BREAKING! Harris decides on Tim Walz as running mate

I do. So fuck you.

OP, no matter who she picked, you would think it wasn’t a good choice.

OP is Deeply Concerned.

People who have helped her make that decision know pros and cons of everyone considered better than any of us on DL.

He looks Presidential.

Shapiro has too much baggage to be on the Presidential ticket so I think it's a decent choice. Walz served his country and is a retired teacher. That alone will appeal to a bunch of voters. We shall see.

Shapiro had too many negatives around him: too pro-Israel for the progressives, for one thing.

The factions of the party will coalesce around Walz in a way they wouldn't for Shapiro and Pete.

This was Pelosi’s choice, and her judgment is usually very good.

Walz was by far the smartest choice. He comes in with no real negatives or baggage.

He's going to give the Republicans some hell—with a midwestern grin.

Opie's feelings have been butt hurt, and like so many Democrats, will sit out the election because he feels his "voice wasn't heard" by Kamala properly.

The fact that Fetterman was feuding with Shapiro was another negative.

I’m sure Amy Klobuchar will be helping to raise a ton of money with Walz in MN and the Midwest.

LOL, OP just HAD to be the breaking news so he could dribble some piss on it.

Walz is a superb choice -- he's going to be excellent at this, and will help us win nationally. Including Pennsylvania where Shapiro will campaign faithfully for Harris as well. Shapiro is only 1.5 years into his governorship and is only 51. He could easily become the Democratic nominee in 2032 at age 59 (Harris' age) after a strong enough record as PA Gov.

Hotdish albino daddy summer!

He does need a makeover. Dye those eyebrows and add a salt-n-pepper hair rinse.

They should roll him out tonight with this 🎵

Great choice and smart choice by Kamala & her team.

Can't wait for Tim to shred the Repubs/Project 25 with his straight forward "you gotta be kidding me" responses. When you clearly talk about the goals of what Project 25 folks want to do -- it's really f'n ridiculous.

He's gonna steamroll that limp noodle J. D. Vance.

Yes!!!! And we get to keep Shapiro as our governor!

His being a teacher will settle all the union noise that was following Shapiro around with his support of vouchers.

I think it's right... the cold, hard calculation was that Walz was a far less problematic pic than Shapiro. The margin is so narrow... they were probably extraordinarily risk averse and rightly so. The future of the country, and the world, is at stake. It's easy to forget how much awful could happen if they don't pull this off.

In a way, she's done a reverse Biden, without any of Joe's negatives. But he fills that grandfatherly, avuncular spot perfectly.

That was the best choice. He will be great in the debate.

And they can't paint him as an out of touch "elite"

They've selected Lou Grant?

[quote]But he fills that grandfatherly, avuncular spot perfectly.

Without being that old either. He’s stealthy that way.

This world needs more Ed Asners, R24.

Love him!

OP will have to settle for imaginary lovemaking sessions with Pete to balm his scorched psyche.

Her “San Francisco liberal” image gets balanced out with this older white Midwest family man. It’s a solid ticket.

People will listen to Walz when he speaks of protecting the rights of his daughter & the reproductive rights of all women.

He also served several terms as a Congressman, so he has experience in legislating.

His “weird” meme went viral and captured the moment.

The Gods are smiling on us. Just a few weeks ago it was all doom and gloom and look how hopeful we've become. He's a great choice and will bring in the old white man vote. And I say that as an old white man.

[quote] I don’t think

FIFY, OP.

The last time a female presidential candidate picked a guy name Tim as her running mate to go up against Trump…

This is amazing! I'm so glad she went in this direction. Tim Walz is going to be the happy warrior of this campaign! Wonderful, wonderful news!

He’s going to destroy Vance. Will be fun to watch.

At first I felt a little flat, because the expectation was so heavily for Shapiro (even though I think Walz is delightful... and how often do you say that about a politician?)

Now I'm excited. This is so great! Perfect ticket, truly. Given all the fucking chaos of the last two months, can we be as fortunate as this?

Fuck Shapiro was right there. She could’ve won Rust Belt and moderate voters with Shapiro.

If you’re superstitious

And on the 2A. Like my dad, he hunted pheasants, he isn't going to take anyone's gun, he is not against gun ownership but he has common sense and he can speak to other non maga midwestern men on that. Your 85 year old mother is not safer by having a gun in every room. Your 15 year old does not need an AR15 for any reason. That weird guy at your job should not be able to guy a semi automatic over the counter on his lunch break.

In a way, the choice of Walz mirrors Obama's of Biden.

Dump’s campaign will panic. They were expecting Shapiro.

" ... and Why This Spells Disaster for Dems"

What was wrong with Greg Kelly again?

She need to pick an older, snow-white male to whisper sweet nothings into the ears of all those swing-state elders who don’t like Trump or the black lady from California. He’ll hopefully appeal to enough of them.

R44: He tried to jail his first wife and has investments in China. Also, I think you mean Mark Kelly?

The other piece of Tim is that he's fun. Watch the video of Tim & his daughter on the slingshot ride.

This Democratic ticket brings joy, laughter and hope to protect rights for our future generations.

The Trump/Vance ticket is full of hate, constantly putting the US down and so pro Russia. I think Americans are finally sick of their shit and will flush them.

Smart move. If this guy can't get thro the brainwashing of some of these FOX, Sinclair, etc victims, nobody can

Yes r46, Mark ….thanks

R47, I agree the contrast is going to be powerful.

Tim Walz is no Tim Kaine (and Vance is no Pence haha).

Walz, Darling!

From my boomer aunt who’s very politically active:

“EVerything I see says it is Shapiro but I prefer Walz. I think you guys need Shapiro there in Pa more than as her backup. Walz could sway nearly all the US interior rural and agricultural states as well as a lot of southerners. He is down to earth and talks in a plain spoken way that resonates with the "common man". They can see him as "one of us". He has a tie to the educational systems having been a teacher for many years. He has a tie to the military folks having been in the National Guard for 24 years. Plus he has the ties to the farming/argicultural sector having worked in farming after finishing school and representing a farming area on the Minnesota/Iowa border for several terms in congress. A lot of these groups of folks might be more comfortable with someone with a background more like their own than a person raised in large urban areas on one of the coasts who went to well know prestigious universities. Kamala's husband being from a Jewish family should help her on that front without having to have Shapiro on the ticket. I am just hoping they are right and Mark Kelly won't be chosen. We need him here in Az and in the senate much more. We will see tomorrow I guess.”

Will this guy be in the money now?! Smart kid.

He’s ok. Although two Progressives could be an issue. Why not Beshears? Oh well. We’ll see how it plays out.

For the record I live in PA, my aunt in AZ

This way Shapiro can fight dirty and be a real attack dog at rallies and on TV, but without hurting the ticket since he’s not on it. Smart.

I assume there was some dirt found on the other major possibilities. Walz is "safe" and from a region she is trying to win over. And apparently Kelly is too ugly according to everyone here. Whatever.

R55, calling them both progressives is foxnews claptrap.

He's only 60 but looks older. That's a challenge I think with age being a huge issue in all of this, but a few simple styling choices will help. He seems like a good guy, so I'm super excited about that. Someone fucking NICE and likeable. Imagine THAT.

I think Walz puts a face and a track record on "progressive" that runs counter to the stereotype.

He's no Tlaib.

I wonder what kind of dirt the repugs will be able to dig up. DOESN'T PUT THE TOILET SEAT DOWN AFTER HE URINATES! GOT A SPEEDING TICKET IN HIGH SCHOOL!

Can't wait to see next week's polls (and T-Rump's continuing meltdown).

He SLAPPED a Quarterback once VICIOUSLY after a game!

Everybody F&F OP for not being a team player.

He looks older, but he looks energetic, he sounds energetic. He's perfect for Vice-President. I agree the optics might have been a (surmountable) issue if he was the presidential nominee.

Beshear and Shapiro both benefit from the raised profile. They're players now, true future stars, and they will benefit from that as they support the ticket, in all the ways you need to in order to build your support for the future. It's all good.

He’s going to crush Prance in debate. HARRIS/WALZ !!

The poor Beshears poster just can't let go. That's okay -- process it and come back to Harris/Walz 2024.

Thank God! Now the Pete for VP troll can go slit its wrists.

People are already losing their minds (in a good way) over the announcement all over social media. Kamala and Tim will basically own the news cycle this week and then, again, next week with the DNC Convention. And that will drive Trump so mad that he will likely do something insane again to get the media attention back on him -- probably something worse than his despicable comments at the NABJ alleging Kamala isn't Black.

Some people need an old white guy on the ticket to vote for a black person. Obama did it too. It makes the older voter feel more comfortable and that blacks aren't "taking over the country." Anyone who thought she would pick Shapiro was kidding themselves. She was just pandering to Jews and Israel. Same with Buttigieg. Never would have happened.

OP is a known (and blocked) troll. Muriel, please redline IT.

And, sorry, I meant the following week. It's TWO weeks until the DNC.

He looks older at 60 because he was a teacher! C'mon now. Teaching is/was an incredible job but kids are exhausting.

This will be thrilling for his former students.

No pick would have been without issues. Walz's support for gender affirming care is going to be a lighting rod for some who might be considering voting for Harris.

[quote] The poor Beshears poster just can't let go. That's okay -- process it and come back to Harris/Walz 2024.

Most of Beshear supporters are happy that it’s Walz over Shapiro.

r75 sure, Jan.

He was also a football coach, not exactly the stereotypical Dem. A major plus.

They will need to dial back that gender affirming stuff for sure. Some of my most left leaning friends are rethinking their stance on some aspects such as messing with gender confused kids and transwomen competing in sports.

served on the national guard for 23 years too. that rings "outside the beltway" better than anything

And he speaks Chinese. That may come in handy.

OP=Trump. Shadd-Up, Trump.

Fuck the OP!

Walz is very appealing to the meme/TikTok generation. He will teach you how to make a hotdish, jumpstart your car, and take down MAGA with one simple word!

There are much bigger things for most people to worry about than gender affirming care. And this ticket is going to motivate a ton of new voters who love him for the same reason.

I think this guy will show men on the right how to actually be a man with dignity. This will be so important. It's an off-ramp from the Lets Go Brandon BS for so many men. I hope they take it.

‘’ The men in the White House know what their doing or they wouldn’t be there’’

Andy Beshear showed how to neturalize the "gender affirming care" troll's "concerns"; Harris & Walz will, too.

Part of the reason Walz looks older is that he spent much of his young adult years in farming/agriculture and the military, probably without sunscreen. Get kind of sun-baked every day for a decade, and that's how it turns out especially if your DNA is pale-skinned white.

My dad looked older too from very similar background. Army 8 years and then surveying rural areas for the US Engineering Corps.

I mentioned in the other thread that he looks older than his actual age. Maybe that will work in his favor. He has that grandfatherly look to him that exudes warmth and comfort.

Does Walz not live in the governor's mansion? CNN is showing some house with a white picket fence and not the governor's mansion?

r88, indeed, his base skin tone is likely darker than Harris's

R88 aka a real american man unlike silver spoon pussies trump and vance

Get him some tretinoin - just no creepy Gaetz-style fillers or facelift, please!

I'm not so sure that gender affirming care is going to trigger mid westerners. My colleagues were quick to point out that the Olympic boxer that MAGA is going ape shit over is intersex. Like caster Semenya. People have been having pretty smart conversations and they see the complexity of the issue. There is nobody here screaming trans and thinking Kamala or Trump can control who competes in the Olympics.

Shapiro isn’t going anywhere. I’m sure he’ll get choice spot on ticket and he’ll carry Penn over the finish line.

As a Midwesterner myself, Waltz is a great choice. He’ll appeal to everyone in Midwest/Rust Belt. Shapiro is awesom, but with the raging antisemitism these days, Waltz safest choice. And a winning choice. Nice to have such a deep bench of excellent people. Something GOP lacks.

[quote] He was also a football coach, not exactly the stereotypical Dem. A major plus

My late dad was a Democrat who coached youth football and was assistant baseball coach for a high school. I have to admit Walz reminds me of my dad in the sense that he can be a tough guy, but also have soft spots.

There seem to be no snags whatsoever in this choice—nothing the Republicans can grab onto as media fodder. He'll just brush away their attempts with a smile and turn the spotlight back on their weirdness and destructiveness.

^i meant choice spot in cabinet, not ticket.

Humble, down to earth, empathetic, what's not to love? A stark and welcome contrast to the smirking arrogance and cruelty of Trump and Vance.

R95 I appreciate his focus on project 2025 in his stumping, hopefully they keep him on that line

perfect timing too

He’s 60-looks older.

Walz had a very physical labor jobs in his youth and worked as a teacher which caused him to age faster.

I doubt Trump would ever been able to handle the farm job Walz had.

Shapiro is Jewish. Anti-Semitism is in on the left.

R103- Trump wouldn't be capable of bagging hamburgers.

I love that Trump is old enough be both Harris and Walz's father. Prepare for the tornado of crap he'll post into the wee hours tonight.

This is kind of compassion we need.

r104 zzzzz

I was leaning towards Shapiro, but Walz is just as good. I think her team decided that with only a couple months till the election that they didn't have time to deal with protests and questions over Shapiro's stance on certain issues.

I also think that Walz totally got the in the last 2 weeks by giving amazing interviews. He really took the initiative and it paid off.

R104 Keep sleeping. You've been doing it for a very long time.

He comes off as trustworthy as well, sincere and he has the record to back that up. A complete opposite of the hateful bullies we have been subjected to.

R95/98, an ambitious pol like Shapiro is not leaving his first term as governor to be a Cabinet member.

Now, here's the ACTUAL tough guy - Tim Walz.

Get the fuck over it R104. Your guy lost!

I never heard of him prior to a couple of weeks ago and have been very impressed. I think Kamala made the right choice.

Haha! I love Jack E. Smith.

Great choice.

It’s a BEAUTIFUL morning!

He's a VULGARIAN!

R117- 😘.

R104 Idiot. Right wingers are masturbating to holocaust pictures and talking about how jewish blood is satanic and tainted. You’re running the right wing 2016 playbook - zoom in on the biggest psychotic idiot claiming to be a leftist, and then lump that person in with a Jewish leftist who is merely critical of the radical settling, the Netanyahu administration, Israel’s diplomatic record, etc. You’re no different than an American jingoist who burned Dixie Chicks CDs. Either you’re a fucking retard or a malicious propagandist - and YOU are in fact an anti semite. Bitch.

I was all in for Shapiro, but am fine with this choice. Let's get to work.

We've seen lots of his daughter Hope, not much of his son Gus.

But here we get to meet his dollfaces Scout and Afton

We are so emotionally battered and exhausted, but today feels oddly comforting. That probably sounds silly, but that is how I feel.

Pelosi put the antisemitism talk to rest on CNN.

[quote]”it’s probably more about policy”

Is the Shapiro Troll on suicide watch yet?

I couldn't watch the Biden/Trump debate, but am so looking forward to watching (any) Harris/Trump & Walz/Vance debate.

Please shut the fuck up R125.

HARRIZ WALZ!! TIM WALZ THE COMMON FARMER VETERAN TEACHER EVERYMAN!!

Shapiro die-hards, don't forget, you can always dial 9-8-8 if you're in distress.

R127 He was so cocky and sure of himself. Would like he like some salt with those wounds?

R128- VS the couch fucker with a dolphin fetish! 🐬

The website makes it official.

W00T!

Per the CNN article: "Harris has not formally called on Walz"

Fuck you, OP.

SO HAPPY! I'd never heard of this guy less than two weeks ago, and now I'm (politically) in love with him, as are all of my friends. A great pick, he indeed as stated upthread is like the reverse Biden-Harris ticket in 2020, and will doggedly defend Harris without over-shadowing her at all, no small feat. Shapiro will stay on and do great things in PA, while gearing up for his time in 2032.

If Nancy P had anything to do with this choice, I'm even more confident in it. She knows her stuff.

Well, she has now.

Any new fundraising numbers?

Van Jones says the "right-wing is rejoicing" at this choice and a segment of the Democratic party is upset that Shapiro was denied the nom because of anti-semitism.

He sounds like the NYT pitchbot.

" The more I read about Tim Walz, the more stoked I am about our ticket. Do Dems have a strong bench or what? Walz is a major advocate for women's rights, LGBTQ rights, reproductive rights, supports gun safety, legalization of cannabis, organized labor, clean energy, and normalcy."

I couldn't agree more.

[quote]Fuck Shapiro was right there. She could’ve won Rust Belt and moderate voters with Shapiro.

And she won't do that with Walz? Come on, he's the walking epitome of the Rust Belt, if they could put a picture in the dictionary next to "Rust Belt" he'd be right there.

He will do well in western and central PA, which are the "rust belt" areas. Philly and eastern PA should be fairly sound for Harris, its the rest of the state that might be problematic for her. Walz will do well there.

Not to mention, Shapiro will be campaigning vigorously for Kamala, so you'll still get the benefit of any influence he has in PA.

[quote] Walz is a major advocate for women's rights, LGBTQ rights, reproductive rights, supports gun safety, legalization of cannabis, organized labor, clean energy, and normalcy.

And those are all completely mainstream positions with firm support among Democratic and Independent voters. The days when we all had to pretend that the views of conservative small-town people were the norm seem to be OVAH—THANK GOD.

Tweeter Verse: "Here is your Vice Presidential pet report. Reported VP pick Tim Walz has a dog named Scout and a cat named Afton.

I don't trust people who hate animals.

Lol. Love these "dad energy" jokes trending. Very cute.

R143: Normal, nice, I have almost forgotten what this feels like.

Now, the ball is in the progressive's court. You got what you wanted, now do the right thing and put in the work to get this team elected and vote.

Walz's cat Afton went missing in the summer of 2023. The family later adopted a rescue cat named Honey months later. I give them some credit for adopting an older cat and not a kitten.

I'm glad the Lincoln Project is on our side.

Shapiro statement. Classy.

"Vice President Kamala Harris has my enthusiastic support — and I know that Governor Tim Walz is an exceptionally strong addition to the ticket who will help Kamala move our country forward. Lori and I consider Tim and Gwen to be good friends of ours and we are excited for them and for the country to get to know the great people we know them to be.

Over the next 90 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind Kamala Harris’ campaign to defeat Donald Trump, become the 47th President of the United States, and build a better future for our country"

Nice, R153.

Walz stepping down as governor also means Minnesota will now have the country's very first female Native American governor.

The trolls and bots on Tweeter seem confused today. Good.

R137 all these guys are on pills and psycho

R156- They shouldn't have fucked with Dark Brandon. He outplayed them all.

Love this commentary piece.

Poor Van. Is he ever happy?

R147 those dastardly radicals who want a basic modern living standard that would be perceived as minimal in the rest of the happier, more educated, and safer developed world. I sure hope those nuts get in fucking line!

Many followers not familiar with the military are asking me “so what’s the big deal about a command sergeant major?”

Walz joined at 18 as a private. Rose through the NCO (sergeant) ranks, each requiring extreme competence at increasingly demanding jobs with more people & responsibility at every rank.

When you reach “Master Sergeant” you are selected to serve as a First Sergeant (1SG) of a unit…if you’re good enough. Then, those 1SGTs compete for selection to Sergeant Major. Only the best Sergeant Majors are selected for Command Sergeant Major (CSM) billets.

CSMs serve as the senior enlisted person in the unit and the advisor to Commanders at battalion and above. Having served with dozens of CSMs as my unit & command “battle buddy” I will attest they were all awesome.

They know what they’re doing. They uphold standards. They speak their minds to all ranks (private to generals). They’re not afraid of getting bad news because they know how to fix things when they go wrong. And they serve the command (their commander and their soldiers) with a selfless integrity and a complete dedication.

Also, Walz is from Mankato.

So he brings the Little House vote.

Klobuchar will help raise a shitload of money for the Harris/Walz campaign. 👏

Just watched a video of him and his daughter. Extremely likable, trustworthy, humble.

Young Walz in a National Guard photo. He wasn't a bad looking young man. Very stern looking.

Tweeter: "Kamala and Walz are the most progressive ticket ever, but they are going to campaign as moderates to win independents and normies.

Trump and Vance are sort of conservatives who will campaign as idiots to appeal to the idiots who are already voting for them."

I know Shapiro and Beshear obviously wanted this, but I genuinely believe the tone of their statements because, by all accounts, Walz is beloved in the small club of U.S. governors -- even by Republican governors.

Harris just isn't the "progressive' that the Foxnews set keep screaming. she's a moderate just like Biden

Graciousness from Pete:

[quote]Tim Walz is an exceptionally effective governor - and also great to work with. I’m excited for what his Midwestern voice, military experience, and common-sense values will bring to our winning ticket, and for everything the Harris-Walz administration will deliver for Americans.

The convicted felon weighs in with his typical measured and insightful approach:

“TIM WALZ WOULD BE THE WORST VP IN HISTORY! Even worse than Dangerously Liberal and Crooked Kamala Harris – HE’S THAT BAD. He’ll unleash HELL ON EARTH and open our borders to the worst criminals imaginable. He’ll rubber stamp Kamla’s GREEN NEW SCAM and light TRILLIONS of dollars on fire. But the real killer: he’s already pulled in MILLIONS in dirty cash to buy the White House!”

[quote] Harris just isn't the "progressive' that the Foxnews set keep screaming. she's a moderate just like Biden

Exactly. But Fox News paint every Democrat, even moderates like Clinton and Obama, as some radical Marxist. That shit doesn’t work anymore and they need a new strategy.

We also keep hearing that Walz is “very progressive”. But what specific positions does he have which are considered more progressive than mainstream Democrats?

R172- He is always a class act

T-Rump at R173 sounds like a Mad Libs made of random campaign talking points. They have nothing new.

Good lord @ R173. How dangerously unhinged!

R175 I have been wondering about that too. He's a mainstream type.

I have also seen Gretchen Whitmer labeled as a progressive, but she deals quite well with corporate America. But, her father was CEO of BlueCrossBlueShield of Michigan, so he may taught her how to deal with corporate bigwigs.

R173- He is terrified and I am loving it.

[quote] But the real killer: he’s already pulled in MILLIONS in dirty cash to buy the White House!

Deflect, deflect, deflect...

That tweet at R173 is the frame of the entire next ninety days. Optimism vs. misery.

Donald picked someone who would amplify his hate and disdain.

Kamala Harris picked someone who exudes hope and compassion.

Whether you’re watching TikTok videos of Tim Walz being a fun dad, fighting for kids to not go hungry in school, or protecting women’s rights, what is undeniable is that he’s a genuinely kind, honorable and joyful person.

Our character as a nation is reflected in the kind of people we elect into positions of leadership.

Let’s make America feel proud again.

R173 - 'He’ll unleash HELL ON EARTH' That routine is getting very old. A miserable prick who is upset that the country is not in a worse place.

[quote]He’ll unleash HELL ON EARTH

Maybe for Dump, who is going to prison.

Tim Walz is coming for your guns!

Walz is a better pick than Tim Kaine was.

honestly, he is. he screams "outside the beltway" that will travel far

Class - at length - from Shapiro.

[quote] We also keep hearing that Walz is “very progressive”. But what specific positions does he have which are considered more progressive than mainstream Democrats?

Maybe not so much to the left of mainstream but rather EFFECTIVE at getting shit done.

Aside from giving every child in the state free breakfast and lunch, here's another example.

Shapiro does seem classy

Isn't it nice to head into the day feeling really good about the prospects for the future?

Dang, I want to move to Minnesota now. But I hate the cold.

R181 LOL! In the video he says to his daughter, "Corndog?" and she days, "dad, no, I'm a vegetarian now", and he's like, "ok, fine, turkey dog then!"

LOVE this guy.

I'm in tears (the good kind!) watching that video at r181.

I feel like a survivor of a mass domestic violence act perpetrated by Donald Trump and I'm in the midst of refuge, help, joy and promise in Harris/Walz.

and don't bother with a "Mary!"

I'm giving myself one and proud of it.

Here's how he handles the too liberal/progressive/thinking nonsense:

right, the guy just seems like he's prepared to answer some tough questions at this point

R196 A mass domestic violence act is a perfect description. I feel the same.

Tim Walz IS middle America

R197: Now THAT’s how you dismantle right-wing talking points! Walz is amazing!

I think he's got the confidence of someone who's doing what he believes to be the right thing. He doesn't sound like that cautious, calculated, focus group tap dancer that so many politicians are. Maybe he is but at a minimum he's completely mastered how to sound like a straight talker.

I won't Mary you, R196. I think many of us still have PTSD from the previous administration and January 6. Then all this Project 2025 bullshit and creeping fascism...no, we don't want to become Russia 2.0. Fuck that. Finally there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

R193- Almost joyous, honestly. I had given up hope and actually made a plan to end it all if that repulsive, dangerous psychopath was reelected. Of course we have a long and arduous journey ahead, but there is a different vibe, the script has flipped. The long awaited karma I had given up on seems to FINALLY be happening.

Tim Walz is as American 🇺🇸 as Apple pie 🥧

We can all use a little MARY in our lives now and then.

To wit, this is from a former student at the school where he taught.

R205- Can't see him ever sucking Putin's microscopic dick. What a national embarrassment Trump has been.

Harris/Walz is our Field of Dreams

He and Kamala have "cool uncle" and "cool aunt" energy. While Vance is "creepy cousin that steals your dirty underwear out of the hamper".

R206- That was so endearing. He is that special kind of teacher that kids are very lucky to get. That speaks volumes to me.

PA resident here. Tim Walz is an excellent choice; Josh Shapiro is an excellent governor. I'd hate to lose him.

R211- This may sound ridiculous, but I am beginning to believe this all planned and everyone knew the assignment. I hope so.

I hope so too

Canadian here. I live not too far from Minnesota so I'm very familiar with Waltz and I think he's an excellent choice!! Good luck in November, American DLers, I'll be rooting for Harris/Waltz from Winnipeg!!

Tim Walz could sit down with any middle American 🇺🇸 in any diner or truck stop and be welcome to talk about the issues that affect their lives

The American Coasts/the ❤️ of Middle America’24

"Junior and Eric are just jealous that Walz hunts things that aren’t fenced in and tranquilized."

Tim Walz is the patient, accepting dad that every DL'er wishes they had. ❤️

We don’t want to be bossed around and told how to think by Yale/Wharton Ivy billionaire elites

When I look at a picture or video of him, the words comforting, caring, capable, trustworthy come up mind. I hope others see that as well.

"I have an amazing feeling the light ahead is going to be an America we’ve deserved & paid for, yet have never experienced. "

Side by side on my keyboard 🎹, Oh lord, why don’t we?

I have never witnessed so many with absolutely zero shame. No matter how thoroughly and publicly humiliated, it doesn't seem to bother them one little bit. I don't understand this, never will.

The Obamas approve:

R219, lest you forget, Ms middle-America, Tim Walz is the first person to run on a ticket who ISN’T a lawyer since Jimmy carter ran!

It's just perfect. Shapiro would have been fine, but two coastal 'elitist' attorneys on the same ticket would not have had the broad appeal that Walz brings.

(I put 'elitist' in quotes as I'm aware Shapiro was born/raised middle class and Harris is from Oakland).

To be clear, a Democratic ticket, R225.

Good looking family (love the dog's face in that pic). His daughter Hope and Ella Emhoff are about the same age. I wonder if they'll be friends. The boy, Gus, is 16 or 17 now.

You can't get any more whole and All-American than that wonderful pick, R228.

*wholesome

R230- That is a perfect description - wholesome.

[quote] Gwen Walz has taught in public, alternative and migrant schools, as well as prisons. She also served as an administrator and coordinator at Mankato Area Public Schools, a school district in the congressional district her husband represented from 2007 to 2019.

[quote]Her first public event as Minnesota first lady was a rally in support of voting rights restoration for felons. She has also toured state prisons and helped recruit an assistant commissioner working to install a new college curriculum behind prison walls, among other things, according to a report from Minnesota Public Radio.

It will be fun when a certain someone tries to attack her for that!

The Mankato vibe is strong in these ones.

"Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, another finalist, avoided the green-room circuit and instead touted Harris and his own record at a series of events throughout the state. A pro-Harris event in Philadelphia turned into a Shapiro-for-VP party.

His style was seen by at least some in Harris’ world as showboating. One senior Democrat in touch with Harris’ team called it “counterproductive.”

And there was a sense within Shapiro’s team that, unlike Walz, his interview with Harris did not go as well as it could have. There was “not a great feeling” coming out of it, according to a person in touch with his advisers.

After their meeting on Sunday, Shapiro called Harris’ team and made clear that he was “struggling with the decision to leave his current job as governor of Pennsylvania, in order to seek the vice presidency,” according to a person familiar with the selection process."

Tim Walz is younger than Brad Pitt.

"His style was seen by at least some in Harris’ world as showboating."

No, please. We have enough of that.

Interesting about Shapiro. If that's true, then things really worked out for the best. And if he took himself out of it, then Trump claiming that it was because of antisemitism sounds even more ridiculous.

It looks like they just cloned him to conceive the daughter! She's a mini-me. Cute family.

This one says is all.

Ha!

The episode writes itself. Dorothy all jumped up. Her Harris bumper sticker covering her Biden sticker which covered her Mondale and Dukakis stickers. Blanche favoring Trump and Rose saying 'Walz is going to Washington but he will have to change buses in Tyler's Landing'

[quote] Tim Walz could sit down with any middle American 🇺🇸 in any diner or truck stop and be welcome to talk about the issues that affect their lives

And he coached a winning high school football team. I think there is value in that kind relatability as well.

[quote] It looks like they just cloned him to conceive the daughter!

Her name is 'Hope' because she was conceived via IVF. That's a strong contrast against Vance.

I really wanted Shapiro, but I’ve spent some time reading up on Walz and watching some clips on social media today. I was already on board with him, but now I’m completely sold. In the same way I felt that Joe Biden was just “decent” guy, I get the same vibe from this guy. He’s decent and genuine. And I take back my comment from yesterday that he looks 75. He does look older, but seeing him in video and other photos, he doesn’t look 75.

Walz's skin looks ok. It's the balding and white hair that makes him look older than his age.

Today's Republican tactic of implying that Shapiro was passed over because he was Jewish is especially weak. Erick Erickson's tweet at R240 immediately prompts the question how many Jewish Republicans are in leadership positions, and in fact there are currently only TWO Jewish Republican members of Congress (one from TN and one from OH). Neither is in any sort of leadership position. No Jewish Republican governors. No Jews on the Republican ticket, needless to say (Vance is married to a Hindu, though!).

First campaign ad is strong

R245. I teach too and yeah, you get grey hairs

R247 Love it. Such a contrast to Trump and Vance who hate America and salivate at the idea of chaos.

This is the guy that Trump and Fox News are trying to paint as evil? Yeah… good luck with that. Harris Walz 2024.

R234, Shapiro was my first choice, but after reading that, it's clear that he was not the right guy for the job. He's just too alpha to play second fiddle to a woman. There would have been too much tension and mistrust between them. His call to her team last night was his way of taking himself out of the race. He didn't want the job anymore. I'm sure Harris and the campaign were not happy that he wasted their time and money in vetting him, when it now looks like he was doing it just to raise his profile nationally, but didn't really want the job. Having said that, he'll be a formidable candidate for president in the coming years.

Ain’t that America 🇺🇸 something to see, baby

Ain’t that America, home of the free!

Less and whiter hair now, but basically looks the same as he did 18 years ago.

The Bob Newhart of politics. Looked 60 for decades!

They really do campaign as if all their voters are morons:

R259- They are all morons.

They ARE, Blanche!

Wow, they’ve really got nothing, don’t they?

It's like they built this dude in a lab for the sole purpose of destroying J.D. Vance.

Lol!

Too many Jews that’s why they changed. This is actually a brilliant selection. And In going to tell you why.

MAGA suffers from collective narcissism, malignant normality, tribal contrarianism, and dopamine addiction. It's no surprise they're now having a collective nervous breakdown. In fact, it was inevitable that they would.

TamponTim? Really? These people need to be in an insane asylum.

Rally being carried here in about an hour and change.

[quote]It's like they built this dude in a lab for the sole purpose of destroying J.D. Vance.

I loved Walz's comment about how Trump and Vance are running for president of the He-Man Women Haters Club.

R27- Thank you, dear!

I may not have the greatest political imagination, but I'm trying hard to envision how the Republicans will turn the momentum back to their side in the next few months, given the poverty and ridiculousness of their discourse right now. It really looks like they've run out of steam (for now). I suspect they're just hoping for an economic crash or military crisis or something else they can capitalize on.

R270- War in Iran would be one guess.

They have no platform. They were all in on exploiting Biden's weaknesses, real and imaginary, but those talking points have been obliterated. It's a party of culture war grievances, coded bigotry, and very little else. In the end, normies get tired of that.

From the list of facts about him in R245:

“15. He was the faculty adviser for the school’s first gay-straight alliance chapter in 1999.”

Bless your hearts, some of you are a touch naive in fully buying that Politico story word-for-word. The idea that Shapiro had a last-minute change of heart and decided he didn't want the job is hilarious. I don't think ambition is a four-letter word, but, be real, the guy is nakedly ambitious. Obviously, what really happened was he had his final interview(s) and picked up that he and Kamala were not vibing as well as he'd hoped and, I imagine, his team picked up some cues that things were going to Walz's direction, so he wanted to save face, by being the first to say "maybe this isn't a fit?"

But, if Kamala had wanted him, he 100% would have left his Governorship for the Veep's office. Be real. Anyway, it's already ancient history, I think he's going to do a good job campaigning for Kamala and Tim and he'll get credit for helping to deliver Penns!

Our new VP in waiting also has a talent for trolling.

NRA not happy with her choice, which only further proves how perfect he is.

Wow! Look at the line! The deranged shit-stain will not like this!

Another tweet:

Guys, I can’t even begin to explain how MASSIVE this line for Harris in Philly is. It’s the same place Trump held a rally a few weeks ago. He didn’t even wrap around the building. This is blocks and blocks and blocks of never ending people!!!

[quote]That's a challenge I think with age being a huge issue in all of this, but a few simple styling choices will help.

He's not getting a makeover, that's not going to happen. This is what you are getting.

I like him just as he is.

R279 And the people LOVE it!

He's actually in a pretty good shape for a 60 year old. His face looks a bit older but he's Minnesota 60, not California 60. He looks just fine to me.

California 60? That's a new one and I live in CA.

You know very well what I mean, R283. He's someone who spent most of his life in a blue collar environment, not in an environment where how you present yourself in the professionally or socially is given that much weight. I'm sure he's never had a $100 haircut in his life or been to a men's day spa.

Minnesota, the land of 10,000 vice presidents.

I needed this two minutes of joy

Oh bless, Walz had a lovely moment there and was really breathing it all in.

R284, if you think a six-term congressman and a two-term governor is still the farm boy from Nebraska you're incredibly gullible. I love the casual wear/baseball cap look he had going on when he received the call. Give me a break with this guy and his homespun bullshit. You don't get to the governor's mansion without being politically saavy and incredibly cutthroat.

I get a slight Annoyance. Richards vibe from him.

I think Walz has lost some weight from the pic at R279.

ANN Richards. Fuck you, autocorrect

A pick like that of Vance. It's all about the base.

[quote]I think Walz has lost some weight from the pic at [R279].

He had the swimsuit competition to worry about, r290.

Sure he is certainly w savvy politician r288. But Walz has a true blue collar salt of the earth background. People like to complain about "out of touch" elites but Walz spent his life as a flyoverland, middle-class regular Joe before politics. His relatability plays authentic, which is his political power.

Get a load of Minnie the Muckraker at R288!

if you think a six-term congressman and a two-term governor is still the farm boy from Nebraska you're incredibly gullible. I love the casual wear/baseball cap look he had going on when he received the call. Give me a break with this guy and his homespun bullshit. You don't get to the governor's mansion without being politically saavy and incredibly cutthroat.

Trust me, after the past eight years, I believe we can handle that.

I LOVE the look on Kamala's face as Walz NAILS IT!

"Momma LIKES this!"

THE COUCH!!!!!!! HOLY FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!! Walz is the BALLS

I love these two ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Yeah, we heard you the first time, R296. Do you have any other bracing revelations, like maybe their speeches are—gasp!—scripted?

R298, he’s genuinely funny. He needs to go on Stephen Colbert

Tip of the hat to W.

Can they get Springsteen at the DNC along with Beyonce?

It's strange to read that, r302. I want to reply to all of their posts and warn them about what's to come.

What was the couch joke Walz made at the rally??? I'm stuck working on a project deadline for my job while keeping a tab open with DL so I can try and follow some of what's going on. I'm overcome with FOMO right now! Help a gay out!

r286 is giving me first term Obama hopeful vibes again.

Yes the enthusiasm on the Dems side right now is totally reminiscent of the 08 Obama campaign. It's great to see. Let's hope for a blue wave like that election was.

THANK YOU R307

you're welcome R305

personally, this was my favorite line, though

R310- Yes, mine as well.

That really could not have been better. Headlines tomorrow will probably about the tens of millions they raised overnight.

So I did my due diligence to see what Fox was saying, don't waste your time. It was Laura Ingrham and Kevin McCarthy re-writing history about how Trump had the best economy, everyone got bonuses and raises, no crime, no wars and how Laura was shocked, shocked shocked that the Democrats think they are the middle class. Then Laura went into the Trans thing showing Tim supporting the LGBTQ rights with of course the most odd looking trans you have ever seen with lipstick on stage. Then a picture of Ilhan Omar anti Jewish thing which they went off on saying the progressives are all anti-Semitic which is why she says they could not pick Shapiro. I could not take anymore so I turned it off. I took one for the team, you are welcome.

So to boil it down this seems to be there theme: Democrats are all trans freaks who want to cut off your penis, antisemites, force you to buy electric cars, appliances, raise the cost of living and control your freedom to do so.

The get off the couch line about JD was the best, Kamala could hardly keep from bursting out laughing.

Thanks for taking one for the team r313.

[quote] So to boil it down this seems to be there theme: Democrats are all trans freaks who want to cut off your penis, antisemites, force you to buy electric cars, appliances, raise the cost of living and control your freedom to do so.

Who knew our trolls all work for Fox "News"?

I am not a fox Troll R316, you can check my profile.

You need to know what the other side is saying if you want to beat them at their own game.

I didn't say you were, R317, just that those are the exact same talking points we get from our trolls.

R318, R313 was reporting and ridiculing (as anyone can tell from their language) how Fox was framing the rally, not endorsing it.

Say it again, Kyle! 😂

I'm catching up on the rally.

Jesus Christ, I'm actually hopeful. I'm terrified of that, but I'm hopeful.

Yup, R319, and that's exactly how I took it.

God, this is so good.

It's like I've been having a terrible dream and I'm starting to wake up.

He seems very comfortable in his own skin

Yes, R323, it's like the MAGAts are suddenly withering in a blaze of sunlight, starting with their blithering leader. "You have no power here!"

After years of them all getting away with the most repugnant, egregious behavior with zero consequences, this feels like a dream. It is happening so very quickly. They have made a mockery of our institutions and our country. It feels surreal, like a waking dream. I'm very afraid that I will wake up to the dystopian nightmare again.

I never thought I'd see the day that we would have a black man for President, then we had Obama. Then to have our next President who is a woman, and a black woman is amazing. I feel hope now.

R327- They cheated us out having Hillary, we can not allow them to cheat us out of Harris.

R313 - it really IS an alternate reality. One of the few things I like about YouTube TV is their multi-view. They have a multi-view for news, so your screen gets split in four and you can simultaneously see Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and BBC News in each of the for corners. Obviously, only the audio from the one you choose is playing, but it can be fascinating to watch the news this way. You'll often see CNN and MSNBC basically repeating the same 2-3 stories (often, though, in a different sequence), BBC News showing a great diversity of stories and, yes, Fox absolutely in their own world. I wonder if they'll shift much when Rupert finally dies (soon, we hope?)

[quote]Yes, [R323], it's like the MAGAts are suddenly withering in a blaze of sunlight, starting with their blithering leader. "You have no power here!"

I mean, I hate reducing it to a Pixar movie, but it's like Monsters Inc:

It turns out laughter is more powerful than fear.

More Walz insult jokes, please!

I suspect we've got about three months' worth ahead of us, R331.

My skating coach is from Mankato and I have several friends from Minnesota.

Midwest nice is a real thing. Waltz has it in spades.

I saw a "When They Go Weird, We Go Walz" banner on Threads. I'm trying to find it again, but I loved it.

[quote]It turns out laughter is more powerful than fear.

I just teared up. Gosh, I hope you’re right

R334.

And your point shit-stirrer, at R102? We’ve already established that Mary. Keep up fucktard, your not offering us breaking news.

I'm also big enough to admit that I was wrong: He was EXACTLY the right choice. This afternoon proved it.

R338, me too. He's tremendous.

I saw this on Twitter, but it sums up my thoughts.

You watch them give back to back speeches: Shapiro sounds like a politician, Walz sounds like a real person.

R300, that was another poster at R296 copy & pasting my original post. You're so observant. No, really. Just the type of voter aw shucks Tim loves.

Oh, then do learn how to format, R341.

[quote]Shapiro sounds like a politician, Walz sounds like a real person.

I honestly like how both of them sound

The lot of the also-rans.

I admire Shapiro, who's plainly very alpha, for considering fit (and the same for Harris.) It's hard, on either side, to admit and accept the fit isn't good, especially with the temptations on either side (profile, EC votes) to hold your nose and hope for the best.

In twenty years time, Pete will be just a little older than Harris and Walz are now. He has forever. He needs to fill in the gaps in his experience and has the luxury of time to do it. Enough talk, more action, with a lot of talk during while he undertakes it.

Good perspective ^^^

In twenty years, Pete's twins will be the same age as Hope Walz and Ella Emhoff are now.

It impacts Gavin and Gretchen as well even though they removed their names from consideration. If Kamala serves 8 years, Gavin will be 65 and Gretchen will be 61. I think that, despite his public comments, Gavin was working behind the scenes with Obama & Nancy for an open convention. Wise old Joe Biden saw through the charade and swiftly kneecapped that group. Brilliant move by the master. The Democratic National Convention should be interesting to observe the dynamics of Biden's team and of the Obamas & Nancy P among others. The coup group truly had no clue as to the momentum for Kamala which they are now forced to watch and support.

Gavin Newsom needs to give up his fantasy he will ever be President. I continue to believe he is a bad choice of candidate that would not win the Midwest battlegrounds we need.

[quote] Wise old Joe Biden saw through the charade and swiftly kneecapped that group. Brilliant move by the master.

I really think you give Biden much too much credit. Until the very end, he was fighting tooth and nail to stay in & win re-election. Like Nixon 50 years ag this week, it was the collapse of support among his party that made him - ever so reluctantly - cave to the inevitable.

Some Minnesota Republican was on CNN. Evading all questions and suggesting that the FBI crime data was bunk, of course. However, he called Sara Sidner 'sweetheart'. Their misogyny, especially towards women of color is not shocking but they just cannot control it. It slips out so easily. 'Listen sweetheart' She let it slip, probably not wanting to seem like an angry black woman, but he should have been called on that. Enough is enough.

I continue to believe, r349, that he's damn lucky to have gotten as far as he has, that there are even more skeletons in his closet on top of all of the legitimately ugly ones that we actually do know about, and on some level, he acknowledges to himself if no one else that he needs to stay in his lane and do whatever he can to raise his profile (carefully, as to not provoke the ire of his ex's deranged new family).

Honorably supporting the current administration(s) is the best he can do and I think he knows that.

[quote]Until the very end, he was fighting tooth and nail to stay in & win re-election.

I don't think so. Biden's announcement and immediate endorsement of Harris, and the totally successful consolidation of the campaign and unification of the party since, indicates a longer process of lining his ducks up and building a consensus during the weeks after the debate. He's a long-time pol who could imagine various scenarios ahead and plan for them.

Then why is every interviewer asking Nancy Pelosi if Joe Biden hates her now (or words to that effect) and why is she not shutting that down. She's responding with 'he knows I love him'. Which is an admission that she had to step in and force his hand.

No Biden has to be pushed into this r353. He deserves props for finally doing it, but he only did it after all his allies in the Democratic party and their donors basically forced him into it.

r345, I genuinely LIKE shapiro, having seen him speak a couple times. he has the markings of a future president

Of course Biden had to be pushed screaming & shouting. This attempt to create a different reality is all about adding to Biden's historical luster.

Apparently, after Schumer spoke to Biden about dropping out - Joe said he needed a week. I'm sure that during that week, he figured out how he was going to shut down the mini-primary at the convention b.s. (i.e, anybody but Kamala). Biden's Sunday letter dropped on Twitter without a nod to mainstream media was outstanding. At age 84, Nancy is relishing her last stand as a power broker while promoting her book. She was a hot mess on Lawrence O'Donnell last night - talk about searching for words, etc. I feel that she wants everyone to know that she was the power behind Biden stepping down and she will gladly take credit for Kamala now. But I don't think she was in Kamala's corner the post debate period.

[quote]This attempt to create a different reality is all about adding to Biden's historical luster.

So? I am all for adding to Biden's luster. The past few years have proven he deserves all the accolades we can give him.

keep your eye on the ball

I strongly disagree with the notion that Joe had to be pushed. That would be true of the average politician, but he is not that.

When you drill down and read the in-depth reporting the answer is much closer to what R354 is saying. He wasn't "pushed" so much as LED to understand a pathway where somebody--ANYBODY--could be more successful than him.

Once that pathway was proven to be his hand-picked successor, then he did something that nobody would ever be expected to do.

The man had to be threatened with the lack of funding for his presidential library to get him out. The apple polishing of presidents has a long & rich history, but let's call it for what it is.

Nancy's on a roll.

I doubt that

Hmmmm Y'all are acting like Pelosi is Oleanna Tyrell

I think Nancy was in an absolute state of horror as she watched Trump pull away in the polls. She wasn't behind Kamala immediately after the debate because she wanted to see some numbers. She wanted someone who was going to beat Trump. She would have supported Oprah, Ricki Lake or Maury Povich is the numbers said they would win! Power broker? No. A phone call to tell Biden that Trump was going to be back with Johnson as Speaker which would destroy Biden's legacy. Yes. And god bless her because Biden could not have beaten him and I say that as someone who gladly voted for Biden and would have voted for him again but he is just not healthy enough to lead until 2029.

R366- Absolutely, I agree with every word of this.

Please check your voter registration status weekly!!! This is how are going to attempt to steal the election.

Don't allow the mf's to steal your vote. This is happening in all swing states.

[quote] Please check your voter registration status weekly!!! This is how are going to attempt to steal the election.

I’m an overseas voter with FL registration, was thinking about sitting it out with Biden, just reconfirmed and requested a general ballot by mail to vote for K&T. I was in Palm Beach county and the local process is good…always got my ballots before. Not sure it helps in Desatanland but will send it in!

R370- Breaking from GA: This is how the people’s vote will not be honored or certified in key states. This must be challenged ASAP: Georgia Election Board approves new ‘inquiry’ for certifying election results This is unfortunately my state. We are being attacked from within.

Biden didn't "kneecap" their bid to oust him as candidate, he outplayed them by all-but-naming Harris as his crowned successor in his campaign drop-out letter last month. Pelosi is a big Newsom backer (they used to be related by marriage, she's known him for decades) and wanted an open convention later this month - which would not have been helpful at all, a rare time I disagree with Nancy's tactics.

Harris has more than lived up to expectations and beyond so far. She's and Walz are the best bet we have to dump Trump.

He kneecapped their effort to have an open primary and bypass Kamala.

yes r373 - a rare moment when he outplayed Queen Nancy. And a correct move, in hindsight.

I normally support nearly all of her insights, but not this one. An open convention would have given Trump/Vance a lot of time to consolidate their lead, and make the Dems look publicly disarrayed. Plus given the eventual candidate less time to get their campaign ball rolling.

Yeah, I don't see some epic chess move at play here. Biden's wanted to be president at least since his first Senate election in 1972, finally achieves his goal nearly fifty years later & desperately wants the historical vindication of winning a second term. The notion that this was all some deliberate design to foil Nancy Pelosi and deliver the nomination on a silver platter to Kamala Harris, someone who clearly was not part of his presidential circle, is pretty fanciful.

I think it was a lot of circumstance, a lot of luck, and a lot of players and it all just sort of fell together, one random event triggering another.

It seems like a hundred years ago and impossible now, but there was a lot of angst about Harris when Biden was teetering on the edge - could she do it? About the halfway mark to Biden's departure, the question being leaked was his concern about could Harris be elected if he stepped aside? (Which presumed no contest.)

I imagine Joe (and Jill) were smarting at what they perceived as the disloyalty after his first term and saddened by the data making the disloyal correct if not, in their view, right. No one could have predicted that Harris would turn into the mega candidate she is today.

I think Biden threw a spanner in the works. He ambushed everybody with the timing and secrecy of his announcement. Remember, some of his closest found out about a minute before it went live. And his endorsement of Harris, leveraging the chatter about what would happen to the black women vote if she didn't get the nomination, was part and parcel. That made it terribly difficult to mount a mini-primary. Why Biden did it, I don't know. Maybe out of loyalty and belief in Harris. Maybe because if she failed, he fucked them all by tying them to her. Whatever his motivation, I don't think it was any accident he structured his departure to play exactly as it did.

Nancy is two years older than Biden. Her next goal is too outlive him.

That's all well and good, R375, but if I understand R372/4 correctly, Biden's actions, once he was convinced to step aside, are behind the smooth, united, extremely broad-based Democratic campaign we've seen rev up in the last two to three weeks. The alternative procedures, which Pelosi and others advocated, just evaporated—for the best—once he endorsed Harris.

R374, totally agree with you. The open convention would have been a nightmare. R375, I think that once Biden knew he had no choice left in being the nominee, he was probably fuming. Whether or not Kamala was in his presidential circle is immaterial. At that time, when the media was crushing him, the "ousting" group kept making statements such as we'll find out more within the process or who will be the best choice at convention. Lots of people positioning themselves. Biden simply shut the door on them. Or slammed it. Brilliant or not, does it matter? As of today, it's working out well.

I love Nancy, but she'd better give up her plans for Gavin. He will not play outside of California or get any traction with Shapiro, Beshear, Whitmer, and Moore waiting in the wings.

I would say, R379, that whether he was fuming or not, Biden's immediate actions were born of his long experience in politics, his broad and detailed read of the current situation, and his keen understanding of how things would go under given conditions. Whether that's brilliance or just know-how, what he engineered there is working out for the very best.

I do see that Nancy is telling everyone that she wanted Joe to save his legacy and everything that "we" did. "He knows that I love him and his family."

R381, Agree with you 100%! Experience and wisdom for the win.

[quote] The alternative procedures, which Pelosi and others advocated, just evaporated—for the best—once he endorsed Harris.

With Biden fighting to stay on for more than three weeks, the alternative procedures became increasingly unrealistic.

I want to know how none of us even really knew about this guy and how he's been hiding all this time.

R380 I agree with you. I like Nancy, but I can't stand how she props Gavin Newsom.

In a way, I'm glad that Democratic politicians from midwestern or southern states are getting some attention. For a long the focus is always o Democrats from California and New York and not so much on people from the midwest or south.

I sometimes listen to David Axlerod's pocast The Axe Files. A few years back, Michigan congresswoman Elissa Slotkin was a guest and she threw shade at Democrats from CA and NY getting all the attention and demanding certain things in Congress. She talked about clashing with someone from the Bronx ( probably AOC) and that the person from the Bronx acted like Slotkin's mid Michigan constituents didn't deserve to have their voices heard and be represented. Slotkin said that she told that person her constituents matter just as much as people from the Bronx.

I think at some point Bronx girl AOC and California boy Eric Swalwell will get their asses kicked by Dems from the midwest, south, and some other flyover states.

[quote]I want to know how none of us even really knew about this guy and how he's been hiding all this time.

Cause he's been minding his own damned business and taking care of his constituents in Minnesota.

Then as citizens we are not doing our job. We should be aware of people like this so we can strive to find more like him. If we have one in Congress then it is possible to get more. It doesn't always help to hide ones light.

There are plenty of decent people in Congress, but the media likes focusing on the far right loon types like MTG, Lauren Boebert, and Matt Gaetz and the annoying far left progressive toddlers like AOC, Rashida Slob, and Ilhan Omar.

Do research on people like Haley Stevens, Laureen Underwood, Andy Kim, Hilary Scholten, Ritchie Torres, Brittany Petterson, and Abigail Spanberger. You will see down to earth politicians who the media ignores because they aren't attention whores.

well maybe there is some way to get the media to focus on them.

R390 Haley Stevens received recent media attention because of the recent prisoner swap. Paul Whelan lives in her district and Stevens had been in contact with the Whelan family and was doing what she could to help Whelan get out of the Russian prison. Stevens is a practical moderate type who seems to genuinely care about her constituents. She visits nursing homes in her district and goes to STEM programs because she had a prior career in manufacturing and likes promoting STEM programs for kids. She's not some who goes to the Met Gala to be a show off like that brat AOC does.

But, Stevens is a very odd looking woman with a Michigan accent that is thicker than Gretchen Whitmer's accent. Most people probably write her off as some kooky midwestern lady. But, she is quite intelligent and worked on the US auto rescue task force. If Stevens was an attractive woman the media be swooning over her like they do with AOC.

[quote] I want to know how none of us even really knew about this guy and how he's been hiding all this time

R385: DL +flyover state = surprise, surprise.

I guess none of us know what exactly went down, but whatever happened, it couldn’t have happened in a better way.

Joe’s a good man and had a lot of personal tragedy and I’m happy he had one last success in Politics (no matter how it actually happened)

Didn't Joe say long ago that he would not seek a second term? I believe he did whatever he had to do to save democracy and defeat Trump. Why wouldn't he chose to enjoy his remaining years in retirement?

Detroit rally starting soon

I think it must always be hard to step away from power. Biden’s acceptance of reality will be a positive part of his legacy, I think.

I don’t think any other democrat could have beaten Trump in 2020. Biden offered the perfect blend of political skill and emotional intelligence, folksiness, energy and waspishness. The US public were reassured by him. If, by accepting that the public now thinks he is too tired, he now thwarts Trump again, I genuinely think he will rank amongst the greatest presidents. He may only have served one term, but if Harris wins, Biden will be regarded as the savior of the republic by allowing it to outlive a great threat.

Lt Gov. Garlin Gilchrist is cute nerd man.

R392, oopsie!!

I was just gonna post that, R400. I love Joe Biden for... everything, but it was time and right he stood down from four more years.

Good to see that the public awareness on Republican electoral sedition is coming straight from the top. Biden and others need to keep repeating this. In fact, I remember that long before the 2020 election the Democrats got the word out about the likely Republican spin and what to be aware of. Same thing this year.

GOP idiots are usually very easy to read

What are the battleground states? Michigan, Pennsylvania, ??

Is rump doing rallies there? Harris and Walz are going balls to the wall with their rallies

Wisconsin was one, R404, but after today ....

No, R404, Trump isn't doing any rallies this week until one in Bozeman, MT on Friday.

Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada.

Trump is at home rage tweeting. Vance is on the road shadowing Kamala. He’s visiting the same cities on the same day. He is drawing 200 people.

I think Walz could turn NV if he spends time out there talking to union workers but they may focus all energy on PA, WI and MI.

Republicans are trying to swiftboat Walz with this “stolen valor” crap. Hopefully, Americans are smarter this time around.

electoral map shifting for the better...

Montana? Is Putin meeting him there.

Montana is competitive for the Senate seat

Stolen valor! Walz will call him bone spurs at the debate. So let’s go there. JD better brush up on which foot it was during his debate prep.

Walz will thank Vance for his service and move on, just as everybody has already.

Thanks r411.

Does the democratic candidate even have a chance. That’s a deep red state

Tester has a chance, R414, because he's a twice-elected incumbent.

R408, tell your MAGAt friends that after twenty years, Walz filed for retirement BEFORE he was called up for combat.

If I can remember where I saw it, I'll post it. I read yesterday that a gov'r. official who was investigating money missing from the gov't. found that trump had stolen 1.7 billion dollars in taxpayer money. This is so sickening since it was mostly money collected from the middle class to the poor just because he can never have enough. This is one of the two reasons he didn't want to leave the White House when he lost. The other reason being the power. He loves to order people around and have them do things that he could not do, like eliminating someone and carrying out his revenge on those he doesn't like.

Is this what you mean, R417? I posted it in the Treason thread a while ago.

R409 - TX is so interesting to me. I believe, other than Florida, it's the sunbelt state with the most migration from other states. And, it's urban centers continue to be bluer and bluer. If those demographic trends continue and TX becomes purple (I doubt it will ever be true-blue), it's such a game-changer.

Not holding my breath

I grew up in Austin, which has always been solidly blue (even before "Red and Blue States" became a thing). Texas itself was more Democrat, I remember several D Governors and Congressmen. I don't know when this major shift happened; and you'd certainly think with more West Coast people moving there over the last 20 years (when I left) it would lean more Blue.

Sad!

Romney won TX by almost 16% in 2012.

Trump won TX by less than 9% in 2016.

Trump won TX by 5.5% in 2020.

Texas Republicans can see which way this is going and they're determined to cling to their power like grim death.

I don't expect it wil happen but wow if Texas goes to Kamala then that's a MAJOR burn to Trump. PLEASE DEAR LORD IN HEAVEN!!!!!

I'll believe it when I see it

I wouldn't spend a lot of my time trying to flip Texas.

In the end, it votes Abbott.

r421, it's the conservative Californians moving to TX. The liberal ones are moving to Atlanta.

R426, do the demographics show that? R422 has a good point. The numbers don’t lie. I do think anecdotally that may be occurring, but something is driving those numbers.

Reminder that you CANNOT register to vote online in Texas! You have to go down to your county clerks office or election office and tell them that you want to register to vote. You have to fill out the form there and give it back to them.

This video explains how Texas Republicans are trying to fool Democrats into thinking they are registering to vote online, when in fact they are not. It's a slimy voter suppression tactic they are using.

This video explains how to properly register to vote in Texas. Remember, you cannot register to vote online in Texas.

R421 same here but with Florida. Lived in Florida almost my whole life and it was very blue a long time ago

It turned solid red from about 2000 on. Starting with Jen Bush as governor.

I really did laugh out loud:

[quote]Please let us not find out that he showered with the football team.

What's wrong with that?!?

Florida will go red, but the extreme support for DeSantis and Rubio in 2022 was a one time thing only due to DeSantis that ironically DeSantis himself destroyed with his actions afterwards and his terrible presidential campaign.

r418 I don't think so. My article said that so and so has discovered and estimated that Trump stole 1.7 billion.

I wonder if I will live long enough to read how much damage T did to the White house and how many secrets he sold. How many people he had eliminated., etc, etc, etc. I have about 13 years to go before I'm gone. I wonder if on the other side if we will even care.

Florida will still be in the Republican column for a while, but it is turning purple-er by the year, with the continued influx of northerners both working and retired.

The Right to Abortion is on the ballot in Florida. I would say that Florida is in play.

Bat Boy, Medicare pillager Extraordinaire, is also up for re-election.

The only person more loathed in the Senate is carpetbagging Cuban Fled Cruz.

In Florida, the insurance costs and condo special assessments are causing great hardship to many folks. The Dems need to put a finger in that festering wound.

Gwen Walz looked quite pretty e pretty in his yearbook photo

I still think you send superstar surrogates to Texas, Ohio, and Florida daily for the next 90 days, give or take, with a few appearances by the VP and Walz. You don't want to look back the day after the election and go, we could have won that one with just a little more investment and a few more rallies. I'm not saying don't put it all into the blue wall and other swing states, but ya never know.

Jasmine Crcokett should be campaigning for Harris and Walz in Texas and so should Maxwell Frost in Florida.

They are all lying pieces of shit. They are all politicians and if you think 2 are good people you are very naive or just plain stupid. What 29 year old goes out with a sixty year old? No one. Trump went out with whores. Harris was one. If we were talking about a gay man you would totally agree but we are talking about St Kamala who was one of the most incompetent vps in US history. She also supported the Floyd riots. Nasty. Even Biden denounced them. But it made Little Miss Idiot giddy.

White Women for Kamala. White Men for Kamala. But this has nothing to do with race! People are total idiots and it's like a bacteria has taken over their brains. Yeah Trump is far worse. But she in no way should be president. The fact that the Democratic party can't come up with anyone better than this joke is a terrible indictment. And she is Indian/ Irish. To run as a black woman is a big fat lie. Notice her father hasn't said a word of support. Maybe they hate each other. Who knows? It sure looks like it. Dems have such low standards and are such suckers. Just like the appalling Magas. Anybody with a drop of common sense would see this. And to pretend that Biden hasn't been senile for a couple of years is scandalous. He's been embarrassing to watch for a long time now. And suddenly like Kamala who is overjoyed his own party turned on him like a bunch of hyenas overnight when all they've been saying for a long time is he's as sharp as a tack. Oh but none of this is true! I hope you're twerking when you go vote for her. I'm sitting this one out. She and Trump are both repellent.

You again?

Hey Don-old at r441, the old age home is missing you.

[quote] I still think you send superstar surrogates to Texas, Ohio, and Florida daily for the next 90 days,

Including Simone Biles, four of the five members of the gold medal winning USA Women's Gymnastics team live in Texas

[quote]I'm sitting this one out. She and Trump are both repellent.

No one cares what you think, Both Sides Troll.

“ I'm sitting this one out. She and Trump are both repellent”

What R445 said, and in addition to a well-known fact that you couldn’t get your greasy, stinky, prolapsed asshole up off the couch to get to a voting booth.

Women Governors for Harris.

Maura Healey looks like she could be Pete Buttigieg's older lesbian sister. Katie Hobbs is a pretty woman despite wearing nerdy glasses and grey hair.

And for that matter, Tine Kotek looks like what an AI would come up with if you gave it the prompt "A lesbian governor of Oregon."

Of course R441 will have to sit that one out. There will be a lot of DoorDash deliveries that day.

Katie Hobbs was wise to grow out her hair from that awful Karen-esque cut she had some years back.

A group of lesbians or a group of female governors?

Harris/Walz rally in Arizona tonight.

r452, Por que no los dos?

Well, these ladies took the DL advice, who’s is no woman over 40 should have long hair.

That’s what you get!

A canny choice.

I don't think I've ever seen a VP nominee more popular than Coach Tim or more hated and ridiculed thank JD Vance. Even Sarah Palin is lighting at the orange Idiot's choice.

He's a great communicator to?

USA! USA! USA!!

Meghan McCain is a fucking twat who annoys me more than Jenna Bush and Liz Cheney.

Cry more, troll.

I guess Gus was left at home while the rest of the family was at the state fair.

I like Gwen's old lady esque accent.

Gus was recovering after eating a bucket of cookies!