Mullaney
Nonilex#Harris selects Minnesota Gov. Tim #Walz to be VP running mate, sources say
https://www.cnn.com/webview/politics/live-news/kamala-harris-trump-election-08-06-24?cid=ios_app
Vice President #KamalaHarris has told allies that he she has chosen #Minnesota Gov. #TimWalz to be her running mate, opting for a former high school #teacher & Midwestern Democrat to complete a newly assembled presidential ticket following, according to 2 people familiar with the pick, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that is not yet public.
In picking #Minnesota Gov. #TimWalz, MVP #KamalaHarris has selected an experienced politician w/executive governing experience & signaled the importance of Midwestern battleground states such as Wisconsin & Michigan.
#Walz is scheduled to appear w/ #Harris in coming days in each of the 7 most competitive states — #Pennsylvania, #Wisconsin, #Michigan, #NorthCarolina, #Georgia, #Arizona & #Nevada.
#TimWalz, a second-term governor & chair of the Democratic Governors Assn, does not hail from a traditional battleground state — #Minnesota has supported a Republican presidential candidate only once since 1960. But his credentials as a #veteran & #gun owner [👎🏻] who previously represented a #Republican-leaning, rural part of Minnesota in #Congress could help #Harris appeal to working-class #White voters who have turned away from Democrats & helped fuel #Trump’s political rise.
It’s not every day a former #PublicSchool #teacher ends up on a presidential ticket. But for the students & teachers who crossed paths w/ #TimWalz during his decade teaching in #Mankato — a midsize city south of #Minneapolis — it’s easy to look back now & see the signs that he could find himself in exactly that position.
#VoteBlue #HarrisWalz2024 #Harris2024
https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/2024/08/02/tim-walz-kamala-harris/
#Walz arrived in #Minnesota in 1996, from his home state of #Nebraska, along w/his wife, Gwen, who got a job #teaching English at the same school. At #Mankato West, Mrs & Mr Walz were seen as powerhouse #teachers who balanced out each other’s energy-levels: she was more reserved, & he was a boisterous ball of energy.
…Walz quickly earned the reputation as a guy who could get the most out of people.
#Walz’s love of #history was infectious in the classroom where he would host “Jeopardy!”tournaments & invite other teachers to #debate current events.
“Sometimes he would remind me of the Chris Farley character Matt Foley from SNL. Our school didn’t have AC, & he would get all sweaty & really #passionate about whatever he was talking about.…his shirt would get disheveled, but the passion would transfer over to us” says Blake Frink, who became a geography #teacher bc he had been in Walz’s class.
“Sometimes he would remind me of the Chris Farley character Matt Foley from SNL. Our school didn’t have AC, & he would get all sweaty & really #passionate about whatever he was talking about.…his shirt would get disheveled, but the passion would transfer over to us” says Blake Frink, who became a geography #teacher bc he had been in Walz’s class.
Fmr students say they don’t remember #Walz ever being overly ideological…, & yet, none were particularly surprised when he first made the jump into #PublicService. The idea to run for office first came to Walz in 2004, …after he & several of his students were blocked from entering a #political rally for fmr president George W. Bush bc one of the kids was spotted w/a John Kerry sticker. He won a congressional seat in 2006, & served in the US #House of Reps until he won the governorship in 2018.
Before that, #Walz was the linebacker #coach who helped turn around a winless #football squad into state champs,while earning the trust of his players.
“I don’t want to be dramatic about it, but he maybe saved my life. I was devoted to him,like, ‘Fine, I’ll keep going to school so I can play for you. I’ll keep training hard so I can try & win for you.’”says Daniel Clement,a fmr linebacker who…hung out w/the wrong crowd before Walz showed him a kind of attn…he’d never experienced from a #teacher.
In the mid-’90s, it was #Walz who offered to be the first faculty adviser to the newly formed #gay-straight alliance.
“The fact that he took on that role while also being the #FootballCoach was so important,” says Jacob Reitan, who was the first openly gay student at #Mankato West. “He set an example not just for #LGTBQ students but for football players in the locker room at a time where gay people were not well understood. He made the school a #safe place for everybody.”
Reitan says, it was an early indication of 1 of #Walz’s greatest strengths: his ability to “sell seemingly progressive ideas to seemingly not progressive crowds.”
“He is sort of all things to all people in the best way possible” he says.
…He is a relatively young politician (60) who looks old (“You don’t leave that job w/a full head of hair,” he once tweeted about supervising lunch rooms for 20yrs). His agenda in #Minnesota includes #TuitionFree #college & universal #SchoolMeals,
#HarrisWalz2024
…He is a relatively young politician (60) who looks old (“You don’t leave that job w/a full head of hair,” he once tweeted about supervising lunch rooms for 20yrs). His agenda in #Minnesota includes #TuitionFree #college & universal #SchoolMeals,
#HarrisWalz2024
he’s also a fmr US #Army noncommissioned officer who can pull off a camo hat at a news conference. & he’s the #teacher given the “Most #Inspiring” superlative in the #Mankato yearbook, who can effectively deliver an attack on #Republican opponents.
“When he said #Republicans were ‘#weird’ it struck me like, this works from Walz,” says Jake Jagdfeld, who played linebacker under Walz in the ’90s. “In politics he’s good at calling out BS w/o getting nasty or too down in the dirt.
“He’s just saying, ‘That’s #weird’ & everyone gets that. It’s the kind of common sense he showed as a coach: practical & kinda goofy,” Jagdfeld added.
From MVP #KamalaHarris’s IG:
“I am proud to announce that l've asked #TimWalz to be my running mate.
“One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It's personal.
“He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, spending summers working on his family's farm. His father died of cancer when he was 19, & his family relied on SocialSecurity survivor benefit checks to make ends meet. At 17, he enlisted in the National Guard….
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“serving for 24yrs. He used his #Gl Bill benefits to go to college,& become a #teacher. He served as both the #FootballCoach & the advisor of the #GayStraightAlliance.
“I share this background both because it's impressive in its own right,& because you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record. He worked w/ #Republicans to pass #infrastructure investments.He cut #taxes for working #families. He passed a #law to provide #PaidFamily & #medical leave to Minnesota families.
#HarrisWalz2024
“I share this background both because it's impressive in its own right,& because you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record. He worked w/ #Republicans to pass #infrastructure investments.He cut #taxes for working #families. He passed a #law to provide #PaidFamily & #medical leave to Minnesota families.
#HarrisWalz2024
“He made #Minnesota the first state in the country to pass a #law providing constitutional #abortion protections after the #SupremeCourt overturned #RoeVWade, & as an avid hunter, he passed a bill requiring #UniversalBackgroundChecks for #gun purchases.
“But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, & Hope. Doug & I look forward to working w/him & Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values.
“Whether you are a supporter, a volunteer, a donor, a member of our staff, or your name is on the ticket: you are part of the #people-powered campaign that is going to defeat Donald #Trump.
“We are going to build a great partnership. We are going to build a great team. We are going to #win this #election.
“So let's get to work.“
#VoteBlue #Harris2024 #HarrisWalz2024
https://kamalaharris.com/es/
While #TimWalz might not be a household name, his political star has been on the rise….
#Walz was also credited w/helping launch the "#weird" movement….
He has also been applauded & condemned for several #progressive laws passed while in #Minnesota's highest office, especially in his 2nd term when the #DFL Party took total control of state govt following the 2022 elections.…
#HarrisWalz2024
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-governor-tim-walz-accomplishments-setbacks/
Kamala Harris running mate Tim Walz's accomplishments, setbacks during his time as Minnesota governor
While Tim Walz might not be a household name, his political star has been on the rise in recent weeks after making several viral cable news appearances.
Here are several of #TimWalz's accomplishments — w/an unusual number of legislative successes scored in March 2023 alone — & setbacks during his tenure as governor.
Walz's use of #EmergencyPowers during the #pandemic — including the institution of a #MaskMandate, business #shutdowns & a #hotline number established to report people violating #SocialDistancing guidelines — outraged his critics.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
#VoteBlue #HarrisWalz2024 #Harris2024
Several lawsuits followed, including one filed in 2020 by the #conservative Upper Midwest #Law Ctr alleging #TimWalz misinterpreted the #Minnesota Emergency Management Act & illegally bypassed state lawmakers….
The case, which focused on the #COVID #pandemic #MaskMandate, eventually made its way to the MN Supreme Court, which sent it back to the MN Court of Appeals. In July 2023, that court ruled that #Walz indeed had the authority.👏🏻
#Conservatives lashed out at #Walz for his delay in the historic activation of the Minnesota #NationalGuard, which helped restore order on Twin Cities streets during the unrest in May 2020 following the murder of #GeorgeFloyd.
The delay drew the ire of then-Pres #Trump, who went on to falsely claim he ultimately made the call. Months after the chaos, Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he asked Walz for troops 3 days before he gave the green light.
Susan Romano For Harris@Nonilex thank you for this thread. I knew very little about Gov Walz. Thankful for this platform, too!
smells of bikes@Nonilex and he doesn't shoot puppies or have dubious relationships with porn stars or couches.
LAUREN@Nonilex Excellent work on this thread. 👏👏👏
SearingTruth
Earthling@Nonilex I was so surprised to find out today that Walz is only a few months older than Harris. Not that it’s bad that he’s younger than he looks.
Army Girl@earthlingusa @Nonilex yes, I'm the same age as both and thought he was older.
Fr3d@Nonilex
Some of #Walz actions might remind french left deputy #FrancoisRuffin way.
[This article is written in french by a pure player media in football promotion ; please use your browser's translator to review]
Paul Koenig@Nonilex I cannot say how much I love he has endorsements from former students.
Ross of Ottawa@Nonilex Uh oh - if we hear Walz is living in a van down by the river, that might not help the ticket much.
Bret Mogilefsky
lolonurse@Nonilex
I love this - and you made me see the Chris Farley comparison clearly! 😂
I love this - and you made me see the Chris Farley comparison clearly! 😂
Kenneth@Nonilex
He taught for a year in China under the aegis of WorldTeach, soon after graduating from college. Some memories in China are especially notable now!
He taught for a year in China under the aegis of WorldTeach, soon after graduating from college. Some memories in China are especially notable now!
Sharon McCarthy@Nonilex HS teacher - now that's a skill set:)
@Nonilex All of these points have me happy dancing.