Let’s Walz.
Vice President Kamala Harris appears to have made her decision, and it’s Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Dashing off some quick thoughts from the road on what I think this choice already tells us.
DISCIPLINE: Harris is running a disciplined and deliberated and concerted campaign. Sadly for us journalists, there were no leaks. She watched potential nominees audition in public, and she allowed herself to be affected by what she saw and learned, going with someone she reportedly knows less well than others — but who charmed the country in recent weeks.
ATTENTION: Finally, a Democratic candidate who takes attention seriously. Donald Trump and leaders of his ilk, like authoritarians throughout history, know the importance of commanding attention and making people pay heed to their every move and utterance. But Democrats have preferred to put their heads down and “do the work.” Which is all fine and good, except that attention is everything in today’s media environment. Choosing Walz tells me that the campaign took seriously the ability of a communicator to break through the national cacophony. And even the process of revealing the pick showed attentional skill.
WEIRDNESS: Walz commanded so much attention largely because of his message of framing MAGA Republicans as “weird.” But it’s worth paying attention to what he actually says on this point, rather than what others say inspired by him. He makes clear that MAGA Republican leaders should be called “weird” but that regular voters should never be. Those, he says often, are his own relatives and neighbors and friends. This is a crucial distinction for Democrats to make to avoid showing contempt for any voter.
VIBES: This is a vibes election. Maybe all elections are vibes election. But this one’s got more vibes than Oscar Isaac. There were more spreadsheety reasons to go with other candidates — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro could help with a crucial state, etc. But Harris clearly understands that what she has had going for her in recent days is vibes — excellent vibes. Making people feel things matters. You can’t achieve a lot if people are left feeling cold. This is a vindication of the view that vibes are everything in a divided and exhausted country grasping for hope.
COALITION: A signature philosophy and practice and achievement of the Biden presidency was coalitionism — the idea that coalition isn’t just a noun but a way of life. President Biden saw himself as a coalition coordinator of a coalition spanning AOC and Joe Manchin. He accorded respect to every part of this coalition, which sometimes meant reining in his ambition (sadly) and sometimes meant being moved on Israel and Gaza by those more critical of Israel. The choice of Walz suggests a doubling down on coalitionism. Progressives found a lot to love in Walz, because of his realization of free breakfast and lunch for kids in Minnesota, among other things. But he is also someone who repeatedly won a moderate district in his state and kind of looks like a Republican, and he constantly talks about his deep human connections to red America. This is a coalitional choice that will stave off infighting and hold people together.
TRANSLATOR: Walz is, at best, a translator of powerful progressive ideals into common sense Americana. He makes free school lunches and breakfasts sound like common sense. He makes abortion rights sound like common sense. This is partly because he is an older white man who people are less inclined to fear as a radical. But it’s also because he has real skills. Watch for this ability in the campaign.
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This post was originally published on The.Ink.