Comparing The Nominees for Vice President

For all their perceived differences, Hillary Clinton and her donor-turned-general election opponent have shown similarity on a wide range of issues and personality traits. Now that comparison extends to their choice of running mates as well. Both have chosen boring, timid men afraid to overshadow or second-guess their arrogant running mates.

Tim Kaine is a prime example of a politician who stays popular only by avoiding a strong position on any controversial issue. He supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership two weeks ago, but came out strongly against it the day Clinton named him running mate. He claims to personally oppose abortion, but also opposes defunding Planned Parenthood, banning late-term abortions, and basically every other federal pro-life measure.

In short, he has made little meaningful impact in the Senate and has been a loyal foot soldier for the Democratic Party, silently supporting every major liberal proposal without taking firm, principled stances on anything.

Mike Pence, meanwhile, pledges allegiance to conservative doctrine but, similar to Kaine, has displayed no willingness to aggressively fight for his beliefs and values, instead showing a tendency to cave under pressure. The minute he was selected as Trump’s running mate he attempted to disavow his long record of support for free trade agreements and the Iraq War, as well as past criticism of Trump himself, in order to gain the VP nomination and extract himself from a difficult reelection fight.

In the House, when Pence had the ability to vote for conservative proposals but no occasion to face extreme outside pressure, his voting record was solidly on the Right. But as governor, he became less reliable, caving on Medicaid expansion and the state Religious Freedom Restoration Act, among other issues. And during the presidential primary he infamously gave Ted Cruz one of the weakest endorsements in history, while praising Trump and making it clear to everyone that, once again, he placed popularity above principle.

Neither Mike Pence nor Tim Kaine have shown much inclination over their careers to be principled leaders, but rather have placed a quest for popularity above all else. Neither has demonstrated a willingness to stand up to their respective running mates in the name of doing the right thing. Both are content to be trophy wives and see to it that their running mates’ every desire is carried out without question. The ideological integrity and resoluteness of Ted Cruz or Elizabeth Warren, or even Paul Ryan or Joe Biden, is sorely lacking in both Pence and Kaine.

To be clear: Were the roles reversed, I would happily vote for Mike Pence over nearly any Democrat. For all his flaws, he would be infinitely better than a Democratic candidate. But Pence as Trump’s sidekick does not make the latter any more fit for the Presidency, nor does Kaine as a potential Vice President make Hillary Clinton more palatable to conservative Republicans alienated by Trump.