Wow! I can’t believe she didn’t intentionally make the obviously worse choice. Unironically. This is entirely new territory as a democratic voter!
I see it as purposeful messaging that they’re willing to change and be more progressive, if that’s what we want. Now we need to prove them right and get out to the polls.
To be fair though, democrats don’t have a problem getting out to the polls, especially for national elections. No Republican has won the popular vote for 20 years; the only Republican wins in this time were based on technicalities.
I think what we’ll see in November is the same high voting numbers, but a much different demographics pivoting the central block from old centrists to younger progressives.
A very strategic pick.
His wiki page reads like a check-list to attract the republican women voters.
White
Male
From Nebraska
Veteran.
Supports Abortion rights.
“Think of the children” (both him and his wife were teachers).
Penny for your thoughts? Pennsylvanians seem to be big fans of Shapiro, though I’ve not heard of Walz before just now.
Shapiro is a HUGE Zionist and has had problems in his office with sexual harassment (not by him, but his aides). With some saying he helped to cover it up.
He may play well in Pennsylvania, he does not play well in many states like Michigan and would not play well with the youth vote. The only real reason to pick Shapiro is for AIPAC money.
Shapiro has an extended history of being quite sympathetic to Israel to the point of problematic statements and treating anti-genocide protest as something it’s not.
Walz has none of that baggage and seems to care about people. He’s a far better (from what I know) person to be one heartbeat away from the presidency.
He should campaign well and I expect him to keep hitting Trump. Vance will self-own without too much assistance. Punching up will be a great look.
If Walz is her pick, I’m giddy.
I’m fairly far left and I want human rights for all. I don’t understand why the party of small government needs to know my internet habits, what happens behind closed doors, what books are read, or why specific medical care (gender affirning or reproductive) is sought.
We’re people. The republican nanny state can fuck right off.
That said, I’d like a better safety net. The nation has the money for it if we had a rational tax code. This combination on the ticket gives me hope that all the above are priorities.
I do NOT want Shapiro except as a calculated play for Pennsylvania. I have 0 interest in a war to defend Israel’s right to be 1940s Germany.
Shapiro’s approval rating is fine, but not high enough that the speculation of him guaranteeing Pennsylvania is justified.
On the other hand, he comes with a lot of baggage - some justified and some not so much - but all of which are terrible optics. He is an incredibly vulnerable pick whose only merit is the vain hope of delivering PA.
Terminally online leftists have seized on a few very old comments from Shapiro (when he was like 21) and taken more recent ones out of context for performative outrage with regard to the current Israeli conflict. The oddest part is that his actually policy position is shared by Harris, Kelly, Beshear, and even Walz. He’s the only Jewish person on that list, though. That couldn’t have anything to do with it, right?
His “actual policy position” was saying the protests in his state should be forcefully disbanded and implicitly compared protesters to the KKK. He was worse than every other option, for very specific reasons that would have been easy for you to learn if you tried.
Like in the protests themselves, charges of antisemitism are inappropriately deployed whenever criticism is leveled against Israel and its supporters.
Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is also Jewish. So no, it doesn’t have anything to do with it.
I hoped that Biden dropping out heralded a tipping point away from the arrogant, conservative old guard that was stifling progress and toward a more progressive future.
I’m more hopeful still. I missed hope.
It funny how Harris is touted as a change from the old running for president. She’ll be an OAP at the end of her first term.
That’s a surprisingly progressive ticket. Who would have guessed that the 2024 election would be between a lawyer & School Teacher (before politics at least) and a dementia riddled real estate mobster and a couch fucker
a progressive ticket with one of the post popular governors in the country who was able to be a governor because he was relatable and popular enough with rural republican minnesotans
It makes sense. He was big on in person campaigning. I’ve shook his hand and chatted with him, my dad had lunch with him a while back.
Hes a no-nonsense guy. He’s from Nebraska, retired Command Sergeant Major, taught in a small town, and listening to him reminds me of my grandfather who was a very popular educator and farmer in the midwest. It’s hard not to like him.
Oh hot damn I’m so relieved. I was pretty worried she’d go with Shapiro, and then have a solid argument against her based on his service in the Israeli military. After seeing multiple people on lemmy say “They shouldn’t choose Tim Walz… we want to keep him for our selves”, that seemed like a solid endorsement by his constituents. Then Bernie endorsed the guy, so I feel pretty damn good about this selection if it proves to be true.
As a Minnesotan, I’m saddened for our potential loss. But as an American, I’m happy that the rest of the country will get to benefit from him.
Same, but I have a feeling Peggy Flanagan will do well in his stead. She was part of the groups that used to coach others at the Wellstone Political training camps that Tim Walz went to before he started running.
Slightly off topic but I can’t think of a more Minnesotan name than Peggy Flanagan
then have a solid argument against her based on his service in the Israeli military.
That’s an argument against for some and an argument in favor for others. It’s about attracting independents and they are split on that issue.
On the other hand, Shapiro would probably not have done well among the large muslim minority in Michigan.
Overall, I think Walz seems like the best pick. I just hope he doesn’t turn out to be another Tim Kaine.
Shapiro’s position on Isreal isn’t any different than any of the other candidates.
Nope, but serving in the IDF, and having some vocal opinions on the campus protests in favor of Palestine is just the thing Harris doesn’t need to be saddled with.
Walz is a low risk, medium reward pick. Shapiro is reverse. Can’t win the Presidency without Pennsylvania. I think the jabber that the far left came up with regarding Shapiro is shameful and embarrassing, but the choice is made and it’s time to move forward.
I doubt it. There isn’t a politician in the country that candons flag burning and defacing public property.
TO THE WINDOWZ TO THE WALZ
This is going to be one entertaining VP debate
Vance will make threats and insults while the progressive sighs in response and explains how the world works
