Hillary Clinton's running mate, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, has been described by critics as a snoozer of a choice who could fail to inspire the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party, blue collar workers and others. [...] they describe a deep thinker with a light touch — a person who reads dense books on philosophy for fun but also jams on harmonica with any band that will let him play along. Friends and supporters believe Kaine's varied interests and personal background — he's a Harvard Law grad with a blue collar upbringing who served as a Catholic missionary — will help him connect to voters around the country. After serving as a Richmond city councilmember and part-time mayor, Kaine became the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor when the presumed candidate dropped out following a cancer diagnosis. [...] when he was mayor of Richmond, Kaine caught heat from gun activists after using city funds to transport participants to the Million Mom March gun control rally in Washington, D.C.