In a predictably softball interview with Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine set to air on Wednesday, talk show host and Hillary Clinton superfan Ellen DeGeneres began the friendly chat by gushing: “Well, first of all, thank you for everything you have been doing for a long, long time.”
After asking about Clinton’s health, DeGeneres remarked: “Now obviously because you’re the nominee for vice president you have to defend Hillary because that’s your job....Do you feel bad for Mike Pence? That he has to defend [Donald Trump]?” She mocked the GOP running mate: “I mean, because he’s got to be constantly like going, ‘Oh, what do I say now?’...Like, ‘What did he say now?’”
Kaine laughably argued that his job of defending Clinton was easy: “Yeah, no, it is – it is part of the role. I don’t find that a heavy lift at all to do the work I have to do to tell people Hillary’s story.” DeGeneres heaped more praise on him: “Yeah, and you’re doing a great job. And I mean, I’m thrilled that you’re our nominee and I just think you’re a great guy...”
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Of course no questions were raised about the Democratic nominee’s numerous scandals. One year earlier, DeGeneres invited Clinton on the show and assured her “you don’t have to answer” questions about the e-mail scandal. In another softball exchange in May, DeGeneres lobbied to be the former Secretary of State’s VP pick.
Here is a transcript of the exchange with Kaine, set to air on September 21:
ELLEN DEGENERES: I mean, you get a call, all of a sudden, you’re going to be vice president nominee. And then –
TIM KAINE: Hillary called me at 7:32 p.m. on July 22, not that it was memorable.
[LAUGHTER]
DEGENERES: And?
KAINE: And I started to say yes, she said, “Will you be on the ticket with me?” I started to say yes, she said, “Don’t talk, I want to tell you why first.” And she just basically said, “Look, if I’m president, the measure of the administration will be, can we do things that affect people in their daily lives? Not a bill signing, not a passage, but affect people in their daily lives.” And she said, “You’ve been a missionary and a civil rights lawyer and a mayor and a governor, I think you’ll help me measure what we do by the effect that it makes.”
So obviously it was deeply humbling and I’m – I’ve been in politics 22 years, I’ve always had strong women supporting me, especially my wife and so many others, and to be able to support a strong woman to make history, I’m really excited about it.
DEGENERES: That’s amazing. Well, first of all, thank you for everything you have been doing for a long, long time. We were talking backstage, let’s just get to this.
KAINE: Yeah.
DEGENERES: So first of all, how is she doing with the pneumonia?
KAINE: She’s good. She’s very good. Back out on the trail and powering through like, you know, multi-tasking women and men often have to do. But she’s back on the trail and doing good.
DEGENERES: Good, glad to hear that.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
DEGENERES: Now obviously because you’re the nominee for vice president you have to defend Hillary because that’s your job.
KAINE: Absolutely.
DEGENERES: Do you feel bad for Mike Pence? That he has to defend?
[LAUGHTER]
KAINE: I mean, I –
DEGENERES: I mean, because he’s got to be constantly like going, “Oh, what do I say now?”
[LAUGHTER]
DEGENERES: Like, “What did he say now?”
KAINE: Yeah, no, it is – it is part of the role. I don’t find that a heavy lift at all to do the work I have to do to tell people Hillary’s story. Hillary and I are both mid-westerners, we both grew up in Republican families, we both grew up in small business families, we both grew up in religious households. I kind of know the vibe. I know that, for example, for her it’s not easy for her to talk about herself. That’s just not the way we were raised. But it’s easier for me to talk about her. So that’s something that I like to do, is to tell stories about things she’s done that really show who she is as a person and the kind of president she’ll be.
DEGENERES: Yeah, and you’re doing a great job. And I mean, I’m thrilled that you’re our nominee and I just think you’re a great guy and a pretty good ping-pong player.
KAINE: She just trounced me backstage.
[LAUGHTER]
(...)
