Minnesota governor Tim Walz would bring state executive office expertise, the ability to understand the working class, teaching experience, congressional exposure, and military familiarity to the White House. To me, Walz is clearly a superior option to anyone on the Trump-Vance ticket and is the result of a much-needed change in the Democratic Party presidential ticket. However, for all of Walz’s experience and qualifications, I don’t believe he is the best candidate for the position. Tim Walz’s selection as Kamala Harris’s running mate represents a systemic discrimination issue in the American psyche.
Systemic discrimination is blatant in the American electorate. In the 2008 presidential election, there was dumbfounded and indisputable narrow-mindedness targeting the candidacy of future President Barack Obama. Similar prejudice has been demonstrated in aspects of the 2024 election as well.
Democrats in media and party leadership quickly ruled out the charismatic Midwesterner Pete Buttigieg, who is a U.S. Navy veteran and current U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Due to being gay, Buttigieg would have contributed to an even more diverse presence on the Harris presidential ticket. The party also scrapped rising star and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; her candidacy would have made the first-ever all-female ticket. Maryland Governor and U.S. Army veteran Wes Moore also suffered the same fate of increased diversity because he is African American.
The simple fear of having two cultural minorities on the Democratic presidential ticket pushed decision-makers to seek the support of U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, each of whom is also heavily qualified for consideration, brings exciting energy, and contributes to a winning electoral strategy. However, these aforementioned political figures were potentially able to progress to the height of the nomination process, whereas Buttigieg, Whitmer, and Moore did not, because they checked the box of being white heterosexual men.
Tim Kaine recalled that President Obama designated him as his Vice-Presidential heart pick and future President Joseph Biden as his Vice-Presidential head pick. It is understandable for Kamala Harris to go with her head pick of Walz, someone who can help sustain the Democratic Party’s voting coalition in November against the Trump-Vance candidacy. It is just a shame to see figures that could have been Harris’s heart pick, with phenomenal leadership abilities and inspiring orating skills, overlooked simply because they would bring “too much change” to the 2024 presidential ticket.
Really? You prefer someone that is okay with chopping off the body parts of children to “change” their gender? You’re ok with his bill that will take your child away if you don’t confirm their identity? You’re ok with under his leadership public school ratings dropped more than 10 points? Or how about a guy that sends out notices to folks to snitch on their neighbors if they see them outside without a mask. Talk about division, Stop listening to what MSNBC offers and look for honest brokers that bring honest and fair facts. Kamala has proven that she is… Read more »
There is no way to know that Walz wasn’t also Kamala Harris’ heart pick. From what I’ve read, they clicked pretty much immediately. Assuming someone else would have been her heart pick is also discrimination to be honest. There’s nothing that says a straight white man is inferior to others. It’s the same as saying anyone is inferior due to who they are. It’s just plain wrong. Equal means equal. I’m personally glad Shapiro stays at home to run our state for a few more years, but overall, I think there were/are several good candidates for VP that Harris could… Read more »