Kamala Harris, who was last night officially named the Democratic nominee for president, announced the pick for her vice presidential running mate this morning, Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, who won out over Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Both would have been excellent candidates. Harris chose the Midwesterner with the folksy manner because of his patented way of getting under the skin of Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, describing the two, and the MAGA movement in general as “weird,” a line of attack that quickly entered the national political lexicon.
JD Vance wrote a blurb for a book which promotes the idea that liberals literally are not human; that liberals must be destroyed. JD Vance is just a modern-day Nazi, and the opposite of Tim Walz.
Michele Goldberg's column NYT is a five-alarm warning:
I read Michele's column earlier today. Maybe the fact that they see us as not human explains how they can harbor such horrible hatred for people they do not know.
OMG Lucian! Your first Walz quote is precisely the kind of folksy-cutting-irresistible-to-press comment I’ve been craving! Thank you as always!
—> “What a monster! Kids are eating, eating and having full bellies so they can go learn and women are making their own health care decisions,” Walz bragged sarcastically in the interview. “So, if that's where they want to label me, I’m more than happy to take the label.”
Walz gained attention in Minnesota in the 1990’s when he sponsored the first gay-straight alliance at his high school, saying at the time that he thought it important that the group was sponsored by “the football coach, who was the soldier and was straight and was married.
So happy to read your positive comments today. Means a lot to this faithful reader who is going to be with you up until and way after Election Day. Walz was my first choice for many reasons. As one of your readers below commented: This ticket puts a smile on my face." Me, too! xoxo Hooray!
The talking heads have been looking for negatives. ONE. The process was not private. TWO. Walz is not moderate and she needed that for suburban women (I think they say women ). THREE. They needed Shapiro for Penn (tho data show veeps do not necessarily carry their state). FOUR. Charlie Sykes said the attacks on Shapiro re Israel targeted him even tho he had the same views as the other vettees, so H may have blinked on anti-Semitism.
I think it is clear they wanted Shapiro or Kelly. Why oh why? I picked Walz, so he obviously is the best pick. My only concern was he sometimes talks too fast. And I hope there are no hard feelings that hurt the Penn campaign.
Shapiro will get behind him 100%. Shapiro is my governor and I'm pretty sure a majority of Pennsylvanians are happy to have him stay where he is—he is doing a great job. Walz was my first pick. We have a fabulous ticket!
Mae Kuykendall—Thanks for saving me the trouble. Nothing gives me more hope than Jonathan Chait and the Dem neolibs bitching that it's all over without Shapiro as number two. His long suit was Pennsylvania, period. The value of Walz's appeal in EC-strong states can't be overstated. If anyone can defeat the American carnage couple, it's our joyous pair. Carry on cackling.
No, she did not "blink" on anti-Semitism. Shapiro made some less than politic statements on several fronts - one, his favoring school vouchers and two his comments on Palestinian student protesters. And then there is the protection of one of his staff and sexual harrassment. VP Harris made the right decision.
Understood, but this is what punditocracy does and it bothers me that these know-it-alls are so often just quoted because, well, we are back to.... clicks make the world go 'round.
We seem to be a country who is only happy when we can immediately start to tear a person down.
I'll be polite about Charlie Sykes and John Chait. Have a hard time forgiving Chait for his damning with faint praise of Hillary. With friends like these.....
The contrast between the authenticity of Harris and Walz compared to the abundant inauthenticity of the MAGA frauds couldn't be greater. The prosecutor vs the serial felon and con-man. A governor who is a former high school teacher and coach, someone we can all relate to, vs JD a frankenstein creation of wanna be hillbilly and vulture capitalist, ready to shift-shape at the first opportunity. The Kamala campaign just gets better and better.
This is such a great choice! From what I've heard about Walz so far, I'd vote for him for just about anything. He has that underlying core of decency that is so absent in the republican candidates. He's like everyone's favorite teacher, and he gives off "good dad" vibes.
Trump has been doing this “Dem candidate changed race/heritage for political purposes” thing for years, you’ll recall, even tagging Elizabeth Warren for only recently claiming Native American lineage…
I remember that very well, seeing as Warren is my senior senator. It was effing infuriating. These white East and West Coast jerks knew zip about how likely it is that people in places like Oklahoma (where Warren is from) do have a Native connection, even if it's not inscribed in the family Bible.
Susanna, I am a retired Mass state employee with over 40 years of service. It has always infuriated me that Senator Warren is maligned for that. In the 1970's when Affirmative Action (anyone remember?) first began, the State Administrative offices were looking for any employee who had a non-white background. Portuguese? Nope that is white, we were told. Russian, born in Soviet Union with a birth certificate in the Russian alphabet?! No, we were told, that is white. On it went. Employees were asked did they have anyone in their ancestry or background that would mean they qualified. The Personnel people were desperate to find anyone they could put in the Affirmative Action column. That's how it was.
That's the thing with enthymematic arguments, they already require filling in unstated premises and when even adding those leaves it meaningless, it's perfect for Trump!
Yes, it's a sneaky way of encouraging your audience to insert their own biases into an argument, by allowing them to make up their own premises to somehow support your claims.
Father was a Korean veteran. Tim is a former teacher, high school football coach (won the state championship), progressive, high ratings in his state, 24 years in the military, well spoken, mentally sharp. Public high school graduate (25 kids in his class), truly a class act, someone you could have a relaxed dinner with....and so much more logical a choice than a phony like JD Vance.
And Walz is a German name, short for Walter. Hell, I gotta like him.
Not the best choice, not a young Kennedy type, not the future of the Donkey party....but now a real chance in November and I think the polls that already showed Trump tied or losing will get even more favorable. We will soon see.
I read Walz’s QV. Chadron State alum! My father was a professor at Hastings College and our football and basketball teams often faced up against Chadron State. I also hunted deer with my dad (and mom!) in the area around Chadron growing up. I’ve felt for the last few (ten? Twenty?) years that the whole concept of “heartland” was expropriated and exploited by the Right Wingers in all the wrong ways. I’m proud of my background and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Tim Walz gets my full-throated endorsement for learning all the right lessons and being able to dish it out (“They’re just weird”) in a way that anyone who grew up there understands intuitively. Perfect choice. Harris-Walz for the win.
That’s “CV,” as in “Curriculum Vitae,” my apologies. Which reminds me that it’s worth re-reading TFG’s and JD’s CVs as there’s plenty of weird eyebrow-raisers to behold. Jus’ sayin’.
That’s a very important endorsement in my book. This race is going to be won by the young vote. Enthusiasm by the young will turn out the vote for the win.
An old white dude here. That's quite an assumption that the Governor is pro-gun. I'm pro-gun for hunting, I'm not pro-gun for AR-15 or any weapon that can be turned into a military-like killing machine. There is a difference.
Guns are guns! They all are for killing...Walz owns guns, kills beautiful birds (maybe other creatures; but Pheasants are what is stated.) Tell the child that has been killed by a gun that is not an AR-15 or :military-like" weapon that there is a difference. More children are killed by guns in the USA than by anyone means.
I kinda wanted Kelly (and Gabby), but I'm now all-in on Walz. Not an easy decision for Kamala, but she has shown (once again) incredible resolve and discipline in making a great pick in a highly compressed time frame.
I like Shapiro a lot, and would have been happy with him, or for that matter, any of the others that were under consideration. Let's hope the Ds have learned their lesson and will get behind Walz without a peep of what-if or shoulda-coulda.
I just heard JD Vance give his reaction to the Walz pick, and it was nothing but lie lie lie lie lie for two solid minutes straight. Let's let Walz do what he does so well without leaving a single chink in the armor by getting behind him a hundred and ten percent. Don't give the hillbilly and the orange turd one bit of fodder.
He should be a great messenger in the key swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania where he can articulate what actual "progressivism" means to working class citizizens. As in a level playing field, government for the working class regardless of race and ethnicity, and, yes, why governmemt must play a role in giving the lower class a hand up out of poverty.
If Vance does decide to debate him cannot wait for a real working governor to opine on such BS issues as white male replacement theory against someone who wrote a book and woke up believing he could be President and who decided adopting the mores of Donald Trump might replace those of his ancestors from Appalachia.
At last! A political ticket that makes me smile.
The fact that these are two people who know how to smile is refreshing after Debbie Downer Trump/Vance doom and gloom.
I love that - two America’s. One: “Escape from New York” 1981. The other “The American President” 1995
One could feel the excitement watching Kamala/Tim entering the Philly arena. Good to finally have our own fun, festive rallies for a change!
JD Vance wrote a blurb for a book which promotes the idea that liberals literally are not human; that liberals must be destroyed. JD Vance is just a modern-day Nazi, and the opposite of Tim Walz.
Michele Goldberg's column NYT is a five-alarm warning:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/05/opinion/jd-vance-fascism-unhumans.html
I read Michele's column earlier today. Maybe the fact that they see us as not human explains how they can harbor such horrible hatred for people they do not know.
Their's is a timeworn strategy. Dehumanize the enemy.
OMG Lucian! Your first Walz quote is precisely the kind of folksy-cutting-irresistible-to-press comment I’ve been craving! Thank you as always!
—> “What a monster! Kids are eating, eating and having full bellies so they can go learn and women are making their own health care decisions,” Walz bragged sarcastically in the interview. “So, if that's where they want to label me, I’m more than happy to take the label.”
This did it for me:
Walz gained attention in Minnesota in the 1990’s when he sponsored the first gay-straight alliance at his high school, saying at the time that he thought it important that the group was sponsored by “the football coach, who was the soldier and was straight and was married.
Great post, Lucian. I’m ecstatic at Walz joining the team. We have a pair of upbeat, happy warriors on our ticket. Let’s do this!
Loved Edward Luce's comment on Morning Joe this morning that both Democratic candidates are "joyful warriors".
FFS tangeranus is not the president. His campaign should stop calling him that!
Trump probably won't allow his staff to call him anything else. He's an orange schmuck. A ridiculously absurd orange schmuck.
So happy to read your positive comments today. Means a lot to this faithful reader who is going to be with you up until and way after Election Day. Walz was my first choice for many reasons. As one of your readers below commented: This ticket puts a smile on my face." Me, too! xoxo Hooray!
The talking heads have been looking for negatives. ONE. The process was not private. TWO. Walz is not moderate and she needed that for suburban women (I think they say women ). THREE. They needed Shapiro for Penn (tho data show veeps do not necessarily carry their state). FOUR. Charlie Sykes said the attacks on Shapiro re Israel targeted him even tho he had the same views as the other vettees, so H may have blinked on anti-Semitism.
I think it is clear they wanted Shapiro or Kelly. Why oh why? I picked Walz, so he obviously is the best pick. My only concern was he sometimes talks too fast. And I hope there are no hard feelings that hurt the Penn campaign.
Shapiro will get behind him 100%. Shapiro is my governor and I'm pretty sure a majority of Pennsylvanians are happy to have him stay where he is—he is doing a great job. Walz was my first pick. We have a fabulous ticket!
Tim Walls gave him a glowing tip of the hat!!
I like Shapiro. He is from my former home county in PA but I was concerned that the ticket would be hurt by anti-Semitism.
Mae Kuykendall—Thanks for saving me the trouble. Nothing gives me more hope than Jonathan Chait and the Dem neolibs bitching that it's all over without Shapiro as number two. His long suit was Pennsylvania, period. The value of Walz's appeal in EC-strong states can't be overstated. If anyone can defeat the American carnage couple, it's our joyous pair. Carry on cackling.
Shapiro’s administration in Harrisburg was just embroiled in a sexual harassment lawsuit that was settled out of court.
Sorry to hear that about him. My worst concern had been that his Gaza war position would only further alienate young voters.
Agree Gaza a sad, sad flashpoint among the young.
NEXT DAY Pragmatic good old Dem Ed Kilgore rebuts his nyMag colleague Jonathan Chait: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/tim-walz-kamala-harris-normie-running-mate.html
No, she did not "blink" on anti-Semitism. Shapiro made some less than politic statements on several fronts - one, his favoring school vouchers and two his comments on Palestinian student protesters. And then there is the protection of one of his staff and sexual harrassment. VP Harris made the right decision.
Please note that I only reported what a talking head said, not anything I think. I was taken aback by the commentariat's search for negatives.
Understood, but this is what punditocracy does and it bothers me that these know-it-alls are so often just quoted because, well, we are back to.... clicks make the world go 'round.
We seem to be a country who is only happy when we can immediately start to tear a person down.
I'll be polite about Charlie Sykes and John Chait. Have a hard time forgiving Chait for his damning with faint praise of Hillary. With friends like these.....
The contrast between the authenticity of Harris and Walz compared to the abundant inauthenticity of the MAGA frauds couldn't be greater. The prosecutor vs the serial felon and con-man. A governor who is a former high school teacher and coach, someone we can all relate to, vs JD a frankenstein creation of wanna be hillbilly and vulture capitalist, ready to shift-shape at the first opportunity. The Kamala campaign just gets better and better.
There are several Leonard Cohen’s songs that come to mind. I’ll skip over “Take This Waltz” because of the dark lyrics and jump right to “Hallelujah”!
This is such a great choice! From what I've heard about Walz so far, I'd vote for him for just about anything. He has that underlying core of decency that is so absent in the republican candidates. He's like everyone's favorite teacher, and he gives off "good dad" vibes.
So excited! As a native Minnesotan, I am very proud that she recognized all the good Midwestern values and lingo that we treasure in him!
The REALIST of the real deal.
Typo alert, his wife is "Gwenn" but yes to all the rest.
Meanwhile according to Borowitz Trump is pointing out Tim Walz was never really white.
Good joke!
Whoa! "Walz was never really white"? I have a hard time translating Trump into plain English, but WTF does this even mean?
Actual quote was “…never white before”
That's useful -- it almost makes sense!
Trump has been doing this “Dem candidate changed race/heritage for political purposes” thing for years, you’ll recall, even tagging Elizabeth Warren for only recently claiming Native American lineage…
I remember that very well, seeing as Warren is my senior senator. It was effing infuriating. These white East and West Coast jerks knew zip about how likely it is that people in places like Oklahoma (where Warren is from) do have a Native connection, even if it's not inscribed in the family Bible.
Susanna, I am a retired Mass state employee with over 40 years of service. It has always infuriated me that Senator Warren is maligned for that. In the 1970's when Affirmative Action (anyone remember?) first began, the State Administrative offices were looking for any employee who had a non-white background. Portuguese? Nope that is white, we were told. Russian, born in Soviet Union with a birth certificate in the Russian alphabet?! No, we were told, that is white. On it went. Employees were asked did they have anyone in their ancestry or background that would mean they qualified. The Personnel people were desperate to find anyone they could put in the Affirmative Action column. That's how it was.
That's the thing with enthymematic arguments, they already require filling in unstated premises and when even adding those leaves it meaningless, it's perfect for Trump!
Richard, what a pot o’ gold in your response! I looked up “enthymematic” and it’s gotta be one of the pillars of trash civic engagement!
Yes, it's a sneaky way of encouraging your audience to insert their own biases into an argument, by allowing them to make up their own premises to somehow support your claims.
Thank you sir! 🫡
Father was a Korean veteran. Tim is a former teacher, high school football coach (won the state championship), progressive, high ratings in his state, 24 years in the military, well spoken, mentally sharp. Public high school graduate (25 kids in his class), truly a class act, someone you could have a relaxed dinner with....and so much more logical a choice than a phony like JD Vance.
And Walz is a German name, short for Walter. Hell, I gotta like him.
Not the best choice, not a young Kennedy type, not the future of the Donkey party....but now a real chance in November and I think the polls that already showed Trump tied or losing will get even more favorable. We will soon see.
I read Walz’s QV. Chadron State alum! My father was a professor at Hastings College and our football and basketball teams often faced up against Chadron State. I also hunted deer with my dad (and mom!) in the area around Chadron growing up. I’ve felt for the last few (ten? Twenty?) years that the whole concept of “heartland” was expropriated and exploited by the Right Wingers in all the wrong ways. I’m proud of my background and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Tim Walz gets my full-throated endorsement for learning all the right lessons and being able to dish it out (“They’re just weird”) in a way that anyone who grew up there understands intuitively. Perfect choice. Harris-Walz for the win.
That’s “CV,” as in “Curriculum Vitae,” my apologies. Which reminds me that it’s worth re-reading TFG’s and JD’s CVs as there’s plenty of weird eyebrow-raisers to behold. Jus’ sayin’.
“Go On………….” 😋
Even Kamala mentioned Vance’s CV at the Philadelphia rally tonight!
I’m happy. Shapiro would have the lost the must win Michigan. We need Kelly in the Senate. And his one liners are great for our younger voters.
Yes! David Hogg absolutely loves Walz, and says that his friends who are his age also love him.
That’s a very important endorsement in my book. This race is going to be won by the young vote. Enthusiasm by the young will turn out the vote for the win.
Youth vote + women + cat ladies and allies = victory!
+ rural state—Electoral College—appeal.
That's such a good sign. They need those voters!
I support David Hogg and his views. I wonder if he knows that walz is pro gun and hunting. I am disappointed
An old white dude here. That's quite an assumption that the Governor is pro-gun. I'm pro-gun for hunting, I'm not pro-gun for AR-15 or any weapon that can be turned into a military-like killing machine. There is a difference.
Guns are guns! They all are for killing...Walz owns guns, kills beautiful birds (maybe other creatures; but Pheasants are what is stated.) Tell the child that has been killed by a gun that is not an AR-15 or :military-like" weapon that there is a difference. More children are killed by guns in the USA than by anyone means.
I and many of my friends have kids in their thirties. These young people are delighted to have Walz on the ticket!
Us too🩵💙💙
I kinda wanted Kelly (and Gabby), but I'm now all-in on Walz. Not an easy decision for Kamala, but she has shown (once again) incredible resolve and discipline in making a great pick in a highly compressed time frame.
I like Shapiro a lot, and would have been happy with him, or for that matter, any of the others that were under consideration. Let's hope the Ds have learned their lesson and will get behind Walz without a peep of what-if or shoulda-coulda.
I just heard JD Vance give his reaction to the Walz pick, and it was nothing but lie lie lie lie lie for two solid minutes straight. Let's let Walz do what he does so well without leaving a single chink in the armor by getting behind him a hundred and ten percent. Don't give the hillbilly and the orange turd one bit of fodder.
JD is no hillbilly, more a "nobilly". I know hillbilly, I am one.
He should be a great messenger in the key swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania where he can articulate what actual "progressivism" means to working class citizizens. As in a level playing field, government for the working class regardless of race and ethnicity, and, yes, why governmemt must play a role in giving the lower class a hand up out of poverty.
If Vance does decide to debate him cannot wait for a real working governor to opine on such BS issues as white male replacement theory against someone who wrote a book and woke up believing he could be President and who decided adopting the mores of Donald Trump might replace those of his ancestors from Appalachia.
His ability to cut through, especially labels and explain the actual facts underneath. What is wrong with caring for people?
His CV describes an all American hero in a 40's movie. Yet loving that crazy ride at the fair with his daughter? Who would believe that too?
“Politico yesterday described Republican insiders as horrified by Trump’s “undisciplined, personal attacks on Harris.” Yeah right! Have they met tfg?
I’m happy with Walz as the VP pick!