Exactly. The selection of Tim Walz has been publicly supported, afaik, by AOC, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Manchin and a gang of well-known Never/former Trumpers – across the ideological spectrum from far left to center-right (at least). And as a "Bernie Bro" myself, I approve whole heartedly of Walz now that I've reviewed his CV and record as governor & congressman and watched some of his speeches & interviews. The Harris-Walz campaign already seems (feels) to me Obama-Biden 2.0 (even better!)

Franco and Pinochet are regarded as heroes.

The article quotes from the book:

“Our study of history has brought us to this conclusion: Democracy has never worked to protect innocents from the unhumans,” — Fooloso4

From what I’ve read, democracy is the best form of government for the people. Not that they’re trying to be honest, of course.

I wish I could say that it’s shocking for a US VP nominee to endorse a book like that.

One thing Tim Walz immediately brings to the campaign is JOY! He just looks so darned happy to be there. He radiates joy. — Wayfarer

I saw an attack ad about him yesterday, the words painting him out to be a Stalinesque monster, but the photo they used was an adorable snapshot of him holding a piglet at a country fair with a big smile on his face. Hilarious.

the best form of government for the people. — praxis

The demagogue appears to be the champion of the people, but with his rise to power reveals what he is, an autocrat. The rhetoric of the book is transparent. The "innocents" versus the "unhuman". Only some of the people are truly "the people". At a minimum the unhuman should have no role in government.

I am not making a partisan point. — fishfry

I'd say this if I were for Trump, which I am — fishfry

Can we do away with the “I’m not biased, I’m just a straight shooter.” No one believes that. It’s ridiculous.

I’m not a member of either political party, but I’m certainly against Trump. That will undoubtedly bias me in Harris’ direction, and will creep in unconsciously, however much I try not to let it. You’re no different.

Anyway— that’s silly enough, but the fact that you’re actually for Trump basically disqualifies you as someone worth taking seriously, I’m sorry to say. Your judgment is awful. It’s rooted in ignorance and failure to recognize or prioritize basic problems in our society.

clever strategy! — fishfry

Which according to you is “tacking to the center.” This is what I mean by silly, shallow analysis. I can hear this on CNN and Fox too. As if Harris isn’t anything but a right-of-center candidate to begin with. I wish she were centrist — because that would mean she’s more left.

Pardon the Daily Caller link — fishfry

Totally expected, actually. No need to pretend like you get your “opinions” and analysis from anywhere else.

You might think you like Walz's politics. That is not at all the point. I hope you can see that. The point is that from an electoral standpoint, Walz shines a light on the very leftism that Kamala was trying to hide.

That's why Walz was a bad pick. — fishfry

What’s hilarious is that you feel this is somehow hard to understand. Not something I’ve heard about 1,000 times from every political analyst out there who pretends to be non-partisan. Way to go! You’re officially the forum’s right-wing Chuck Todd.

Terrible pick. Kam just blunted the momentum of her terrific last two weeks, and breathed new life into the Trump/Vance campaign. — fishfry

You have to be fairly delusional to believe this.

He’s an excellent pick. And not just because he’s well liked and well regarded, but because his policies in Minnesota have been fantastic. I hope he runs on that strength non-stop. They’re extremely popular both in Minnesota and the US generally.

But thanks for providing watered-down versions of what Fox News and Tucker Carlson told you to believe.

Franco and Pinochet are regarded as heroes. — Fooloso4

Yeah, "heroes,” but Spain couldn’t be a member of the European Union until Franco’s death, and Chile was forgotten in its little corner of South America for decades.

How simple it is to exalt a despot when you are constantly on the side of a prosperous, rich and democratic country. The eternal incongruity of – some – Americans.

Franco and Pinochet were puppets of the White House. It would be interesting to put those authors and lovers of freedom in a country where you can’t vote, you are forced to go to church, your daughter counts zero because she is just a reproductive machine, the incomes are shite and you don’t have most of the amenities because the rest of the world turned its back on you, and it is impossible to have a TV, washing machine, light, modern cars, etc.

What bothers me the most is that they fantasize about such an authoritarian model, but only far away from their territory. Let’s see if it works in the Hispanic countries. We are already happy, developed, and modern in our democratic country called USA.

What bothers me the most is that they fantasize about such an authoritarian model, but only far away from their territory. — javi2541997

I agree but the territory in question is not just geographical. It is a growing threat in the U.S. and Europe. Those who favor authoritarianism want change, but change in itself is not good. They cannot see that change can be for the worse.

The selection of Tim Walz has been publicly supported, afaik, by AOC, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Manchin and a gang of well-known Never/former Trumpers – across the ideological spectrum from far left to center-right (at least). — 180 Proof

Yeah I'm actually surprised how much the party has unified around him like they did Kamala. Walz sounds like a more effective, relatable, and most importantly younger Bernie, even down to the lack of actual presidential ambition and brushing off the accusations of the "socialism" label (for the record he doesn't adopt it explicitly like Bernie but he seems more focused on whether the policies discussed help people, which I like). I have no idea where the Democrats got him from. People who have been saying that Kamala just picked a younger Biden because he's an old white man are way off, same with the people who compare him to Tim Kaine.

I think that's because everybody realised how shit Biden would be and in comparison you've now arrived in Elysium. Enjoy it while it lasts for 2 weeks.

You can say that about people's impressions about Kamala (at least she's not old and dying) but Walz is genuinely a pretty solid pick if you're a progressive. Also it's already been 2 weeks and it still feels like things are riding high for the Democrats. What's also amazing is how ill prepared Trump was for this obvious possibility. You would've thought he would've come up with a stupid nickname by now, unless he's genuinely going with "Kamabla".

I like the guy too. If only it mattered with all those conservative dinosaurs everywhere else.

Someone needs to tell Kamala not to promote equal outcomes with equal opportunity. Don't give the political right the slur word they love labeling on the left, being socialism or even communism.

The "innocents" versus the "unhuman". Only some of the people are truly "the people". At a minimum the unhuman should have no role in government. — Fooloso4

We watched the very chilling Civil War movie the other week. The most chilling scene in that disturbing movie was when the group of journalists who were at the centre of the plot were asked by a menacing militia fighter, at gunpoint, ‘what kind of Americans are you?’ The implication clearly being, which side of the civil war you’re on determines whether you’re going to be killed or not. Obviously a fictional exaggeration, but a similar dynamic underwrites a great deal of the rhetoric of the extreme wing of MAGA.

Someone needs to tell Kamala not to promote equal outcomes — Shawn

This shouldn't be on anyone's list of anything worth promoting.

This shouldn't be on anyone's list of anything worth promoting. — AmadeusD

Yeah; but, why give the sound-byte? Concepts like these really ruin reputations if not elections...

It seems that on the NYS ballot will appear only two names: Trump and Harris.

Jill Stein will not be on the ballot. RFK Kennedy is still fighting his way, but I don't think the guy has any good qualities. He is in the center of all bizarre stories: he had wombs in his brain, he dumped a dead bear in Central Park, he seems to have a taste for roasted dog meat, and his wife committed suicide (maybe she couldn't bear living with him anymore).

It has become very hard to find any good politicians nowadays. The more mediocre, weird and stupid one is, the bigger the probability he considers himself the center of the universe and (as a result) he wants to become the next president.

Yeah; but, why give the sound-byte? Concepts like these really ruin reputations if not elections.. — Shawn

Agree - even supporters might think.. hmm, not under my banner.

Then what does she do? For veep, she picks a leftists who is tied to the BLM/Antifa riots. She puts the very issue that the tacked away from, right dead center in her path. Now her role in bailing out violent felons who went on to offend again will come out. Now Walz's 48 hour delay in calling out the National Guard will come out. Kamala was trying to paint herself as a centrist, and Walz reminds everyone of her leftist greatest hit. — fishfry

Yeah I think there's one problem with that:

Yeah I think there's one problem with that: — Mr Bee

This wont have much effect on voters if the see the former issue in stark lighting.

Trump has always been hypocritical - including calling Republicans the dumbest people in the world three decades ago (roughly) and that this is why he'd run as one. No one cares, it seems.

If this issue overall has no impact on voters then there goes one of the biggest lines of attack against Walz.

Sorry *Trump voters

Roevember is coming! :victory: :cool:

dispatches from the ex-GOP bunker:

I was wondering why she picked Walz, but then I watched him speak, and he's very talented on the stump, very folksy and much better than she is, so I think I know their strategy now. The whole point of Walz is to take the focus off Harris. — RogueAI

I haven't seen him speak, except for the short clip where he says that socialism is just neighborliness. Expect to see that in Trump ads.

I do hear that he's folksy and comes off as regular folks. Good all-American dad resume, soldier, teacher, etc. But just below the surface are many exploitable flaws. He bailed (legally, but still) on his National Guard service just before he was to be deployed to Iraq. Then lied about it, saying he's carried weapons of war into battle (not exact quote) when in fact he never served in a war zone. So there are character issues and political weaknesses that cast doubt on Kam's judgment.

Of course that's just politics. Not claiming a monopoly on truth; only noting the political attacks that he's vulnerable to.

The whole point of Walz is to take the focus off Harris. — RogueAI

Now here I disagree. Walz is up to his eyeballs in the burning of Minneapolis. That brings that whole issue back into play; and reminds everyone that Kamala supported a bail fund to release violent arrestees who used their new found freedom to commit worse crimes.

So the choice of Walz puts the spotlight on Kam's leftist acts during the Floyd riots. Putting the focus right on her. I do therefore disagree that he takes the focus off her. By putting the riots into play, he spotlights one of her biggest vulnerabilities.

Democrats, for all their DEI talk, would be thrilled if Harris could morph into a liberal Mitt Romney-esque white guy. — RogueAI

Yes. Correct. Agreed. So why does Kam pick a hard leftist who will reminds us all of the 2020 Minneapolis riots, and Kamala's role in them? It totally undermines her tack to the center.

They didn't want her in the first place. Black women are risky in American politics. White guys are safe bets. — RogueAI

Not true. Look at all the powerful black woman politicians these days. White guys are yesterday's news, have you not noticed?

Dems think Trump is an existential threat, and they want to beat him more than they want to check off racial boxes. They don't want risk. If they could get away with Harris and Walz trading places, they would do it in a heartbeat, but they're stuck with Harris. — RogueAI

No I do not believe so. Harris signals the takeover of the Democratic party by the northern California political machine of Pelosi, Feinstein, Willie Brown, Newsom, and father and son governors Pat and Jerry Brown, backed by the powerful family money of the Gusts and the Gettys. A lot of Democrats are not happy about this, even though they're on board her candidacy. Her ascent has long been planned. She is no accident.

There would be no point in running Walz at the top of the ticket. Harris is a much more attractive candidate. It's funny how a nation that elected Obama twice is suddenly so full of racists. Weak liberal talking point IMO, if you don't mind my saying.

You haven't even begun to address the points I raised so you reducing this to mere opinion reflects your inability to actually have a converation. — Benkei

I haven't got an inability to have a conversation. I have a disinterest in having this conversation. You are hung up on a word regarding an event that's already two weeks out of the news cycle.

If you don't like the word coup, suggest a different word and if it makes you happy I'll tell you I can live with it, and we'll move on. This is such a fascinating election, I don't see why you want to just lock onto that one word to the exclusion of all the other things of interest in the entire world.

It's not just semantics, which is a ridiculous reduction of the discussion. You are claiming to analyse the situation but in fact are just repeating dumb shit from Fox News. No power has transferred, no rules were broken. No coup. Having actually lost this discussion since you fail to provide a rebuttal to actual arguments you first try to gaslight me and now pretend it's just another opinion. Only reason you're doing it is because you're incapable of investigating and challenging your own opinions on the matter. — Benkei

Ok, I get that you feel that way.

I've repeatedly stated what it was: he withdrew his candidacy. And no, it doesn't matter who's idea it was. — Benkei

I'm happy to allow you to have the last word on that subject.

It's quite clear, also in your interactions with other posters you don't want to talk politics at all. You're only here to display your unswerving loyalty to a buffoon. That's fine but don't expect anyone here to take you seriously. — Benkei

I disagree. Have a nice evening.

I don't see how they turned on a dime when they spend weeks publicly agonising what to do. — Echarmion

You didn't see the media and the Dems turn on a dime from fretting about Kamala to coronating her? Ok. People see what they see.

I just don't believe Biden ever had much personal support. He was the incumbent and the default choice with no serious opposition. — Echarmion

Clyburn and the Congressional Black Caucus were strongly behind him. Many millions of voters were behind him.

Well I am glad we agree on the basic facts. — Echarmion

Ok. So you agree with me that Biden is in very bad shape and that we're being lied to.

So I wonder, as an American, are you ok with that? The world is blowing up and the president is out to lunch. How do you think this plays out in an international crisis? I really want to understand your point of view on this. Personally, I'm concerned.

I've always wondered how Republicans would try to run against a Bernie like figure, which Walz does remind me of. He's a progressive who not only supports but has enacted a number of left policies and more importantly doesn't seem to shy away from it. Hell he even kind of looks like him. The only difference is that instead of a being a grumpy old man he comes across as a relatable dad (plus being more on the large side). — Mr Bee

I agree that he comes off as likable and folksy, that's the word that gets used a lot. I believe his leftism draws attention to the very leftism that Harris is trying to move away from. In fact it's Walz's association with the Floyd riots that draws attention to Kamala's role in them. That's why I think he's a mistake. But time will tell on that. Voters may like him. It's clear that Kam and Walz win the likability contest.

In fact I read somewhere that if the voters decide on likability, Harris and Walz win; and if they decide on the issues, the economy and immigration and so forth, Trump and Vance win. Clearly Trump and Vance are the grumpy pair and Harris and Walz are the happy pair. I agree with that and likability goes a very long way in politics.

Of course the problem for the GOP is that once you get into the details of his ideas, they're actually pretty popular based on most polling I've seen. I mean the right will still try to paint Walz as a "radical" who would try to turn the Midwest into Venezuela but then again they would literally say for any Democrat even if the VP pick were Joe Manchin. I think there's a good chance such a move could very well backfire on them if they're gonna try saying that popular policies like free school lunches are a bad thing. — Mr Bee

Ok. My understanding is that he used to be more of a centrist and his policies have moved left. He did say that socialism is like neighborliness. I expect the GOP to put that on endless loop. In recent years he does have a pretty liberal record. We'll have to see how all this plays out.

But thanks for providing watered-down versions of what Fox News and Tucker Carlson told you to believe. — Mikie

Whatever. That's a stupid talking point which you repeat endlessly.

I haven't got an inability to have a conversation. I have a disinterest in having this conversation. You are hung up on a word regarding an event that's already two weeks out of the news cycle. — fishfry

You have a disinterest because you were wrong and are unwilling to admit it. That's called not being able to have a conversation.

Yeah I think there's one problem with that: — Mr Bee

Yeah I think I saw that somewhere. Guess the Dems will put that on a loop. So it goes.

You have a disinterest because you were wrong and are unwilling to admit it. That's called not being able to have a conversation. — Benkei

Brother, give it a rest.

ps -- You are a lot like your profile pic!

I believe his leftism draws attention to the very leftism that Harris is trying to move away from. — fishfry

She's certainly moving right on some issues but not others. One example is the border where she's clearly just attached herself to the bipartisan border bill Trump killed. Walz it seems is going along with that pivot. Same with her pivot on fracking. That being said, she's still in favor of alot of the things that Walz did and is clearly not choosing to moderate on every single issue. I guess she's betting on labels being less important than the actual policies themselves.

In fact I read somewhere that if the voters decide on likability, Harris and Walz win; and if they decide on the issues, the economy and immigration and so forth, Trump and Vance win. — fishfry

I do think Harris and Walz are better on the issues if you go into detail about them, which is why I think it could backfire if the GOP start attacking Walz for legalizing weed or giving Minnesota paid family leave. Trump and Vance are able to win on the issues if it's more vibes based though. People feel like the economy sucks because of high prices. What does Trump actually plan to do about it? Apparently drill more and flood the global market in oil to crash gas prices but that isn't gonna bring grocery prices down obviously. One thing that may make it worse is his idea for a 10% tariff on all imported goods (and 60% on Chinese goods), which if you believe that higher taxes means higher prices for the consumer as it trickles down, would obviously be inflationary to the average voter. Trump assures us that it's not inflationary somehow but...

He did say that socialism is like neighborliness. I expect the GOP to put that on endless loop. — fishfry

Yeah that answer specifically was why I compared him to Bernie. He doesn't adopt the label like he does but he certainly doesn't shy away from it either.