Sen. Tim Kaine, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s running mate in 2016, says that he has been thinking a lot about the Pledge of Allegiance recently.
At Round Hill, Va.’s B Chord microbrewery just a few miles from the Shenandoah River, the folksy Democrat facing reelection this year said his focus has been on the last words of the Pledge, and whether it fits with how he views President Trump. Hint: They don’t.
“I’ve been very obsessed with the last two words in the Pledge of Allegiance. Liberty and justice — for all,” he said at the brewery’s “neighborhood night” before pulling out his harmonica to jam with a local bluegrass band.
“Because,” he explained, “we have a president, if we’re honest, he is not a ‘for all’ guy. He will fight with an ally, he will pick on a Republican, he’ll pick on Democrats, he’ll pick on peacefully demonstrating NFL players, he’ll attack immigrants. Again and again and again it’s about who he’s going to pick a fight with.”
In his research, Kaine said that the author of the Pledge added “for all” to “sell what it was that this country is about … it’s got to be for all.”
