And in this Ring: Democratic Vice Presidential Contenders

Congress.org reports that the top three likely picks for Obama’s Vice President are Tim Kaine, Joe Biden and Evan Bayh. Still being young enough to be politically minded but old enough to also want to know a few facts, I thought I’d turn to the Internet’s top research facility: perezhilton.com er, I mean, Wikipedia. I’ve included a short list of what I’ve found here:

Tim Kaine

  • Current Governor of Virginia
  • Formerly a lawyer and Jesuit Roman Catholic missionary in Honduras.
  • Grew up in Kansas City, son of a welder
  • As mayor of Richmond, VA, helped to create Project Exile, whereby illegal gun possession carried a minimum of 5 years of prison and was a federal crime, which was reported to reduce violent firearm crimes by 40% and was supported by the NRA.
  • Held town hall meetings with a focus on transportation and supported expanding Washington DC’s rapid transit system.
  • Condemned Bush’s spending and tax cuts.
  • Advocate of land conservation
  • Banned smoking in government buildings and vehicles
  • Opposes capital punishment and vetoed bills that would have expanded it.
  • Supported Obama since February 2007.

Joe Biden

  • Senior US Senator, ranks 6th in seniority of all currently serving senators
  • Formerly a lawyer.
  • Born in Scranton, PA to an Irish Catholic family. His father was a car salesman.
  • Commutes 1.5 hours / day by train to D.C. His son is on the board of directors with Amtrak.
  • Heavily involved with the “War on Drugs”, including writing the laws that created the Drug Czar, a position which oversees drug control and prevention. Biden focused on controlling date rape drugs, ecstacy and steroids.
  • Advocate for more student aid and stricter bankruptcy laws.
  • Encouraged Bill Clinton to use force to aid victims of human rights violations.

Evan Bayh

  • Junior US Senator of Indiana
  • Formerly a Governor of Indiana, where he held an 80% approval rating.
  • Born in Shirkieville, Indiana, his father was also a senator
  • Believes in fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, job creation and lean government. As Governor, went 8 years without raising taxes, had the largest single tax cut and largest budget surplus in Indiana’s history.
  • Supports “welfare-to-work” programs, to get people off of welfare and back to making their own living.
  • Huge educational policy, including passing a law that entitled low income child who graduates from high school and is drug free to a full tuition scholarship.
  • Supports capital punishment
  • Supported the war in Iraq but asked for Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation 2 years later, for his failures with that war
  • Opposed 6 of George W. Bush’s appointments (2 Attorney Generals, 2 Secretaries (including Condoleezza Rice), and 2 Supreme Court Justices)
  • Supports abortion rights.
  • Supports affirmative action, against gay marriage.

Up Next: Standard Realty Group