Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine has made various appearances speaking fluent Spanish, however, Latinos have mixed feelings about his use of the language.
“Bienvenidos a todos (welcome to everyone),” said Kaine in his first speech as Hillary Clinton’s running mate on July 23 in Miami, Florida.
“We’re going to be compañeros del alma (soul mates) in this great lucha (fight) ahead,” said Kaine as the crowd cheered.
Throughout the campaign Kaine has continued to show off his Spanish skills.
On Sept. 26, the day of the first presidential debate, Kaine went on Univision’s morning show “Despierta America” and did an entire interview in fluent Spanish.
“I lived in Honduras 35 years ago,” Kaine told the show’s co-anchor Satcha Pretto, who is from Honduras, in Spanish. Kaine lived in the Central American country in 1980 as a volunteer with Jesuit missionaries.
In the interview, the vice-presidential candidate spoke about the debate—before it took place that night—student debt, gun control, and immigration reform.
“Hillary and I are big supporters of an integral reform of the system,” Kaine said in Spanish. He said that the future Clinton administration will make a strong push for immigration reform in the first 100 days in office.
Kaine also played the harmonica for the Univision anchors and viewers, and spoke about Honduran food.
