I was cautioned for saying this last week, but I’m certain the music I hear coming from just over the hill is a band practicing “Happy Days are Here Again”.
I love this ticket and so do my 30-something age trans and non-binary children. My oldest said they were refusing to ever vote for Biden again and the youngest was keeping his mouth shut. I consider myself a pragmatic progressive. Ideologically i am a democratic socialist, but recognize that this country, founded by Puritans, is likely never going to elect a far left ticket. Most people are moderates and not political. I never thought i would say a 60yo white man “checks all the boxes”, but Walz does. He is both a progressive and an Everyman, which he has proven is not an oxymoron. We needed a Southerner or midwesterner to round out the ticket and Roy took himself out of the race. I live in a small mountain town and the Dems here are ramped up!!
I'm a fan of Simon Rosenberg's "Hopium Chronicles" (https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/) and one of his catch phrases is "I'd rather be us than them". It struck me that voters are in the "get to know" stage for both Tim Walz and J.D. Vance.
I don't know what kind of vetting The GOP did on Vance, but they have to be worried about what new bombshell will pop up as people mine Vance's social media.
On the other hand, here's what I'm seeing for Tim Walz:
* The absolutely adorable group pile-on hug from little kids when Gov. Walz signed the free school meal bill and his joy at receiving the hug
* a hysterically funny PSA he did several years ago with his daughter Hope about hands-free driving.
* a cute PSA about the Walz family adopting a rescue kitten from the Human Society - sure to melt all the hearts of childless cat ladies ;-)
* a cute video of him and his daughter Hope at the state fair(?) where he goes on some crazy wild ride because of a deal he made with her that they each get to pick a ride
I'm from Illinois farm country, home of Abe Lincoln, Ev Dirksen, Ronald Reagan, Adam Kinzinger and other non-MAGA watch-the-finances but stay-out-of-my-bedroom core Republican wing of the party. Walz's background mirrors my Midwestern grandfathers'....he is not "too liberal" for me, so there will be at least one Harris-Walz vote in Moore County.
Great commentary, Thomas. I also like what Robert Reich said: "...there’s no longer a middle. When the Republican Party has adopted authoritarian fascism, what does it mean to be “too far to the left?”
Governor Walz was my choice from the first interview I saw with him. He's perfect for this ticket and I believe as you do it's a winning one. Thanks for the great essay!
The credentials on this ticket—impressive. It’s been some exciting weeks. My FB feed has been blowing up with posts from Pantsuit Nation. Although celestially we are under the influence of a Mercury Retrograde, planetary alignments seem to be creating forces for good. In fact, quite demonstrably so. And I’m beside myself with all the feline energy afoot. The sacred feminine, alive and well and speaking.
nonsense = She and he are just another couple of cow bells the DNC will allow you to follow. Absolutely nobody wanted Harris in 2020. So why are you now praising her as viable. Bullshit. I have never even considered voting Republican - until now..
Great article. Harris and Walz had enthusiastic rallies in Wisconsin and Detroit Wednesday. Estimated crowd in Detroit was 15,000 according to reporting by the New York Times. However, there also were pro Palestinian supporters who demanded a meeting with Harris and an arms embargo against Israel according to the Times reporting. They may be no shows in November and could give Michigan to Trump. Gov Gretchen Whitmer has a challenge.
Tim Walz is a great choice. The middle has shifted so far to the right that no one remembers what the middle really is. Nothing that he has accomplished is oh so liberal. It's all about caring about the people and taking care of them.
The conservativesmay see Walz as too liberal and the 'progressives' didn't want Shapiro because basically, they're pretty much antisemitic. Look what happened in MO with Cori Bush of the Squad. I used to consider myself progressive, but the rampant antisemitism has convinced me that I am not progressive, but I am liberal. And I love this ticket. Vote BLUE!
I think the GOP may come to regret trying to paint Walz as a raging wild-eyed liberal. The one response I saw from him was basically mocking the RW press for thinking that making sure that elementary students got fed was a crazy extremist Liberal idea. The same for extending the child tax credit.
I bet a lot of moderate GOP and unaffiliated women (especially mothers), think Gov Walz is on the right track! And wish that their governors would do the same thing! It definitely shows up the entire GOP as hypocrites for claiming to be "Family Values".
And speaking of moderate women voters: If you aren't already familiar with Galvanize Action, please check them and their playbook out (and consider making a donation!!):
I was cautioned for saying this last week, but I’m certain the music I hear coming from just over the hill is a band practicing “Happy Days are Here Again”.
I love this ticket and so do my 30-something age trans and non-binary children. My oldest said they were refusing to ever vote for Biden again and the youngest was keeping his mouth shut. I consider myself a pragmatic progressive. Ideologically i am a democratic socialist, but recognize that this country, founded by Puritans, is likely never going to elect a far left ticket. Most people are moderates and not political. I never thought i would say a 60yo white man “checks all the boxes”, but Walz does. He is both a progressive and an Everyman, which he has proven is not an oxymoron. We needed a Southerner or midwesterner to round out the ticket and Roy took himself out of the race. I live in a small mountain town and the Dems here are ramped up!!
The rally last night was inspiring. His resume from teacher, coach, national guardsman, congressman, and governor is very impressive.
I'm a fan of Simon Rosenberg's "Hopium Chronicles" (https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/) and one of his catch phrases is "I'd rather be us than them". It struck me that voters are in the "get to know" stage for both Tim Walz and J.D. Vance.
I don't know what kind of vetting The GOP did on Vance, but they have to be worried about what new bombshell will pop up as people mine Vance's social media.
On the other hand, here's what I'm seeing for Tim Walz:
* The absolutely adorable group pile-on hug from little kids when Gov. Walz signed the free school meal bill and his joy at receiving the hug
* a hysterically funny PSA he did several years ago with his daughter Hope about hands-free driving.
* a cute PSA about the Walz family adopting a rescue kitten from the Human Society - sure to melt all the hearts of childless cat ladies ;-)
* a cute video of him and his daughter Hope at the state fair(?) where he goes on some crazy wild ride because of a deal he made with her that they each get to pick a ride
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/tim-walz-teacher-coach-remembered-rcna165413
I'm from Illinois farm country, home of Abe Lincoln, Ev Dirksen, Ronald Reagan, Adam Kinzinger and other non-MAGA watch-the-finances but stay-out-of-my-bedroom core Republican wing of the party. Walz's background mirrors my Midwestern grandfathers'....he is not "too liberal" for me, so there will be at least one Harris-Walz vote in Moore County.
Great commentary, Thomas. I also like what Robert Reich said: "...there’s no longer a middle. When the Republican Party has adopted authoritarian fascism, what does it mean to be “too far to the left?”
Governor Walz was my choice from the first interview I saw with him. He's perfect for this ticket and I believe as you do it's a winning one. Thanks for the great essay!
The credentials on this ticket—impressive. It’s been some exciting weeks. My FB feed has been blowing up with posts from Pantsuit Nation. Although celestially we are under the influence of a Mercury Retrograde, planetary alignments seem to be creating forces for good. In fact, quite demonstrably so. And I’m beside myself with all the feline energy afoot. The sacred feminine, alive and well and speaking.
nonsense = She and he are just another couple of cow bells the DNC will allow you to follow. Absolutely nobody wanted Harris in 2020. So why are you now praising her as viable. Bullshit. I have never even considered voting Republican - until now..
Great article. Harris and Walz had enthusiastic rallies in Wisconsin and Detroit Wednesday. Estimated crowd in Detroit was 15,000 according to reporting by the New York Times. However, there also were pro Palestinian supporters who demanded a meeting with Harris and an arms embargo against Israel according to the Times reporting. They may be no shows in November and could give Michigan to Trump. Gov Gretchen Whitmer has a challenge.
Tim Walz is a great choice. The middle has shifted so far to the right that no one remembers what the middle really is. Nothing that he has accomplished is oh so liberal. It's all about caring about the people and taking care of them.
The conservativesmay see Walz as too liberal and the 'progressives' didn't want Shapiro because basically, they're pretty much antisemitic. Look what happened in MO with Cori Bush of the Squad. I used to consider myself progressive, but the rampant antisemitism has convinced me that I am not progressive, but I am liberal. And I love this ticket. Vote BLUE!
From your mouth to God's ears. :)
I think the GOP may come to regret trying to paint Walz as a raging wild-eyed liberal. The one response I saw from him was basically mocking the RW press for thinking that making sure that elementary students got fed was a crazy extremist Liberal idea. The same for extending the child tax credit.
I bet a lot of moderate GOP and unaffiliated women (especially mothers), think Gov Walz is on the right track! And wish that their governors would do the same thing! It definitely shows up the entire GOP as hypocrites for claiming to be "Family Values".
And speaking of moderate women voters: If you aren't already familiar with Galvanize Action, please check them and their playbook out (and consider making a donation!!):
https://www.galvanizeaction.org/
https://playbook.galvanizeaction.org/
Also see this BigTent USA Tent Talk: https://www.bigtentusa.org/event/galvanize/