Not just the polls, but this effect on the news cycle is interesting to me. Donald can't steal the attention away from VP Harris without going completely bonkers. All eyes will be on the PA speech today and that will make him act out even more. The camera doesn't love him any more!!!!
His "Joyful warrior" personality was also the first thing that stood out to me, and I think Walz rounds out the ticket nicely. If I'm being honest, my first pick was Mark Kelly as he sounds great on paper but he is just not as charismatic in person. Walz has a midwest ease to him that I think appeals to a lot of people.
Yeah, Walz has really brought the energy to the his TV hits this past two weeks and will be a great advocate for Harris and Dems in general. He just feels "new" which also helps Harris.
The fact that both Walz and Harris are a little less defined to the general public is a big plus in this shortened campaign season. The Harris campaign has moved very fast to define them before anyone else gets there!
At the same time, Harris & Walz have successfully moved to brand Donald Trump and JD Vance as "just weird". Moreover, all of Trump’s attacks against Biden for being old, impaired etc, have now boomeranged back to bite the deranged felon in his overly-ample derrière.
Oh that is funny.....why, you could just grab it with both hands! Trump's spaghetti-against-the-wall attacks are not yet sticking, and Vance is having real problems when the Real Thing (Walz) rises up in front of him.
Although I too originally wanted Kelly,, I feel like Kamala and Tim are going to come across as more of a team, a partnership, not just a marriage of convenience like I think she and Kelly would have been, or a master-servant relationship like Trump and Vance, which I think is important for several reasons.
My sense is that people have been aware for some time that the presidency has become an increasingly unwieldy undertaking, and the last eight years have really brought it home--first we had a guy who didn't even staff up because his "was the only opinion that mattered," whose term ended in catastrophe, then a great president whom the job almost literally ground into the ground.
I also think that in an election to be decided on the margins, a strong President-VP relationship probably helps win over voters who *like* Kamala, like what she's saying, but have just enough residual racism and sexism to worry that she'll be in over her head (and just enough to be unable to see that it's Trump who is the "playtoy," even though they all have years of overwhelming evidence to the contrary right in front of them)
I agree, Blue Banter. DC pundits and Corporate Media turn everything into left-right framing. But feeding kids is not that. It's a "who are we as a country" framing.
Trumps Vance-- same genealogy to contest with hyperactive collective racist subconscious. Can invoke the magic words, "not suckers or losers." Can tell SS beneficiaries "don't slit your own throat."
Clearly Tim Walz is the DEI choice – a Minnesotan born in small-town Nebraska who did NOT attend an Ivy League college. Alarmingly rural and non-elitist! Moreover, a former teacher and coach who believes in public education and other forms of socialism!
On a more serious note, while Shapiro would no doubt have helped Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania, I believe Tim Walz will lift the ticket in all 50 states.
No need to quibble in this JOYOUS moment but i believe Harris made an incredibly smart choice in not picking Shapiro, who came with serious deficits. Walz does no harm and lots of good! Harris rocks!!
Yes. Dog is Love. As the mother of a veterinary student who just finished her first year in the state of Pennsylvania (and yes she registered to vote in PA and is voting Harris / Walz), I concur. I have always been deeply suspect of Trump because he hates dogs. I believe people who love dogs and animals in general tend to possess more empathy — we all know that Trump does not possess even an ounce of the E word. Having brought up dogs, I have always noticed Simon's portrait of a Bulldog of his wall. I am guessing it was/is a beloved pet. Nice to see, and not surprised as Simon seems like an empathetic fellow.
That is Tug, my almost 12 year old English Bulldog. He's my writing assistant and an important part of my mornings putting Hopium together. And yes I am a dog person. My grandmother bred dogs. My aunt, Mary Bloom, was a well known animal photographer in NYC. And in my house growing up in Connecticut we never had less than three dogs - bulldogs, boxers, German short haired pointers, lhasa apsos, dachshunds. We had some cats too and various other animals including an owl for a while but I am a dog guy, and a baseball guy too.
Nice. I am going to my ancestral home in Italy for a few months. Many of the tartufai use German Shorthairs for the hunting of truffles. I myself used to have a German Wire Hair who had too much coat and resembled a young Brad Pitt in ‘Legends of the Fall.’ He became quite famous in and around DC. People would slow down their cars, roll down the window and say, “Is that Brad Pitt?” Brad Pitt also once humped Bo Obama at an intramural soccer game. The Secret Service yelled at me to “Get that dog outta here!” Michelle O mouthed “I’m sorry.” True story. Tug is utterly adorable and here’s hoping we get to meet him during one of your live discussions!
I just now watched Walz speak for the first time. When he spoke about the Golden Rule, something happened to me. Not sure how high my elevator goes, but thrilled to be finding out in sync with the rest of the country and the whole world. Thanks, Joe.
Perfect pick. Shapiro had a lot going for him, but the party would have had to soothe the unease of labor unions and progressives if he had been the pick. Now we start the big swing state tour unified and with a very powerful messenger whom it's hard not to like.
We’re not going to have the whole Middle East issue trying to suck all the oxygen out of the room. I wish that wasn’t true, as it gets incredibly tedious, but the louder of the very online sorts just won’t drop it. I think that Walz will give them far less to be noisy about.
While MN is not “blue wall” - the last time it went red was 1972, with Nixon - it’s “blue wall adjacent” and I really think that Walz will help there. Plus his Mr. Midwest Normie image as opposed to, well, you know, Sofa King Weirdo.
AND, I feel the others are most needed Right Where They Are! Plus, they are young and critical to our future. Love the Claire McCaskill video clip - what a great endorsement. So what I'm feeling right now?
Thank you for the background on Walz. I’m really glad to hear he has a background in public education. I’m a former educator myself and educators bring a lot to the table, as we see public education under threat in so many ways. I didn’t get that invested in the VP discussions online but now I’m excited about the Harris-Walz campaign.
In my observation, teachers tend to lean Democratic. It’s a heavily female profession and all teachers have at least a BA, and this is a very blue demographic (women with BA+).
Just anecdotally, I know a teacher, who was already a Democrat and a big Kamala fan, who is delighted that one of “his own” is her running mate.
There are a LOT of teachers in the US. I think it’s underrated how much this might help Harris by having a former high school teacher on the ticket. And classroom management is probably quite a bit harder even than managing Congresspeople, lol! Walz will step right up!
As a current Social Studies teacher, teaching 8th graders, I can tell you I am elated about this pick. Finally, we have pro-public school people at the top of the ticket and will protect and support public education that has started under President Biden, and his wife Dr. Jill Biden; and will continue under Harris/Walz. Also, Walz' wife is/was also a public school teacher! I am so excited.
I agree about teachers. As a former one myself, it's a calling with so many assets for this--the ability to communicate ideas and knowledge in plain English that everyone can understand, a desire and commitment to getting people to understand, not just manipulate them with "messaging," audio, and imagery, a level of public speaking experience--6-8 hours a day, 180 days a year--that few politicians can match (speaking to tougher audiences too) along with about the same level of expertise as an entertainer, a wicked, fast, and wicked fast sense of humor, the ability to see and believe in potential everywhere and in everyone, a black belt in conflict resolution, and more.
I was at AOL in the early days and about one in ten members was a K-12 teacher, as were a wildly disproportionate number of our online community leaders--across all areas, not just education. In many African languages, the word for "teacher" and "leader" is the same, and the Latin root of the word "education," educare, means "to lead out." It's about damn time there was a teacher on the ticket!
Tim Walz has been a great governor for our state. He helped pass so many consequential laws in 2022 with a 1 seat senate majority (free breakfast and lunch at schools, protected access to abortion, legalization of cannabis, universal background checks and red flag laws for firearms, etc).
I’d be sad to see him go, but he’d make a great VP. In Minnesota, the Lt. Govenor, Peggy Flanagan, would get to serve out his term. She is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and would be the first female Native American to hold the position of Governor (and only the third Native American in total). Bobby Joe Champion, President of MN State Senate would be the presumptive Lt. Governor and the first black person to hold the office in MN.
So excited about Walz. It's a rare male politician who talks so fluently about "womens' issues" like family leave -- yet another way he crosses ideological lines in the Democratic Party. And as he said to Ezra Klein, the point of getting in office is to use your political capital, not hoard it! Something the modern Republicans have shown they know how to do, long before MAGA.
Please join us tonight to help celebrate and support Josh Stein for governor (he'll be there) and grassroots groups that are leading the effort to knock on 4,000,000 doors in NC -- and they've been ahead of schedule 5 straight months! https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gotv-for-a-blue-nc. Moderated by the fabulous former mayor of Durham, Steve Schewel, who passed the biggest housing bond in the city's history. Make government work again!
My 29 year old daughter last week “I hope she picks Tim Walz because “Tim Walz has Balls” and “Balz to the Walz” would be great slogans.” Leave it to the millennials!!
GenZ/younger millennials will continue to have a great time making great tik-toks. I've been loving all the #BigDadEnergy jokes on Threads. He and Harris will bring such a joyful energy to the campaign trail.
It’s a very good morning, y’all! In addition to everything we know about Governor Walz, he’s also a strong advocate for voting rights. From Marc Elias’s Democracy Docket newsletter today:
“Walz was elected governor in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022 — both with large margins of victory.
In May 2023, Walz signed the “Democracy for the People Act,” which promoted voting rights in many ways, including by allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, permitting voters to opt in to a permanent absentee voter list and expanding language access in voting materials.
Less than a month later, he also signed a bill into law that restored voting rights to over 50,000 Minnesotans on parole, probation or community release due to a felony conviction.
Additionally, this past May, Walz signed a pro-voting omnibus bill, which established the Minnesota Voting Rights Act (VRA), establishing crucial protections for voters as the federal VRA is under attack.
The law will also make it easier for college students to vote, combat the threat that artificial intelligence poses to the security of elections and end prison gerrymandering.
“Democracy thrives when everyone’s voice is heard. Today, we’re ensuring a strong democracy by prioritizing accessibility and voter protections,” Walz said in a release. “With this bill we are breaking barriers that stand in the way of voting, protecting fair democratic processes, and paving the way for Minnesota to continue to lead the nation in voter turnout.”
So excited for the Walz pick! Phonebanking yesterday and calling other supporters to volunteer for tonight's rally - and the excitement was so high! It really felt good. One person didn't know if she was going to get a ticket and when I told her, she reacted like she won the lottery! LFG!
Future VP Walz spent 12 years in Congress. Future prez Harris will have someone experienced in the ways of Congress at her side, which will increase her ability to get legislation passed. Just as Joe Biden's many years in Congress have done. Walz's record as gov demonstrates his get 'er done chops. Just exactly what's needed. Shows me that Harris is thinking about more than winning the election, but also about how she will do the presidenting.
I agree! I know Harris was looking for someone with experience to be on her team, and the fact that people LIKED Walz is a huge plus.
(Unironically I think Gary Peters might have been a decent pick as well, given that he did such a good job with the DSCC that Schumer had him stay on for a second term, and Peters keeps getting “most effective Senator” accolades, which means he is good at working and playing with others.)
If Tim can manage a classroom he can manage Congress. “JD! Get away from that couch or you are going to the principal’s office!”
Once we get our eyeballs on Pelosi’s new book, The Art of Power, we’ll be able to take an informed guess! But with Harris and Pelosi being from the same State, i’d guess Pelosi’s been a mentor for Harris for a long time and carries weight in Harris’ decision processes.
Not just the polls, but this effect on the news cycle is interesting to me. Donald can't steal the attention away from VP Harris without going completely bonkers. All eyes will be on the PA speech today and that will make him act out even more. The camera doesn't love him any more!!!!
His "Joyful warrior" personality was also the first thing that stood out to me, and I think Walz rounds out the ticket nicely. If I'm being honest, my first pick was Mark Kelly as he sounds great on paper but he is just not as charismatic in person. Walz has a midwest ease to him that I think appeals to a lot of people.
Yeah, Walz has really brought the energy to the his TV hits this past two weeks and will be a great advocate for Harris and Dems in general. He just feels "new" which also helps Harris.
The fact that both Walz and Harris are a little less defined to the general public is a big plus in this shortened campaign season. The Harris campaign has moved very fast to define them before anyone else gets there!
Indeed, and this is hugely important.
At the same time, Harris & Walz have successfully moved to brand Donald Trump and JD Vance as "just weird". Moreover, all of Trump’s attacks against Biden for being old, impaired etc, have now boomeranged back to bite the deranged felon in his overly-ample derrière.
Oh that is funny.....why, you could just grab it with both hands! Trump's spaghetti-against-the-wall attacks are not yet sticking, and Vance is having real problems when the Real Thing (Walz) rises up in front of him.
As someone said: "Walz is the man Vance pretends to be."
Although I too originally wanted Kelly,, I feel like Kamala and Tim are going to come across as more of a team, a partnership, not just a marriage of convenience like I think she and Kelly would have been, or a master-servant relationship like Trump and Vance, which I think is important for several reasons.
My sense is that people have been aware for some time that the presidency has become an increasingly unwieldy undertaking, and the last eight years have really brought it home--first we had a guy who didn't even staff up because his "was the only opinion that mattered," whose term ended in catastrophe, then a great president whom the job almost literally ground into the ground.
I also think that in an election to be decided on the margins, a strong President-VP relationship probably helps win over voters who *like* Kamala, like what she's saying, but have just enough residual racism and sexism to worry that she'll be in over her head (and just enough to be unable to see that it's Trump who is the "playtoy," even though they all have years of overwhelming evidence to the contrary right in front of them)
Excellent comment that really sums it all up!
I agree, Blue Banter. DC pundits and Corporate Media turn everything into left-right framing. But feeding kids is not that. It's a "who are we as a country" framing.
Walz across the Midwest/rust belt.
Trumps Vance-- same genealogy to contest with hyperactive collective racist subconscious. Can invoke the magic words, "not suckers or losers." Can tell SS beneficiaries "don't slit your own throat."
Knows there is no "I" in "team."
Walz loves all animals. Trump hates dogs.
Clearly Tim Walz is the DEI choice – a Minnesotan born in small-town Nebraska who did NOT attend an Ivy League college. Alarmingly rural and non-elitist! Moreover, a former teacher and coach who believes in public education and other forms of socialism!
On a more serious note, while Shapiro would no doubt have helped Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania, I believe Tim Walz will lift the ticket in all 50 states.
No need to quibble in this JOYOUS moment but i believe Harris made an incredibly smart choice in not picking Shapiro, who came with serious deficits. Walz does no harm and lots of good! Harris rocks!!
Sooo true!
I gotta say, as an alum of a Big10 rival (Wisconsin), from Ohio State to Yale Law? Sounds like a DEI admission to me ;)
“Walz loves all animals. Trump hates dogs”
Yes, and he loves women and respects/supports our reproductive rights !!
Just ordered my yard sign from campaign.(shipping is pricy, hope it’s expedited) The price of saving democracy…
https://store.kamalaharris.com/harris-walz-yard-sign/
🪧🇺🇸
Me too, can't wait to get it!
Yes. Dog is Love. As the mother of a veterinary student who just finished her first year in the state of Pennsylvania (and yes she registered to vote in PA and is voting Harris / Walz), I concur. I have always been deeply suspect of Trump because he hates dogs. I believe people who love dogs and animals in general tend to possess more empathy — we all know that Trump does not possess even an ounce of the E word. Having brought up dogs, I have always noticed Simon's portrait of a Bulldog of his wall. I am guessing it was/is a beloved pet. Nice to see, and not surprised as Simon seems like an empathetic fellow.
That is Tug, my almost 12 year old English Bulldog. He's my writing assistant and an important part of my mornings putting Hopium together. And yes I am a dog person. My grandmother bred dogs. My aunt, Mary Bloom, was a well known animal photographer in NYC. And in my house growing up in Connecticut we never had less than three dogs - bulldogs, boxers, German short haired pointers, lhasa apsos, dachshunds. We had some cats too and various other animals including an owl for a while but I am a dog guy, and a baseball guy too.
Nice. I am going to my ancestral home in Italy for a few months. Many of the tartufai use German Shorthairs for the hunting of truffles. I myself used to have a German Wire Hair who had too much coat and resembled a young Brad Pitt in ‘Legends of the Fall.’ He became quite famous in and around DC. People would slow down their cars, roll down the window and say, “Is that Brad Pitt?” Brad Pitt also once humped Bo Obama at an intramural soccer game. The Secret Service yelled at me to “Get that dog outta here!” Michelle O mouthed “I’m sorry.” True story. Tug is utterly adorable and here’s hoping we get to meet him during one of your live discussions!
Tim Walz is going to be an excellent Vice President! Such a fantastic choice, so excited to be working for Harris/Walz!!
One side reflects the vast majority of Americans; the other side is simply weird and dangerous.
Thinking people will have a clear and compelling choice.
I just now watched Walz speak for the first time. When he spoke about the Golden Rule, something happened to me. Not sure how high my elevator goes, but thrilled to be finding out in sync with the rest of the country and the whole world. Thanks, Joe.
Where did you watch him speak? Did he give an interview this morning?
Meidas Touch played clips recently.
Perfect pick. Shapiro had a lot going for him, but the party would have had to soothe the unease of labor unions and progressives if he had been the pick. Now we start the big swing state tour unified and with a very powerful messenger whom it's hard not to like.
I think the big thing is that Walz can effectively work the congressional aisles to get things passed if elected.
Good point, Mark!
We’re not going to have the whole Middle East issue trying to suck all the oxygen out of the room. I wish that wasn’t true, as it gets incredibly tedious, but the louder of the very online sorts just won’t drop it. I think that Walz will give them far less to be noisy about.
While MN is not “blue wall” - the last time it went red was 1972, with Nixon - it’s “blue wall adjacent” and I really think that Walz will help there. Plus his Mr. Midwest Normie image as opposed to, well, you know, Sofa King Weirdo.
THIS, 1000%
AND, I feel the others are most needed Right Where They Are! Plus, they are young and critical to our future. Love the Claire McCaskill video clip - what a great endorsement. So what I'm feeling right now?
D - delight
E - excitement
I - inspiration
Thank you for the background on Walz. I’m really glad to hear he has a background in public education. I’m a former educator myself and educators bring a lot to the table, as we see public education under threat in so many ways. I didn’t get that invested in the VP discussions online but now I’m excited about the Harris-Walz campaign.
In my observation, teachers tend to lean Democratic. It’s a heavily female profession and all teachers have at least a BA, and this is a very blue demographic (women with BA+).
Just anecdotally, I know a teacher, who was already a Democrat and a big Kamala fan, who is delighted that one of “his own” is her running mate.
There are a LOT of teachers in the US. I think it’s underrated how much this might help Harris by having a former high school teacher on the ticket. And classroom management is probably quite a bit harder even than managing Congresspeople, lol! Walz will step right up!
As a current Social Studies teacher, teaching 8th graders, I can tell you I am elated about this pick. Finally, we have pro-public school people at the top of the ticket and will protect and support public education that has started under President Biden, and his wife Dr. Jill Biden; and will continue under Harris/Walz. Also, Walz' wife is/was also a public school teacher! I am so excited.
I agree about teachers. As a former one myself, it's a calling with so many assets for this--the ability to communicate ideas and knowledge in plain English that everyone can understand, a desire and commitment to getting people to understand, not just manipulate them with "messaging," audio, and imagery, a level of public speaking experience--6-8 hours a day, 180 days a year--that few politicians can match (speaking to tougher audiences too) along with about the same level of expertise as an entertainer, a wicked, fast, and wicked fast sense of humor, the ability to see and believe in potential everywhere and in everyone, a black belt in conflict resolution, and more.
I was at AOL in the early days and about one in ten members was a K-12 teacher, as were a wildly disproportionate number of our online community leaders--across all areas, not just education. In many African languages, the word for "teacher" and "leader" is the same, and the Latin root of the word "education," educare, means "to lead out." It's about damn time there was a teacher on the ticket!
I am excited!. If it is possible to be more excited
Yes!
Tim Walz has been a great governor for our state. He helped pass so many consequential laws in 2022 with a 1 seat senate majority (free breakfast and lunch at schools, protected access to abortion, legalization of cannabis, universal background checks and red flag laws for firearms, etc).
I’d be sad to see him go, but he’d make a great VP. In Minnesota, the Lt. Govenor, Peggy Flanagan, would get to serve out his term. She is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and would be the first female Native American to hold the position of Governor (and only the third Native American in total). Bobby Joe Champion, President of MN State Senate would be the presumptive Lt. Governor and the first black person to hold the office in MN.
Whoa, major positives there! Thanks for letting us know, from MN’s perspective.
So excited about Walz. It's a rare male politician who talks so fluently about "womens' issues" like family leave -- yet another way he crosses ideological lines in the Democratic Party. And as he said to Ezra Klein, the point of getting in office is to use your political capital, not hoard it! Something the modern Republicans have shown they know how to do, long before MAGA.
Please join us tonight to help celebrate and support Josh Stein for governor (he'll be there) and grassroots groups that are leading the effort to knock on 4,000,000 doors in NC -- and they've been ahead of schedule 5 straight months! https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gotv-for-a-blue-nc. Moderated by the fabulous former mayor of Durham, Steve Schewel, who passed the biggest housing bond in the city's history. Make government work again!
Jeff Blum, All In for NC
Writing postcards for NC! Really hope Josh Stein wins.
My 29 year old daughter last week “I hope she picks Tim Walz because “Tim Walz has Balls” and “Balz to the Walz” would be great slogans.” Leave it to the millennials!!
GenZ/younger millennials will continue to have a great time making great tik-toks. I've been loving all the #BigDadEnergy jokes on Threads. He and Harris will bring such a joyful energy to the campaign trail.
Walz was also David Hogg's choice, the March For Our Lives, leader.
This ticket feels exuberant and fun and like people we'd love to know personally! The coconut tree meets hotdish!! Woot!
Was really looking forward to seeing them both in Raleigh on Thursday but Debby made that a dream deferred.
LFG!!!
It’s a very good morning, y’all! In addition to everything we know about Governor Walz, he’s also a strong advocate for voting rights. From Marc Elias’s Democracy Docket newsletter today:
“Walz was elected governor in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022 — both with large margins of victory.
In May 2023, Walz signed the “Democracy for the People Act,” which promoted voting rights in many ways, including by allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, permitting voters to opt in to a permanent absentee voter list and expanding language access in voting materials.
Less than a month later, he also signed a bill into law that restored voting rights to over 50,000 Minnesotans on parole, probation or community release due to a felony conviction.
Additionally, this past May, Walz signed a pro-voting omnibus bill, which established the Minnesota Voting Rights Act (VRA), establishing crucial protections for voters as the federal VRA is under attack.
The law will also make it easier for college students to vote, combat the threat that artificial intelligence poses to the security of elections and end prison gerrymandering.
“Democracy thrives when everyone’s voice is heard. Today, we’re ensuring a strong democracy by prioritizing accessibility and voter protections,” Walz said in a release. “With this bill we are breaking barriers that stand in the way of voting, protecting fair democratic processes, and paving the way for Minnesota to continue to lead the nation in voter turnout.”
Wow! Fantastic record on voting rights! Thank you for posting, Karen.
So excited for the Walz pick! Phonebanking yesterday and calling other supporters to volunteer for tonight's rally - and the excitement was so high! It really felt good. One person didn't know if she was going to get a ticket and when I told her, she reacted like she won the lottery! LFG!
Future VP Walz spent 12 years in Congress. Future prez Harris will have someone experienced in the ways of Congress at her side, which will increase her ability to get legislation passed. Just as Joe Biden's many years in Congress have done. Walz's record as gov demonstrates his get 'er done chops. Just exactly what's needed. Shows me that Harris is thinking about more than winning the election, but also about how she will do the presidenting.
It speaks volumes that Tim Walz’s old congressional colleagues were quietly lobbying for him.
I agree! I know Harris was looking for someone with experience to be on her team, and the fact that people LIKED Walz is a huge plus.
(Unironically I think Gary Peters might have been a decent pick as well, given that he did such a good job with the DSCC that Schumer had him stay on for a second term, and Peters keeps getting “most effective Senator” accolades, which means he is good at working and playing with others.)
If Tim can manage a classroom he can manage Congress. “JD! Get away from that couch or you are going to the principal’s office!”
Including Pelosi!
I wonder how much that got Walz over the edge. Nancy liked him. And if Nancy Pelosi is pulling for you, you KNOW you have the right stuff.
Once we get our eyeballs on Pelosi’s new book, The Art of Power, we’ll be able to take an informed guess! But with Harris and Pelosi being from the same State, i’d guess Pelosi’s been a mentor for Harris for a long time and carries weight in Harris’ decision processes.
Yes!!