The Pick Is in: It's Tim Walz

 

(Hat tip Don Martin-Mad Magazine)

The suspense is over. Kamala Harris has picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her candidate for VP. In the past week, all the prognosticators were predicting that Harris would choose Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Then we started hearing whispers that the far-left wing of the Democrat party, namely the so-called "Squad" were against a Jewish candidate-one who was considered (somewhat) pro-Israel.  While in college, it was reported, Shapiro had written an article stating that there would never be peace in the Holy Land because all the Palestinians wanted was war and, in fact, were incapable of running a country of their own. Actually, he was right, but that certainly would not have fit in with Harris' worldview. At any rate, you can bet that there will be much discussion in the campaign as to whether Harris gave in to pressure and decided that a Jewish candidate just would not do. It also buttresses the argument that there exists anti-Semitism within some quarters of the Democrat Party.

But I digress. Let's talk about Mr Walz.

Like with Shapiro, the Trump campaign and conservative media ( what little there is) are ready with their talking points about Walz. He is a solid liberal, who as governor of Minnesota, fiddled while Minneapolis burned with the George Floyd riot and is not considered pro-police. He enforced a strict lockdown during the Covid pandemic, and lo and behold, he was reportedly arrested for DUI in the 1990s in Nebraska. I mean, who knew?

All that aside, as one who will be voting for Trump in November because I can't stand the thought of Harris being president, I am happy with this pick. I think Shapiro would have helped Harris' ticket more being from Pennsylvania. Walz seems colorless and more in tune with Harris' left-wing policies. He looks like someone from the Pipefitters Union Local 452  bowling team (kind of like Harris' husband, whatever his name is. Maybe that's why she chose him). 

Can the Democrats really argue that this adds pizzazz to the ticket? Will Harris/Walz really get a bump in the polls with this announcement? On the other hand, it will be hard to argue that Walz represents quiet efficiency for the ticket. His record in Minnesota has received a lot of criticism, albeit from the right.

It may be too early, but I somehow now feel more comfortable about Trump's chances in November. That's my take, anyway. Now we can turn on the TV and listen to the experts tell us what all this means.