Sanders backs Walz in Harris veepstakes: He will ‘speak up’ for working people

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4809450-bernie-sanders-kamala-harris-tim-walz-veepstakes-2024-election/

34 comments

  1. Walz is so good. Even if he doesn’t get picked that man needs to be in the national spotlight.

  3. Does he really not have any skeletons? The only thing I’ve seen is the protests in 2020 but Trump has no juice there so who cares.

  4. Bernie and Pelosi both want him, apparently.

    The AUW likes him.

    Biden likes him too, but reportedly wants Shapiro.

  5. Seems everyone wants Walz as the VP he would definitely be an excellent choice

  6. Some great news also:
    According to a reporter for the Washington Post on twitter, Walz has made it to the finale of veepstakes decision making and will be canceling his NH trip tomorrow to go to Washington and meet with Harris. No word yet on who else has qualified but alas. News story coming soon i’m sure.

  7. Interesting… It makes me wonder that this endorsement, along with Walz going to San Francisco for some meetings (Pelosi), signals he might be the choice. It would be an amateur move for someone with Sanders’ stature within the party to publicly endorse one potential choice, only for Harris to choose someone else 48 hours later.

  9. I really hope she doesn’t pick Shapiro. I don’t understand the strategy of targeting a swing state governor that’s already going to campaign for her in PA anyways. Just find someone that isn’t controversial and can bring more people out to vote. I mean honestly, does picking Kelly / Shapiro really bring in that many more votes in those states?

  11. For those who aren’t sold, here’s some pro-Walz propaganda. But first, potential attack lines against him, which I don’t try to hide: him presiding over the George Floyd riots, his (perceived) age, and saying “one person’s socialism is just another person’s neighborliness” just the other day, but as for the positive pitch, here are the points:

    He’s the choice pick for young and/or progressive voters. Look at the energy for Obama and Trump in 2016 from the young for a comparison. We make the memes and spread the messaging, roping in other young but disaffected voters on TikTok and such, but we also knock on doors and phonebank and volunteer. Harris is targeting our demo, and with Walz, we can sell universal free school meals and a permanent child tax credit to moderates and independents, with a VP who’s done just that in his home state.

    He’s extremely well spoken (read: charismatic and an all around amazing rhetorician). The best of the picks IMO. He was speaking extemporaneously in an interview when he started the “weird” attack line, and he aimed it specifically at the Republican party, not the voters, so as not to alienate them but to point out how weird their policies are and reframe the message to steal their “powerful” image. Compare Hillary’s “deplorables” effectiveness to how well “weird” has hit MAGA.

    He can win people over. Ties into the above point, but he went from not being known at all to being the most exciting pick for a huge base of Democrats that are eager to engage in politics. This is because of his sincerity and unapologetic confidence in promoting his progressive policies and values.

    He has a proven track record. He has won in a red district as a Representative 6 times, then twice as governor. In the most recent session, with a majority of 1 in the legislature, he had the single most productive legislative session of any governor in any state, passing laws on abortion, paid family and medical leave, free universal school meals, free higher education for lower and middle income families, trans rights, and unions. He doesn’t just bank political capital, he uses it.

    He is an insider. He has ties to the House in Congress, and serves as one of the key governors in some or other national org of governors, as well as serving a major role in the Democratic party infrastructure, with ties to organizers and donors alike. This gives him inroads to Congress and to fundraising and organizing capacity. He is well-liked among his former House colleagues, as well as Biden, Pelosi, and Obama. So despite being a progressive, he doesn’t piss off the establishment. He’s not a polarizing figure like Shapiro, and when progressives and establishment insiders are aligned, that should signal broad popular support, like with Biden dropping out.

    Despite being an insider, he is an everyman. He comes from a town of 400, served in the military (highest ranking member in Congress), is a former teacher, won the state championship as a high school football coach, and just gives off vibes of being an uncle. He’s just a likable and charming guy, and he’s got the entire progressive wing in a buzz for him, but also appeals to rural and working people because he speaks so plainly and down to earth. Being from the Midwest, he is also more likely to appeal to Heartland voters. And he’s old enough at 60 not to alienate older voters.

    He can read people and the zeitgeist. Between the “weird” thing, him being a former high school teacher, and him having Republican family members he talks to, it seems he knows what people care about and how to reach them. This will hopefully make him super effective at delivering even more messaging slam dunks.

    He’s just an all-round Mensch – a decent person. He has humanist and pro-family values that stand in stark contrast to Vance in particular and Trump’s overall message. See the video of him being hugged by children as he passes universal free school meals, then listen to him talk like a person and not a politician, and tell me we don’t have a homerun on our hands with him.

    He talks the talk and walks the walk, is an absolutely energizing pick for Gen Z, and yet he projects a positive masculine father figure vibe that appeals to disaffected young men, as well as voters who haven’t felt seen by the Democratic party on kitchen table issues. Progressive policies are popular, Democrats are not. Walz has that populist but pragmatic appeal that can sway people over the edge.

    Here’s a good interview with him if you want to get to know him more (though there are maybe a dozen good appearances of late, because he is in the media all the time these days!):

    https://youtu.be/5HfLac0R80Y?t=45m40s

    Edit: cleaned up the text a bit to make the points flow better

  12. These veepstakes have me all atwitter. I keep checking reddit, dying to know who it is.

  13. I would still prefer Kelly, but Walz is a decent choice. I think Shapiro is a huge liability and Kamala cannot afford any missteps.

  14. Starting to think there is a power struggle going on where the big money donors are in favor of Shapiro (think about tax cuts). While the party leadership is in favor of Walz.

  16. I like that he carries himself in a way that would indicate that he does not suffer fools which would be excellent against the Trump/Vance clown car.

  17. I was leaning Mark Kelly but if Bernie backs Tim Walz, then I am now a Tim Walz fan.

  19. Walz would be great, but I’m afraid she’ll unfortunately pick Shapiro. sigh…

  21. The fun thing is that the Democratic vp sweepstakes is an embarrassment of riches:  there are multiple great candidates.  And the Republicans picked a total goofball.  

  22. Walz is the clear unity pick which is what the party needs going through the next 90 days. Unload the baggage of Israel/Gaza incurred from the Biden admin and maximize enthusiasm. Running to the center is over, imho, because the status quo has stopped working for more and more people.

  23. I’ve met Sanders and I’ve met Walz, both in person. They’re both terrific people. And out of the list of VP candidates the media keeps sharing, Walz is the best, though it should be noted that he’s not nearly as progressive as he’s being portrayed. Most of the major progressive bills were passed thanks to our legislature and party leaders who held a razor thin majority together to get it done. Walz is honestly pretty centrist overall, but willing to sign progressive bills (he only vetoed 1) when the party calls for it.

  24. 100% PLEASE pick Walz!!! I, and so many other youngish progressives will be so energized and excited to vote!!!

  25. The worst thing you can say about Walz in regards to this decision is that he is not bringing big electoral votes with his nomination. But I do think he’s the best one for the job from the interviews I’ve listened to and I think if PA and AZ voters actually listened to him speak and debate, they’d find him a lot more relatable than Shapiro or Kelly.

    He runs on policy that people actually care about and I’d love to see Vance try and be pro-family while also being against gutting public school funding, paid family leave and feeding children breakfast and lunch. Walz was a high school teacher for 20 years. If there’s anyone who can control a room and argue against a bullshitter, it’s a high school teacher.

  26. Walz is the rare candidate who can appeal to college progressives and gun-owners in pickup trucks

  27. If He’s good enough for Bernie,  he’s good enough for me. 

  28. With Bernie’s endorsement AND Pelosi’s, and the theme clearly being “easily unite, easily win,” I think he’s a shoo-in.

  29. Part of why the “weird” stuff works so well coming from Walz is that he’s so aggressively normal in a down to earth and understated kind of way.

    If “the other side is weird” is gonna be a core part of the campaign, Walz is the guy.

  30. Anyone but Shapiro.

    That man doesn’t have a progressive bone in his body.

  31. If she pulls the trigger on Walz, I think it’s downhill sledding all the way through to November 🤞🏻 No, he doesn’t come from one particular swing state like Shapiro/Kelly do, but he provides broad appeal across all them which is more impactful imo

  32. Walz is the guy. Or he should be.

    The VP historically doesn’t make that much of an impact on individual states. Picking based on where the VP is from, because you need that state, is foolish. Especially right now, because even if Shapiro puts the Dems over the top in PA, he has drawbacks that could blow up to the point where the Dems maybe lose MI. There’s more risk with Shapiro than any of the other finalists here.

    I keep going back to Walz because he can connect with people. The guy just talks. He doesn’t come off like a politician. He comes off like a guy down at the Legion you’d like to have a beer or three with and just hang out. Walz also can coin a phrase, as we’ve seen. He’s the only one of the finalists who has such an amazing everyman vibe.

    Walz or bust!

  33. Walz is the safest pick to pull. Beshear should stay in KY and run for senate. Kelly should stay in AZ and run for re-election to the senate. Shapiro should serve out a full governors term and run for re-election. Buttigieg should be Sec of State.

  34. If the democrats actually pick Walz and don’t do what they always do and pick someone who they perceive as “safe” and “moderate” I think people will really feel heard. Hes the fan favorite from what I’ve seen

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