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PHILADELPHIA, the United States, July 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia formally accepted the Democratic vice presidential nomination at the 2016 Democratic National Convention on Wednesday.
Following a long list of Democratic leaders and liberal activists like Vice President Joe Biden, Kaine, 58, took the stage at the Wells Fargo Center to announce his nod to be the running mate of Hillary Clinton, who officially captured her party's presidential nomination on Tuesday.
"I humbly accept my party's nomination to be vice president of the United States," a smiling Kaine said to thunderous applause.
Kaine, a low-key Spanish-speaking politician from the battleground state of Virginia, seized the night to introduce himself to a cheerful national audience at the convention hall and millions in front of the television at home.
He is expected to cement Clinton's lead among Hispanic voters and offer her a political boost among the state's independent voters and moderate Republicans displeased with their party's nominee Donald Trump.
Kaine took a swipe at Trump for his business record, his credibility and his proposals to build a wall along the Mexican border, mocking Trump for his habit of saying the same two words right after he makes his biggest promises -- "believe me."
In his speech, Kaine also gave acknowledgement to Bernie Sanders, Clinton's bitter rival in the primaries, in an effort to rally millions of Sanders supporters behind Clinton in the Nov. 8 general election.
Before being elected to the Senate in 2012, Kaine served as governor of Virginia. He was previously vetted for the vice presidency by Barack Obama in his presidential campaign in 2008 and picked by Obama to lead the Democratic National Committee between January 2009 and April 2011.
