Keeping Our Eyes on the Walz

In Support and Opposition of Harris' VP Pick

Joe Lamberti/AP

(Editor’s Note: No Daily Rants on Wednesdays)

Well, Kamala Harris didn’t heed our advice and nominate Tammy Duckworth to join her on the Democratic ticket.  We’re as surprised as you are.

Instead, she’s announced Tim Walz (D-MD) as her running mate.  

As with many things political, this announcement was met by different responses from Kate and Will.  Below, we’ll attempt to outline the pros and cons to Walz’s presence on the ticket.

Remember, friends: dissent, with respect.

Kate’s Take

I’ll be honest: my primary concern this election cycle is keeping Trump out of office.  Four more years under Trump could have catastrophic consequences for women, immigrants, people of color, and more.  Everything beyond that is a secondary concern for me.

For this reason alone, I’m a fan of Walz.  I think he’s the perfect antidote to the sexist, elitist, and disingenuous troll that is JD Vance—and I’m not just saying that because I’m a (biologically) childless cat lady.  (Shout-out to my two bonus kids and three cats!)

Politics is as much about optics as it is about actual policymaking.  JFK expertly used the media to cinch his reputation as the younger, shinier, more polished candidate.  Decades later, and George W. Bush became an expert at rolling up his sleeves, ever the everyman.

In the weeks leading up to the official announcement, Walz has consistently demonstrated a strong personal narrative and affable personality which beautifully counters the vitriolic fever pitch of the Trump campaign.  His most biting critique of his opponents is that their obsession with limiting personal freedoms is “weird,” and yet somehow this amounted to a wildly successful takedown campaign.  He’s gentle but effective with a hint of mischief in his eyes; the “Joe Biden [of] 20 years ago,” or our country’s newest favorite grandparent.  

Of course, this alone does not a successful candidate make.  But I’m equally as encouraged by Walz’s politics, which largely align with Democratic values without being so “radically progressive” as to alienate the more moderate crowd.  He’s signed bills to provide free meals to schoolchildren and state college tuition to eligible families.  He’s in favor of gender-affirming care, clean energy, reproductive autonomy, and police reform.  Despite his former “A” rating from the NRA, he now stands for stricter gun control.

Yet Walz is also a rural Nebraskan with a history of National Guard service and former employment as a teacher, such that he promotes a sense of community and will likely appeal to swing voters in a way that Harris won’t.  While there’s no question that he’s become more progressive throughout his career, he has a history of supporting gun rights, Israel, and the Keystone XL pipeline, indicating his capacity for more balanced and nuanced politicking than Harris herself is known for.  It also doesn’t hurt that until a few weeks ago, Walz was relatively unknown, offering his campaign a fairly fresh slate upon which to sketch his profile.

In sharing my hopefulness that this ticket has what it takes to keep Trump out of office, I refuse to disregard that many American Jews feel similarly tonight as my BFF Will by Harris’ decision not to bring Josh Shapiro onboard.  On a micro level, I believe that Shapiro also possessed several qualities which would have made him a worthy addition to the ticket, including by securing the critical state of Pennsylvania.  On a macro level, I have neither the desire nor the standing to challenge what a Jew perceives as anti-Semitic.  I’m more inclined to believe that Harris feared Shapiro’s capacity to overshadow her and preferred a candidate with a less enthusiastic pro-Israel stance, but I’m not so naïve as to presume that his faith played no role in the decision.  A Democratic ticket comprised of a mixed-race female and a vocal Jew would be hard to sell to those voters who are susceptible to more conservative social views.  But in making this choice, many Jewish Americans will feel disregarded by their government, yet again.  And that I can’t support.

Will and I feel differently on this topic.  Today, I feel far more hopeful about the future of my country than I did even weeks ago, and Walz’s presence on the ticket is largely to thank for that.  He’s progressive without openly alienating more moderate voters; relatable in many realms; and brings balance and unity to a party that needs it.  

My bottom line?  I’m the real-deal never-Trump (I’m lookin’ at you, JD), and this move pushes me closer to a future I’m not afraid of.  

Will’s Take 

My father always told me a few things about Gentiles. 

“Son, those Gentiles, they’ll love you right up until they hand you over to your killers.”

and

“Son, Gentiles always love us, right up until we’re an inconvenience.”

Those thoughts ran through my head when I heard that VP Harris went with Governor Tim Walz from Minnesota. 

I’m sure Walz is a fine man. I’m happy he’s a veteran, but according to his records, he’s a post-9-11 veteran, not an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran. He “deployed” to Europe to support operations in Afghanistan. Bruh, if you think that’s the same shit, then you need to look at a map. G*d bless him for serving, but so did Vance, Gabbard, and half a dozen other Republicans whom I don’t like. 

 I’m a pro-2nd Amendment, pro-Life, full fucking throated Zionist. I love a good AR-15. I think life is a precious thing, and I will never support abortion (other than rape/incest). What’s a moderate on gun rights? Oh, let me guess, no “weapons of war?” Does that mean I get to keep a handgun? Isn’t that a weapon of war? You don’t think people use handguns in combat? I can link you up with a couple of friends of mine who’ve killed terrorists with handguns, knives, and their bare hands. Which of these three is a weapon of war? 

This ain’t my party, so, to be honest, I don’t think I have a lot of standing to tell Democrats what to do with their party.

I’ll never be a Democrat. Never. 

Being Never Trump doesn’t mean you have to become a Democrat, a Liberal, or a Progressive. It means you don’t support Trump. And that ain’t changing. Unlike most Liberals who championed women’s rights in Afghanistan but then said, “LOL, Forever War,” I keep my word. 

But it also doesn’t mean you can’t point out the obvious. Josh Shapiro was the slam dunk best choice to defeat Trump. He was the governor of the most pivotal state on the electoral map. He had a 61% approval rating in Pennsylvania. If his name was Tim White, and he ate fucking peanut butter and jelly sandwiches all day while singing, “Praise Jesus!” do you think he wouldn’t have been picked?

Really?

I’m sorry. I’m from the real world. Antisemitism comes in many forms. Its pervasiveness is usually undetectable to most Gentiles because they are used to it. It’s everywhere. From right-wing nut jobs like Nick Fuentes to those on the Hamas-loving Left. I can go chapter and verse if you like: Louis Farrakhan, Ilhan Omar, Cornel West, Al Sharpton, Mehdi Hassan, etc. I have a folder filled with their greatest hits. 

Since October 7th, antisemitic incidents have risen 300% in this country. If you don’t think that influenced Harris’ selection yesterday, pass over those gummies and give me one because you have a new strand I haven’t sampled. 

And don’t take it from me; here is Vance Jones talking about it. Or perhaps The Atlantic is more your speed. That’s fine. 

Will I still vote for Harris? Probably. Do I want to? No. I can’t stand her. I don’t like any of her policies. The idea that Tim Walz and Kamala Harris are moderates is laughable. They’re moving the party to the left.

Again. This ain’t my party. As soon as the GOP regains its sanity or conservatism emerges in another form, I’m bolting to destroy every bit of “progress” the Democratic Party constructed. So, if you’re a liberal/progressive/or whatever the hell the young kids are calling it now, don’t listen to me. 

But, please do me a favor, liberal gentiles: don’t lecture me about doing the right thing. I gave at the office.