf.

[13:05:00]

BLITZER: They are running a little late obviously. As our viewers probably appreciate by now. What about the crowd there? Are they getting excited? Getting a little antsy? What's the mood over there? There are several thousand people that have gathered.

ZELENY: Wolf, I think we can say the crowd was very excited when they were coming in. So of that has sort of deflated now. I'm sure it will pick up again.

The reality is, as Brianna was saying earlier. This is normal for a Clinton rally. Clinton time is often incredibly late. Tim Kaine is getting a first-hand look today of what Clinton time looks like.

Lot of these people here behind me, Wolf. Have been standing outside in the very hot Florida sunshine for hours before they came into this arena. Now they've already been in here, some for nearly three hours here.

Frankly some of them are wondering what the holdup is? They're ready to get on with the show here. These are the hard-core democrats. They're excited about this ticket. And they're excited to see Hillary Clinton introduce Tim Kaine today.

BLITZER: That will happen within the next minute or two we are now told. Both Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine are there. They're about to walk out. They - - Even though people are obviously anxious that they finally show up. There will be a lot of excitement no doubt. Folks will be interrupted many times with applause.

A very very Democratic, pro Hillary Clinton crowd has gathered there, Gloria. As we - - Gloria Borger is with us. We await the arrival; we are told momentarily. The music will pump up and they will come out and they will have their mission ahead of them.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. This choice tells you an awful lot about Hillary Clinton as we've been saying all morning. This is a man whose resume is almost as big as hers. She's worked with him. Somebody who endorsed to that. She is about governing.

That's what this figure is about. As we've all pointed out, he can help in the state of Virginia. Don't you think this is about governing? DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: We talked so much in the run up to Donald Trump's pick about - - Even he was talking about need for a partisan attack dog. Tim Kaine cannot be more of the anti- partisan attack dog pick. He is, as you said before, he is a throw- back. Covered in the senate. He is the guy who went out and set out to make friends - -

BLITZER: Here they come now, being introduced. Let's listen in to this little introduction.

ANNOUNCER: Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

BLITZER: You see there. They're getting a little bit of that warmth, there feeling, from that crowd right there. This is the Democratic presumptive nominee. She'll be the nominee after the convention and the vice presidential presumptive nominee. Their first joint appearance at Florida International University in Miami.

Basking in that moment of glory. Glory, I should say Gloria. That moment of Glory, Gloria. As they await their - - As we await their words.

BORGER: You know what strikes me about this, they both just held hands and held them up in sort of a typical victory, sort of. Above their heads. Sort of handshake, I don't know what you'd call it.

It will be - - It's what we've been waiting for. We've been waiting for that with Pence and Donald Trump.

BLITZER: Here she is, she's about to begin. Hillary Clinton will speak first.

[13:10:00]

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Thank you. Thank you. Miami. I am so excited and grateful to be here with all of you.

I must after everything we've just at the Republican convention this past week. Being here with you on this beautiful day is truly like a breath of fresh air. When I look out at all of you, you know what I see? I see America's future.

Instead of the fear and the anger and the resentment. The lack of any solutions to help working families get ahead or keep our country safe. I sense the confidence, the optimism, that you know what? We are stronger together and we're going to make that future better.

Donald Trump may think America's in decline, but he's wrong. America's best days are still ahead of us my friends. And when he say, as he did say, I alone can fix it. He's not only wrong, he's dangerously wrong. We Americans, we solve problems together. And if Donald doesn't understand that, he doesn't understand America. I know that no one does anything all alone. Part of our challenge is

to make sure we do work together. I'm looking forward to working with your elected officials. I want to thank Senator Bill Nelson, who was with me yesterday in Orlando and Tampa.

I want to thank congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz. And I'm looking forward to working with her and with congresswoman Frederica Wilson. And congressmen Alcee Hastings. I want to thank all the elected officials from all levels of government who are here and supporting our campaign and our vision for the country.

Now, next week, next week in Philadelphia we will offer a very different vision for our country. One that is about building bridges, not walls. Embracing the diversity that makes our country great. Lifting each other up, standing together. Because we know there's nothing we can't accomplish once we make up our minds.

That's why I am so thrilled to announce that my running mate is a man that doesn't just share those values, he lives them.

[13:15:00]

I have to say, I have to say that senator Tim Kaine is everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not. He is qualified to step into this job and lead on day one. And he is a progressive that likes to get things done.

That's, that's just my kind of guy Tim. We both grew up in the mid- west. We were raised by fathers who ran small businesses and who taught us about the dignity of work and the discipline of a job well done. In both of our family's faith wasn't just something you talked about at church on Sundays. It was a call to serve others in every way that we can.

As you get to know Senator Kaine, you will see that Tim's lifelong commitment to social justice is a shining example of his faith in action. During law school, when his fellow classmates were taking internships at prestigious law firms. He took time off to work with missionaries in Honduras.

And after he graduated from Harvard law school, he could've done anything. But, instead he chose to become a civil rights lawyer. One of his first cases was a pro-bono case representing a woman who was denied an apartment because she was African-American. So, while Tim was taking on housing discrimination and homelessness. Donald Trump was denying apartments to people who were African-American.

He is still fighting those battles today. Serving as a non-partisan city council member and then they mayor of Richmond, Virginia. He worked hard to bridge racial divides. He built the first new schools in a generation. He helped turn that struggling city around.

As governor of Virginia, he leads the common-wealth through the worse financial crisis in a generation. What did he do? He brought Democrats and Republicans together. To protect the programs that working families count on. And while Mike Pence slashed education funding in Indiana. And gave

more tax cuts to the wealthiest. Tim Kaine cut his own salary and invested in education from pre-k through college and beyond.

By the time Tim left office 40 percent more of Virginia's kids were enrolled in early education programs. Then as a United States Senator Tim has used his positions on the foreign relations and armed services committees to stand up for our veterans and our values and our men and women in uniform, and our security.

[13:20:00]

Now there's no doubt in my mind, because I'm here with him. That Tim is so qualified to be vice president and, as I have said many times, the most important qualification when you are trying to make this really big choice. Is, can this person step in to be president?

At every stage of Tim's career, the people who know him best have voted to give him a promotion. That's because, that's because he fights for the people he represents. He delivers real results.

I can't wait for all of you to get to know him the way I have. Proud father of three grown-up kids. Who have their own lives and are making their own contributions, including serving our country. A loving husband of a brilliant wife who is a great fighter for progressive causes in her own right.

The leader who cares more about making a difference then making headlines. And make no mistake, behind the smile Tim also has a backbone of steel. Just ask the NRA.

Over and over again he has had the courage to stand up to the gun lobby in their own backyard. After that horrible Virginia tech shooting he signed an executive order to keep guns out of the hands of those who were deemed severely mentally ill.

He has fought for common sense gun reform across the country. As we saw just a few weeks ago when he joined the 15-hour Senate filibuster. Asking that we get those reforms done.

When I say he's a progressive who likes to get things done, I mean it. He's not afraid to take on special interest. Whether it's calling for tough regulations on payday lending. Or fighting back against attacks on Planned Parenthood or defending women's rights to make our own health decisions.

Tim has led some of the most important issues facing our country. From voting rights to LGBT equality. To criminal justice reform, to comprehensive immigration reform.

Now, I probably - - after last week I probably don't need to say this, but I will. This is one of the most consequential elections in our lifetimes. When someone says, I alone can fix it. That should set off alarm bells and not just Democrats minds, but Republicans, independents, people of all ages and backgrounds. That is not a democracy. I said, I said yesterday in Tampa, we fought a revolution because we didn't want one man making all the decisions for us. And besides, it is just nonsense. No one does anything alone.

[13:25:00]

We don't have a one-person military. We don't have a one person teaching core. We don't have one doctor and one nurse who fixes everything do we?

We work together. That is what has traditionally set us apart from places that have turned to single leaders. Despots, dictators, authoritarian's who have promised people, I can fix it alone.

You know what that says about us? That somehow were helpless? We can do this works anything on in America ourselves? We can reach out to one another? That we can make the economy work for everyone, not just those of the top?

I reject that. I reject that and next week starting on Monday in Philadelphia you're going to see a very different kind of vision.

So I wanted to come here to Miami. I wanted to come here to introduce you to the person that I just can't think of anybody better to have by my side on the campaign trail. In the White House.

Together we are going to take on the challenges that are hurting Americans. We are going to get the middle class a raise. We are going to get tax relief to working families to help with the rising costs of raising kids. We are going to create more good jobs. We are going to make sure every child in America has the chance to live up to his or her God-given potential.

Please, join us, join us. Take out your phone right now and text join 47246 or go to Hillary Clinton.com. Because, we are hiring organizers right here in Florida right now. Being involved in every way that you can. Because, together were going to win this election and move our country forward.

Please join me in welcoming the next vice president. My friend, Senator Tim Kaine.

Go get them.

TIM KAINE, (D) PRESUMPTIVE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE : All right. Hey guys, thank you. Hello Miami. Hello FIU.

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

KAINE: I'm feeling a lot of things today. Most of all gratitude. I am grateful to you Hillary, for the trust the place to be. And we're going to be - -

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

In this great (SPEAKING IN SPANISH). I'm grateful to the country that has given me so much. I'm grateful to all of you Floridians, my Virginians, all Americans who poured their hearts into this wonderful, wonderful campaign.

Today like every day I'm especially grateful to my wife Anne. I love you honey. I love you honey. And to my three beautiful kids Nat, Woody and Anella. I am the luckiest dad the luckiest husband in the world.

This is, this is quite a week for me. Believe it or not, first powerful as it is to become Hillary Clinton's running mate that's not the only thing on my mind this week.

Anne and I have three kids. Our oldest son Nat is here today with his fiance.

[13:30:00]

He is a proud Marine. In just a few days he's deploying to Europe to uphold America's commitment to NATO allies. For me this drives home the stakes in the selection.

Here 2 million men and women put their lives on the line for this country. As active duty, as reservists, as guard members. They deserve a commander-in-chief with the experience and the temperament to lead.

What does Donald Trump say about these great Americans? These two million? He repeatedly calls the American military, quote, a disaster. Just this week, Donald Trump said as president that he'd consider turning America's back on our decades-old commitments to our allies.

All of you remember a few months ago, when he said about his Senate colleague, of Senator Clinton's and mine John McCain. He was a hero because he had been captured and served as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

And he wants to be commander-in-chief? While our service members are out there on the front lines. Trump's saying he'd leave our allies at the mercy of an increasingly aggressive Russia. Folks, that's an open invitation for Vladimir Putin to roll on in. Even a lot of Republicans say that's terribly dangerous.

I'm hiring for the speechwriting team.

We've seen again and again that Donald Trump says he has your back, you better watch out. From Atlantic City to his so-called university, he leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes.

We can't afford to let him do the same thing to our country. Folks, we don't have to. Because, Hillary Clinton is the direct opposite of Donald Trump.

Hillary. Hillary. Hillary. Hillary.

Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton, she doesn't insult people she listens to them. What a novel concept? She doesn't trash our allies, she respects them. She'll always have our backs. That is something I am rock solid sure of. I know that because Hillary knows that were stronger together. We're stronger when we work together, when we grow together, what we altogether, what we live in the same neighborhood and worship together and go to school together. When we are together we are stronger.

So, I could not be any more honored to stand by Hillary's side in this very important campaign.

I spent most of my life in public service because I believe in doing everything I can to make a positive difference in people's lives. I can see a lot of you out there who feel exactly the same way. Exactly the same way.

I'm one of, I'm one of only 20 people in American history to serve as a mayor, a governor, and a United States senator. I have, I have been able to see how government works and how sometimes it doesn't. From just about every perspective.

I've always believed however you serve, what matters is how you actually deliver results for people. That's been my goal, that's been my goal in every position I've ever held.

[13:35:00]

I know for a lot of you, this might be the first time you're hearing him speak. Let me be honest. For many of you this is the first time you have even heard my name. But that's okay, because I'm excited for us to get to know one another.

So, today, today I thought I might tell you a little bit about me and where I come from. Vice president was never a job I thought about growing up in Kansas. Like a lot of people in Kansas City, my parents weren't that into politics. Church, Kansas City Royals, you know, that's that kind of thing we spent time talking about. They had to much else going on.

My dad ran a union organize iron working shop in the stockyards of Kansas City. My mom, in addition to all the challenges with my two brothers and me. She was my dad's best sales woman. That iron working business was tough. It's the kind of job where you can't cut corners. If you're not careful, you could make one mistake and run an awful lot of work in in an instant.

I learned that working in my dad shop. My two brothers and I, we all pitched in. Sometimes we were scheduled to pitch in and sometimes dad would just shake us in the morning and say I got in order to get out, I really need you guys today.

I remember once the last day of summer vacation. I was so looking forward to sleeping in and then I felt a hand on my shoulder about six. I really got your help to get our out today. But, that's what families do. We would go there early. Especially in the summer to try and get the work done before the day got hot. That's what families do. That's what families do. My parents, Al and Kathy. They are alive and healthy. They are happy today. 81 years old, alive and healthy. They taught me early lessons that have guided my life. Importance of hard work. A faith and kindness. Following your dreams.

My mom once told me, and I'll say this. She wasn't much of a lecturer. She just kind of like to live and let us follow the example. She once told me this, Tim you have to decide whether you want to be right, or you want to do right. If you, if you want to be right, go ahead and be a pessimist. If you want to do right, be an optimist.

Folks, I've been an optimist ever since. I went to a, I went to a Jesuit boys school. Rockuit High School in Kansas City. Alright, some Jesuits in the house. I like that, I like that.

The motto of my school, this boys school was, men for others. That was the, that was what we were taught. That's where my faith, which has been important to me because of my parent's example. Really grew into something more viable. It became like my north star. The organizing principle for what I wanted to do.

Even as a young man, because of these great teachers I had. And because of my parent's example. I knew that I wanted to do something to devote myself to social justice. That's why after racing through the University of Missouri in three years and starting at Harvard Law School. I decided to take a year off from school to volunteer with Jesuit missionaries in Honduras.

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

Well, when I got to Honduras it turned out that my recently acquired knowledge of Constitutional law was pretty useless. But, the experience of working in my dad's iron working shop was actually kind of helpful. So I taught teenagers the basics of carpentry and welding. They helped me learn Spanish. I tell ya, my, my time in Honduras changed my life in so many ways.

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

Here's, here's something that really stuck with me. I got a first-hand look at a system. This was 1980 and 81. A dictatorship. Where a few folks at the top had all the power and everybody else got left behind.

And it convinced me that we've got to advance opportunity and equality for everybody. No matter where they come from, how much money they have, what they look like, what accent they have, or who they love.

[13:40:00]

In 1970 a Republican Governor of Virginia, Lynn Wood Holtin believe exactly the same thing. He integrated Virginia's public schools after the state had fought for 16 years, after Brown v. Board to keep the segregated.

In 1970, in Virginia, that took political courage. Then he and his wife went even further. They enrolled their own kids, including their daughter Anne, in integrated schools. It sent a strong signal to the people of Virginia. That their Governor wasn't going to back down, wasn't going to take half steps or wasn't going to make rules for others that he wouldn't follow for himself.

So, many years later, that young girl Anne went to Princeton. Went to Harvard Law School. Guided by her experiences as a youngster in the first generation of integrated Virginia schools. One day in a study group she met this kind of nerdy guy who had been off teaching kids in Honduras.

Anne and I got married 30 years ago at Saint Elizabeth Catholic church in the highland park neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. That is, that's the parish that we still belong today. Hey Saint E's folks, I hope you're watching. We will be there at 9am tomorrow.

Marrying Anne was and remains the best decision of my life. Anne - - Am I right, am I right? It turns out, she actually learned negotiation a lot better than I did in law school. Which is how a Kansas City kid ended up in Virginia.

Anne and I settled down. We started a family. We sent out kids, we sent our kids to those same public schools that her father had opened up to everybody. Including, including one school that I helped build when I was mayor. That our Schoolboard named the Lynn Wood Holtin Elementary school. How cool was it, to see our three kids head out the door with their backpacks on to walk to a neighborhood school named after their civil rights hero grandfather.

Lynn's example helped inspire me to work as a civil rights lawyer. Representing people that have been turned away from housing. Either because of the color of their skin or because they were an American with a disability.

This was my civil right work for 17 years. I brought dozens of lawsuits when I was in private practice. Battling banks, landlords, real estate firms, insurance companies and even local governments. That had treated people unfairly.

In 1998 I won a historic verdict against the national insurance company because they had been redlining minority neighborhoods. Treating them unfairly in the issuance of homeowner's insurance.

At the time I won that case, it was the biggest just verdict ever in the civil rights case in American history. I like to fight for rights. I like to fight for rights.

I found myself going to city council meetings in Richmond, to raise the issues that I was dealing with every day on behalf of my clients. But, I was frustrated at the division and infighting. In 1994, I did something that seemed even crazier than what I'm doing now.

I decided to run for local office. I was so scared the day I announced. But, I wanted to help my city and my community. I knocked on every door in my district. I won my first grace meeting and incumbent by 94 votes. The first of many nail biters and squeakers I've had since then. As I've often said, if I'm good at anything in public life, it's good

because I started at the local level, listening to people. Learning about their lives and trying to find consensus to solve problems.

In the, in the years that followed I became mayor of Richmond. I was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.

[13:45:00]

In 2006 I became the 70th governor to the commonwealth of Virginia. When we moved, when we moved into the Governor's mansion after the inauguration. My wife became the only person who had ever lived there first as a child and then as an adult.

We had to make, we had to make tough decision when I was in office. Because, it was the deepest recession since the 1930's. That didn't stop us from expanding early childhood education. From building more classrooms and facilities on our college campuses so more could go to school. Because, we knew that education was the key to everything that we wanted to achieve as a state. And it's the key to everything we want to achieve as a nation.

We, we invested in open space preservation and cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay because our kids and grandkids deserve to enjoy the beautiful commonwealth that we love, just like you love the beauty of your sunshine state.

We achieved national recognition for our work in tough times. When I was governor of Virginia, best managed state in America. Best state for a child to have a successful life. Best state for business. One of the lowest unemployment rates, one of the highest bond ratings. One of the highest family incomes. We did that during tough times.

So, so today, I am proud to carry that work forward as a Virginia senator serving on the armed services and foreign relations budgeting committees. They actually just added me to the aging committee. I don't know why they would have done that. Why they would have done that.

I'm proud to support my wife's public service. She has been a legal aid lawyer, juvenile court judge, foster care reformer. Now she's secretary of education for the commonwealth of Virginia.

Anne and I are both so proud of our great commonwealth and of our great nation. An isn't it great already? Isn't it great already? What a great country.

I - - As I look back over these experiences, what I've learned that god has created a rich and beautiful tapestry in this country. It is a rainbow of cultural diversity that embraces all people. Regardless, regardless of their race, or economic status. Regardless of their religion or their gender. Regardless of their sexual orientation or where they're from.

We've got this beautiful country that should be a country of welcome. That should be a country of inclusion. I know that, that is a fundamental value that Hillary Clinton shares.

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

I'm a Catholic. Hillary is a Methodist. I'll tell ya, her creed is the same as mine. Do all the good you can. Pretty simple. Do all the good you can. Measure your life by the positive effect you can have on other people's lives.

Be of service to one another. That's a notion that Americans of every faith, tradition and every moral tradition believe in. It's a message that Hillary Clinton has taken to heart for her entire life. For her entire life.

Fighting for, fighting for children and families. Like, when she was First Lady, after she tried and a congress blocked her in the big advance that we needed on healthcare reform. She said, you know what, I'm not stopping. If we can't get it all, can we pass a program to provide health insurance to 8 million more American children. And that's what she did, that's what she did. That's who she fought for.

Fighting for, fighting for equal rights for African Americans, for Latinos, for people with disabilities, for LGBT Americans.

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attack, fighting tenaciously to make sure that 9/11 first responders in New York and other localities. Would get health benefits.

Now, there are an awful lot of people, an awful lot of people who put their trust and their faith in Hillary.

[13:50:00]

She's always, she's always delivered for them. From working with the children's defense fund. The first lady of Arkansas to first lady of the United states, to senator to secretary of state. She has always delivered.

You know what? Here's something you can tell about a great leader. She not only delivers in the easy times, or the simple times. She delivers in the tough times. She even delivers when she's on the receiving end of one attack after another. She never backs down. She never backs down.

Hillary, Hillary, whatever the drama, whatever the attack, whatever the situation, stays focused on what matters, helping people. That's what keeps her going.

So, here's how Hillary and I are going to continue that work. With a strong, progressive agenda. We're going to make the American economy work for everybody, not just those at the top. Not just those at the top.

We'll do that, we'll do that by making the largest investment in good paying jobs since World War II. We will make college debt free for everybody. We'll rewrite the rules so that companies share their profits with workers, rather than ship jobs overseas. We'll make sure that Wall Street corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes.

While we're on the subject of taxes, where are Donald Trump's tax returns? Raise your hand if you think those returns would show that he's paid his fair share of taxes? I don't see a lot of hands.

We're going to fight for paid family leave. Equal pay for women, and raising the minimum wage to a living wage. To keep families together. To keep families together and to bring them out of the shadows in our admiration in the first 100 days. We'll put forward a compressive immigration package that includes a path to citizenship.

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

I will encourage you, if you haven't done this. Go to a naturalization service where people become US citizens. It is - - How many of you - - Raise your hand if you've been a naturalized citizen. Thanks for choosing us.

If you haven't, if you haven't been to one of those services, it's going to be one of the most powerful things you'll ever see. Often, after the oath is taken there's an open mic. People get to just walk up and say here's why I decided that I wanted to become a citizen of the United States.

It will just bring tears to your eyes and a smile to your face when you hear what these people think about the greatness of the United States of America.

When you, when you go to one of these naturalization services and you see the people's desire to join this great country. You will, you'll basically have this pretty amazing thought.

(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

Anybody who loves America this much deserves to be here, deserves to be here.

[13:55:00]

Now, there's one last part of Hillary's plan that means a lot to me personally. That kind of, kind of emotional for and I bet it's emotional for you. How to stem the epidemic of gun violence that kills 33,000 Americans every year.

As governor during one of the most horrible shootings in America's history, this issue is very close to my heart. Very close to my heart. I know that many of you hear feel exactly the same way. Especially after that shooting in Orlando in June.

We can do better folks, we can do better. It was in April of 2007. About half way through my time as governor. I had just arrived in Japan on a trade mission to bring jobs back to Virginia. Had checked into the hotel room, had fallen asleep when the knock came at my door. The head of security detail said governor you've got to turn on the tv. We're going to get on the phone. There's a horrible shooting underway at Virginia Tech. This wonderful college in Blacksburg, Virginia.

As jet lagged as I was. Just arrived, I said take me back to the airport, I'm getting the first plane home. It was 14 hours over it was 14 hours back. I walked onto that campus, jet lagged and in the wrong time zone. But, I knew that as a leader, even though I didn't have any magic words to say that would take away the horror of the tragedy. I had to bring comfort in some way to the families of those that had been killed. To the students and professors who had been injured. Also, to the first responders who had been there to help them.

This, this - - April 16, 2007. That was the worse day of my life. It was the worse day of so many people's lives. And for the parents and the love ones of those kids and professors. That pain never goes away. Precious 17 year olds, a 70+ year old Lithuania Holocaust survivor who was a teacher. Who could survive the Holocaust. Who could survive the Soviet takeover of his country. But, who fell victim to gun violence, because he blocked the door and told his students to climb out the window. As his body was being riddled with bullets. Survived the Holocaust, survived the Soviet takeover of your country. And fall victim in Blacksburg, Virginia. To the horror of American gun violence.

When the vast majority of Americans, and even a majority of NRA members agree that we have to adopt common sense gun safety measures. Hillary and I will not rest. Will not rest. We will not rest. Until - - We will not rest. We won't rest, we won't rest until we get universal background checks and close loop holes that put guns in the hands of criminals, terrorists and dangerous people who should not have them. It's so easy. The American public wants it, gun owners want it. The NRA members want it. We will not rest.

Folks, I know the NRA. Their headquartered in my state. In Virginian. They campaigned against me in every statewide race that I've ever run. But, I've never lost an election. I've never lost an election. I don't mind --