2024

[njbill]

As they say, the job of the VP nominee is to first do no harm. Walz does no harm. Shapiro, while very talented, probably would do harm, I think, with Muslim and pro-Palestinian voters in MI. Hate to say it, but the scourge of antisemitism might also come into play.

Let’s face it. Nancy Pelosi is controlling Harris at this point. She probably told Kamala that she would lose Michigan if she selected Shapiro.

She probably also said Harris could win Pennsylvania without Shapiro. Harris, herself, will energize young voters (not a huge demographic in Pennsylvania, but there certainly are some number), black women (big numbers), and maybe even black male (also potentially big numbers) voters. To the extent the vice presidential pick has any impact on who votes for whom, Pelosi probably thinks Walz helps with conservative white men. But make no mistake, a lot of Pennsylvania voters are going to be turned off by Harris. PA is still a very steep hill for her. If Harris loses PA and the election, the Talking Heads and historians will debate for a long time whether she could have won Pennsylvania with Shapiro.

Walz helps with Wisconsin more than Shapiro would.

I think Harris/Pelosi made the right decision, but we shall see.

BTW, whatever spellcheck program Fan Lax uses needs to get with it. “Walz” gets changed to “Walk.”

[DMac]

General Hertling, on twitter:

"Many followers not familiar with the military are asking me “so what’s the big deal about a command sergeant major?”

Walz joined at 18 as a private. Rose through the NCO (sergeant) ranks, each requiring extreme competence at increasingly demanding jobs with more people & responsibility at every rank.

When you reach “Master Sergeant” you are selected to serve as a First Sergeant (1SG) of a unit…if you’re good enough. Then, those 1SGTs compete for selection to Sergeant Major. Only the best Sergeant Majors are selected for Command Sergeant Major (CSM) billets.

CSMs serve as the senior enlisted person in the unit and the advisor to Commanders at battalion and above. Having served with dozens of CSMs as my unit & command “battle buddy” I will attest they were all awesome.

They know what they’re doing. They uphold standards. They speak their minds to all ranks (private to generals). They’re not afraid of getting bad news because they know how to fix things when they go wrong. And they serve the command (their commander and their soldiers) with a selfless integrity and a complete dedication.

During social events and informal occasions, they’re usually a whole bunch of fun. And they always have great stories. But they’re always professional.

So, those are my thoughts on Command Sergeants Major. While I don’t know the details of @GovTimWalz career wearing the cloth of our country, just the fact that he volunteered to serve and wore the CSM rank tells me a lot about him."

Believe this, my father was a Command Sergeant Major.
You don't make it to CSM without being a cut above and
no bullschidt kind of person. He now gets two thumbs up
and five stars from me.

[Seacoaster(1)]

As they say, the job of the VP nominee is to first do no harm. Walz does no harm. Shapiro, while very talented, probably would do harm, I think, with Muslim and pro-Palestinian voters in MI. Hate to say it, but the scourge of antisemitism might also come into play.

Let’s face it. Nancy Pelosi is controlling Harris at this point. She probably told Kamala that she would lose Michigan if she selected Shapiro.

She probably also said Harris could win Pennsylvania without Shapiro. Harris, herself, will energize young voters (not a huge demographic in Pennsylvania, but there certainly are some number), black women (big numbers), and maybe even black male (also potentially big numbers) voters. To the extent the vice presidential pick has any impact on who votes for whom, Pelosi probably thinks Walz helps with conservative white men. But make no mistake, a lot of Pennsylvania voters are going to be turned off by Harris. PA is still a very steep hill for her. If Harris loses PA and the election, the Talking Heads and historians will debate for a long time whether she could have won Pennsylvania with Shapiro.

Walz helps with Wisconsin more than Shapiro would.

I think Harris/Pelosi made the right decision, but we shall see.

BTW, whatever spellcheck program Fan Lax uses needs to get with it. “Walz” gets changed to “Walk.”

Yes, we may always wonder about this. But the point or advantage I see with Harris-Walz is doing something to bridge the urban-rural divide, which is a real and basic fault line in our politics, maybe more than Red States-Blue States. It is what makes the suburbs into so-called swing districts. Walz ticks a lot of boxes: grew up in the heartland; military father and tough, middle class boyhood; hunts (not a joke); was in the military; served in Congress; likes dogs (also not a joke); is upbeat and real. Likely a good campaigner and foil for the chameleon JDV.

[Typical Lax Dad]

General Hertling, on twitter:

"Many followers not familiar with the military are asking me “so what’s the big deal about a command sergeant major?”

Walz joined at 18 as a private. Rose through the NCO (sergeant) ranks, each requiring extreme competence at increasingly demanding jobs with more people & responsibility at every rank.

When you reach “Master Sergeant” you are selected to serve as a First Sergeant (1SG) of a unit…if you’re good enough. Then, those 1SGTs compete for selection to Sergeant Major. Only the best Sergeant Majors are selected for Command Sergeant Major (CSM) billets.

CSMs serve as the senior enlisted person in the unit and the advisor to Commanders at battalion and above. Having served with dozens of CSMs as my unit & command “battle buddy” I will attest they were all awesome.

They know what they’re doing. They uphold standards. They speak their minds to all ranks (private to generals). They’re not afraid of getting bad news because they know how to fix things when they go wrong. And they serve the command (their commander and their soldiers) with a selfless integrity and a complete dedication.

During social events and informal occasions, they’re usually a whole bunch of fun. And they always have great stories. But they’re always professional.

So, those are my thoughts on Command Sergeants Major. While I don’t know the details of @GovTimWalz career wearing the cloth of our country, just the fact that he volunteered to serve and wore the CSM rank tells me a lot about him."

Believe this, my father was a Command Sergeant Major.
You don't make it to CSM without being a cut above and
no bullschidt kind of person. He now gets two thumbs up
and five stars from me.

[WaffleTwineFaceoff]

https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis ... /600850577

Plus: Women's reproductive autonomy/health. K-12 meals.
Minus: Decide for yourself.
Skeleton: Old DWI arrest with perjury about being "deaf". Doing 95 in 55 zone. Failed field sobriety test and test in hospital. Sweetheart plea reduces charges to reckless driving. He was a high school teacher at the time. No excuses work for me. None. I have zero tolerance for America's lack of interest in addressing it's DWI epidemic/crisis (especially when the numbers of innocent victims killed by DWI violence averages 5,000/year in America, while the number of innocent victims killed by all rifles averages ~500/year in America). Another 8,000 DWI deaths (on top of that 5,000) are the drunk drivers who kill themselves.

[old salt]

Salty, what think you on this?
24 years in National Guard, small town raised, hunter, school teacher and football coach, won in a formerly Republican district, 12 years as a "work horse not show horse" in Congress working across lines, two time governor with over 60% approval rating...yeah, a progressive.

I agree with all that's been said about rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
I'll point out that rising in the ranks of a state NG is highly influenced by state politics.
That's not a knock on Walz, rather a nod to his obvious political skills & likability.
I also like the fact that he was a HS FB Coach, social studies (history) teacher, & is a dog lover.
If I knew him personally, I'd probably consider him a good friend I could argue with, good naturedly, about policies.
He did not distinguish himself in dealing with the BLM riots. If any Governor knew when to call out the NG, it should have been him.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Salty, what think you on this?
24 years in National Guard, small town raised, hunter, school teacher and football coach, won in a formerly Republican district, 12 years as a "work horse not show horse" in Congress working across lines, two time governor with over 60% approval rating...yeah, a progressive.

I agree with all that's been said about rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
I'll point out that rising in the ranks of a state NG is highly influenced by state politics.
That's not a knock on Walz, rather a nod to his obvious political skills & likability.
I also like the fact that he was a HS FB Coach, social studies (history) teacher, & is a dog lover.
If I knew him personally, I'd probably consider him a good friend I could argue with, good naturedly, about policies.
He did not distinguish himself in dealing with the BLM riots. If any Governor knew when to call out the NG, it should have been him.

He should have called the dogs out.

[old salt]

Waiz made me laugh when made reference to the "He man woman's hater club".
He watched the Little Rascals/Our Gang as a kid. He's going to be fun.

https://www.google.com/search?q=he+man+ ... zres8,st:0

[DMac]

https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis ... /600850577

Plus: Women's reproductive autonomy/health. K-12 meals.
Minus: Decide for yourself.
Skeleton: Old DWI arrest with perjury about being "deaf". Doing 95 in 55 zone. Failed field sobriety test and test in hospital. Sweetheart plea reduces charges to reckless driving. He was a high school teacher at the time. No excuses work for me. None. I have zero tolerance for America's lack of interest in addressing it's DWI epidemic/crisis (especially when the numbers of innocent victims killed by DWI violence averages 5,000/year in America, while the number of innocent victims killed by all rifles averages ~500/year in America). Another 8,000 DWI deaths (on top of that 5,000) are the drunk drivers who kill themselves.

I'd like to know what percent of the adult population could tell of personal experience(s) with alcohol and poor judgement.
An experience I'm sure Malz is not proud of but not one that knocks him out of the box for me (or a whole lot of other people, I'd bet). I could match that story and up it one, I think. Miraculously my friend and I weren't both killed when I wrapped his Z28 around a tree I hit dead center. Alcohol, to the point I remember none of it. Nary a word of alcohol in any hospital or police reports. Was heading to Vietnam in a few days and was given some mighty generous consideration/understanding/instant forgiveness. That incident doesn't define me and I don't think Malz's does either.
Completely agree on alcohol-guns. Alcohol can be far more dangerous than guns and the numbers will bear that out.

[Kismet]

Salty, what think you on this?
24 years in National Guard, small town raised, hunter, school teacher and football coach, won in a formerly Republican district, 12 years as a "work horse not show horse" in Congress working across lines, two time governor with over 60% approval rating...yeah, a progressive.

I agree with all that's been said about rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
I'll point out that rising in the ranks of a state NG is highly influenced by state politics.
That's not a knock on Walz, rather a nod to his obvious political skills & likability.
I also like the fact that he was a HS FB Coach, social studies (history) teacher, & is a dog lover.
If I knew him personally, I'd probably consider him a good friend I could argue with, good naturedly, about policies.
He did not distinguish himself in dealing with the BLM riots. If any Governor knew when to call out the NG, it should have been him.

If he were at the top of the ticket you'd still never vote for him a a million years

Cheap shot at the Command Sergeant Major - especially galling from a military man such as yourself - denigrating the National Guard simultaneously.

The usual troll garbage from you - take a bow.

[Brooklyn]

The right wing attack game is on! tRump's VP choice Vance started by calling Governor Walz a far left radical. As always, the comment is nothing but utter bullschitt as he is head of national Democratic Governors Association and is a moderate. He is a National Guard veteran who served for 24 years and is the highest-ranking enlisted soldier to serve in the U.S. Congress. Even Republicans here in Lake Wobegone love and respect him. He grew up doing farm work and worked his way through school. He taught school for years, was a football coach with a record of decency unlike Republican Gym Jordan, and has crossed party lines to get good legislation enacted.

Radical left? Bullschitt!

[NattyBohChamps04]

https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis ... /600850577

Plus: Women's reproductive autonomy/health. K-12 meals.
Minus: Decide for yourself.
Skeleton: Old DWI arrest with perjury about being "deaf". Doing 95 in 55 zone. Failed field sobriety test and test in hospital. Sweetheart plea reduces charges to reckless driving. He was a high school teacher at the time. No excuses work for me. None. I have zero tolerance for America's lack of interest in addressing it's DWI epidemic/crisis (especially when the numbers of innocent victims killed by DWI violence averages 5,000/year in America, while the number of innocent victims killed by all rifles averages ~500/year in America). Another 8,000 DWI deaths (on top of that 5,000) are the drunk drivers who kill themselves.

I'd like to know what percent of the adult population could tell of personal experience(s) with alcohol and poor judgement.
An experience I'm sure Malz is not proud of but not one that knocks him out of the box for me (or a whole lot of other people, I'd bet). I could match that story and up it one, I think. Miraculously my friend and I weren't both killed when I wrapped his Z28 around a tree I hit dead center. Alcohol, to the point I remember none of it. Nary a word of alcohol in any hospital or police reports. Was heading to Vietnam in a few days and was given some mighty generous consideration/understanding/instant forgiveness. That incident doesn't define me and I don't think Malz's does either.
Completely agree on alcohol-guns. Alcohol can be far more dangerous than guns and the numbers will bear that out.

Walz offered to resign from teaching, but the principal talked him out of it. He stopped drinking because of the incident. Pretty life changing moment - glad no one was hurt and he learned from it.

Had a friend wrap his car around a pretty small tree. Killed his best friend in the passenger seat (another friend of mine). They were 19 and drunk, home from college. We were baseball teammates and in scouts together growing up. Driver is still pretty messed up mentally decades later.

Not sure why W-T-F brought guns into it, but we can walk and chew gum and address both separately. Would be nice if weed were legal and alcohol was a lot harder to get as alcohol is a big problem. Don't see too many angry stoners starting fights or getting in tons of wrecks. Luckily the younger generations aren't drinking as much.

[Andersen]

With regard to the DWI, from Buzzfeed:

Walz quit drinking after receiving a DWI in 1995, which he called a "gut-check moment." He was pulled over for speeding and failed a sobriety test.
At the time, his wife told him, "You have obligations to people. You can’t make dumb choices.”

[youthathletics]

Vance and Trump are already stating their attacks on Waltz in super extreme hyperbolic rhetoric..."Waltz will unleash hell on earth"... says Trump.

Come on right leaners on here, isn't that hyperbole going to backfire?

Salty, what think you on this?
24 years in National Guard, small town raised, hunter, school teacher and football coach, won in a formerly Republican district, 12 years as a "work horse not show horse" in Congress working across lines, two time governor with over 60% approval rating...yeah, a progressive.

Youth? Kram?

Don't give us "I'd prefer" someone else, isn't this extreme rhetoric so obviously stupid that "weird" is what will really stick?

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/202 ... 61755.html

I am swamped at work right now, playing catch up on these threads and Walz. I did watch the youtube video you posted this morning that your son recommended; I liked what I heard.

Spent some time perusing all the news clips flying around and stumbled on this one....seems there are some arguments over his using NG Service and the retired 'Command Sergeant Major"...to the point that the Minnesota Tribune confirmed . Also some arguments over how he circumvented being deployed to Iraq....comments in this thread help clear it up if read through many of them.

He also seems awfully wish-washy....its hard to argue that he brings leadership with him to the table, when he tolerates/struggled to keep his city from burning, defunding police, signing legislation to give illegal immigrants a Drivers License regardless of legal status, which in turn could allow them to vote, also with no requirement to hold car insurance...seems fishy.

I bit too far left for me, which seems the way the Democratic Party wants to go, especially with Kamala at the helm and whomever is pulling the strings behind the curtain. If Larry Hogan endorses him...I'll except he has a better read on him than me, but don't kid ourselves, Hogan is all in on never-trump and MAGA, so Walz could very well be a manhole cover.

It certainly is looking more and more like this election is going to be a referendum on which way the country is heading.
EDIT: As witnessed here.

[NattyBohChamps04]

Walz is a breath of fresh air.

[WaffleTwineFaceoff]

Walz is a breath of fresh air.

That's a good thing, because I need some fresh oxygen after reading this:

"Gov. Tim Walz said he accepts responsibility after a report found his administration failed to stop what federal prosecutors call the biggest pandemic fraud case in the nation."

It would appear his meals program "resume plus" is looking a lot less plus - and a lot more minus. The buck stops at his desk.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/06/1 ... ture-fraud

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/06/1 ... portunties

[NattyBohChamps04]

Walz is a breath of fresh air.

That's a good thing, because I need some fresh oxygen after reading this:

"Gov. Tim Walz said he accepts responsibility after a report found his administration failed to stop what federal prosecutors call the biggest pandemic fraud case in the nation."

It would appear his meals program "resume plus" is looking a lot less plus - and a lot more minus. The buck stops at his desk.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/06/1 ... ture-fraud

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/06/1 ... portunties

Since Harris and Walz aren't your cup of tea, are you gonna vote for RFK Jr, Cornell West, Jill Stein, Chase Oliver, or perhaps Trump to teach Democrats a lesson that they need to find a better candidate for your liking?

He's got a lot of legislative and policy wins that I like that offset the downsides. Especially vs. Vance. His temperament is miles ahead of Trump and Vance.

[a fan]

https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis ... /600850577

Plus: Women's reproductive autonomy/health. K-12 meals.
Minus: Decide for yourself.
Skeleton: Old DWI arrest with perjury about being "deaf". Doing 95 in 55 zone. Failed field sobriety test and test in hospital. Sweetheart plea reduces charges to reckless driving. He was a high school teacher at the time. No excuses work for me. None. I have zero tolerance for America's lack of interest in addressing it's DWI epidemic/crisis (especially when the numbers of innocent victims killed by DWI violence averages 5,000/year in America, while the number of innocent victims killed by all rifles averages ~500/year in America). Another 8,000 DWI deaths (on top of that 5,000) are the drunk drivers who kill themselves.

Killed by "all rifles". That's quite the new statistical subcategory you've made up, my man.

[jhu72]

Someone on Twitter/X pointed out that Shapiro called back after his interview on Sunday and expressed ambivalence over leaving the governorship in PA. He might have taken himself out of the competition and it became Walz vs. someone else...

... when this all started a few weeks ago Shapiro's initial reaction was that he wasn't interested, which didn't surprise me at the time. When he then changed his mind, I was surprised.

[Farfromgeneva]

Salty, what think you on this?
24 years in National Guard, small town raised, hunter, school teacher and football coach, won in a formerly Republican district, 12 years as a "work horse not show horse" in Congress working across lines, two time governor with over 60% approval rating...yeah, a progressive.

I agree with all that's been said about rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
I'll point out that rising in the ranks of a state NG is highly influenced by state politics.
That's not a knock on Walz, rather a nod to his obvious political skills & likability.
I also like the fact that he was a HS FB Coach, social studies (history) teacher, & is a dog lover.
If I knew him personally, I'd probably consider him a good friend I could argue with, good naturedly, about policies.
He did not distinguish himself in dealing with the BLM riots. If any Governor knew when to call out the NG, it should have been him.

He should have called the dogs out.

I got you! Used to go late night to this industry bar for tenders and servers that was last non strip club open in Msa (near Agnes Scott college campus) and wait for optimal crowd (usually 1:30-2:30) and throw this in to observe how uncomfortable I could make hipsters be.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ThlhSnRk21E