Is Tim Kaine a "Pope Francis" Catholic?

I’m a Kaine fan and also wrote a book called “The Francis Effect,” so I feel ya here. The senator’s fight for living wages, comprehensive immigration reform, and his commitment to address climate change and inequality are all positions supported by the Catholic Church. Pope Francis not only applauds those efforts, but he has elevated traditional church teaching about economic and environmental justice to the forefront of his papacy. Plenty of conservative Catholics, including a few cardinals, are angry and anxious about the direction Francis is steering the global church. But let’s clarify a few things. When it comes to Catholic teaching and politics, the left and the right often oversimplify what isâ??—â??and should beâ??—â??a complicated nexus.