Clinton and Kaine Make Debut in Miami

Hillary Clinton and newly announced running mate, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, made their debut at their first public event together in Florida Saturday.

The nominees spoke at Florida International University in Miami hoping to rally support in the vitally important state for this year's presidential race.
           
Clinton hopes the bilingual Kaine may prove to be a valuable asset in Spanish-language media as the campaign appeals to Hispanic-Americans. Kaine opened his remarks in Spanish, saying he likes to '"fight for right."

"For many of you, this is the first time you've heard my name. I'm excited for us to get to know one another," Kaine said before describing his past as a lawyer and missionary.

His selection just days before the Democratic National Convention completes the lineup for the general election. Clinton and Kaine will face Trump and his vice presidential choice, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

Clinton attempted to rally support for her running mate by trying to illustrate a sharp contrast between Kaine and her opposition.

"I have to say that Senator Tim Kaine is everything that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not," Clinton said. "He is qualified to step into this job and lead on day one. And he is a progressive who likes to get things done. That's just my kind of guy, Tim."

Athough Clinton and Kaine have secured the ticket for November's election, her fight is far from over.

Sizable numbers of Democrats say they're behind Clinton but many are not impressed with her vision for the country's future or by her bid to become America's first female president. Instead, many are motivated by a desire to keep Trump out of the White House.

Democrats and independent voters in the Philadelphia suburbs - a crucial area in a competitive state - expressed mixed feelings about Clinton in the days leading up to next week's Democratic National Convention in their hometown.
           
Linda Groverman, 62, of Blue Bell, said she'd vote for Clinton, but quickly noted the former Secretary of State was far from her first choice. "She's got a lot of experience and I can't stand Trump," she said.

Other voters say she's been in Washington for far too long.

"She's been in Washington for so long," said Lisa Tarlecki, 56, of Berwyn, who said she was trying to decide whether or not she should even vote at all.

Half of Clinton's own backers say they consider her only slightly or not at all honest, and more than one-third say she's only slightly or not at all likable, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll conducted this month.

Clinton's private email scandal seems to be doing the most damage in her bid to be the next president.
           
Her approval ratings have fallen from a high of 65 percent in December 2012, to below 40 percent this month - a historic low.

Clinton hopes to use the Democratic Convention to address concerns and tackle Trump head on. Her team has drafted a schedule featuring four days of speakers who will hammer away at Trump's 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 is nothing we can accomplish once we make up our minds," she said.