Sen. Tim Kaine's oft-conflicted
stance on abortion could be an Achilles Heel as a candidate to be Hillary Clinton's vice presidential pick.
To sum up his position: Kaine supports womens' right to choose … with restrictions. He supports Roe vs. Wade but as a Roman Catholic, he doesn't believe in abortion. Being a moderate on the issue of abortion rights means taking flak from both sides, and might deliver a mortal blow to his VP candidacy.
Joel Goldstein, an expert on VP picks, told
The Hill that Kaine's stance would not be a "decisive factor."
"My guess is some of the pro-choice groups will express the people they prefer to Kaine," Goldstein told The Hill.
As Governor of Virginia, Kaine signed a measure allowing "Choose Life" license plates, drawing the ire of NARAL Pro-Choice America, The Hill reported. Further, Kaine supports parental consent, partial-birth ban and informed consent.
However, according to
LifeNews.com, Democrats For Life (DFLA) yanked their support for Kaine based on his voting record, making him pro-abortion … enough.
Meanwhile, two other candidates reportedly being vetted by Clinton's camp, Elizabeth Warren and Juan Castro, are pro-choice stalwarts. Warren has a 0 percent pro-life voting record, and Castro has strong support from Planned Parenthood, LifeNews.com reports.