Walz — Comer Opens Congressional Investigation of Walz trips to China

[lawtig02]

I agree. From my perspective as a moderate-to-slightly conservative, it has always felt to me like the far left is not happy unless they are unhappy.

Yeah, I get pretty annoyed when the part of the left that already, by definition, makes it harder for Dems to win a national election goes out of its way to make it even harder than it has to be. The switch to Kamala has delivered Dems from the brink of annihilation this fall. If all parts of the left can’t get behind her now, after staring into the abyss for several months, they’ve compromised their credibility IMO.

 

[Paine]

Yeah what is his angle anymore other than to be the next Sinema/Manchin who gums up the works on everything.

If he doesn’t like Shapiro it’s probably personal - highly doubt it’s anti Semitism because Fetterman is the most pro Israel democratic senator.

Fetterman has been one of the most annoying pols in Congress this session. I had high hopes for him before his election, but he quickly revealed himself to be just as craven as the rest.

Not sure what his angle is at this point re: Shapiro other than he probably genuinely dislikes him based on personal history.

I don’t think Fetterman is trying to position himself for a presidential run anytime soon lol.

 

[heelslegup]

The Dems have many great VP candidates and I will enthusiastially support whomever VP Harris selects. I believe people underestimating how popular Trump is in PA (and somewhat in WI and MI). I think Shapiro helps. esp in PA but also in the other two as a nice tag team with KH.
KH can win without Shapiro: I simply feel that selecting him will allow KH to focus a lot more on other states aned not have to camp out in PA.
If not Shapiro, I think KH should go for Beshear or possibly Pritzker.

 

[Paine]

The Dems have many great VP candidates and I will enthusiastially support whomever VP Harris selects. I believe people underestimating how popular Trump is in PA (and somewhat in WI and MI). I think Shapiro helps. esp in PA but also in the other two as a nice tag team with KH.
KH can win without Shapiro: I simply feel that selecting him will allow KH to focus a lot more on other states aned not have to camp out in PA.
If not Shapiro, I think KH should go for Beshear or possibly Pritzker.

I think Beshear would play great in western PA as well as rural areas across the country.

 

[RockyMtnHoo]

While I wouldn’t be necessarily upset with any of the options, I just keep coming back to Walz.

I feel like his story would connect with a lot of people. School teacher, military service, popular Governor. Although I’m not sure “baggage” is the right term, he doesn’t have the negatives associated with Shapiro or Kelly.

 

[farce©]

I don’t think Walz or Beshear would actively upset segments of the base in the way Shapiro or even Kelly might.

I posted earlier I'm not sure the boost Shapiro might provide in PA offsets the liability he presents in Michigan. I believe Beshear or Walz have less potential to dampen enthusiasm of the Harris ticket among elements of the Democratic coalition than Shapiro or Kelly. Do no harm!

And I use the term "coalition" purposefully. I'm not sure there is a Democratic "base," at least the way we use the term to describe the Republican "base." The foundation of the Democratic Party is an unwieldy coalition of various interest groups who are unified mostly around defeating the kleptocracy/kakistocracy that the GOP has come to represent. And that is important. Harris can't "offend" any of those interest groups in the quest to take down Trump. Democratic infighting has to be doused quickly, or the alternative is a second Trump administration. And yes, that is worse than what is perceived as going "back to failed politics and policies from a decade ago." Trump is far worse.

 

[Paine]

I posted earlier I'm not sure the boost Shapiro might provide in PA offsets the liability he presents in Michigan. I believe Beshear or Walz have less potential to dampen enthusiasm of the Harris ticket among elements of the Democratic coalition than Shapiro or Kelly. Do no harm!

And I use the term "coalition" purposefully. I'm not sure there is a Democratic "base," at least the way we use the term to describe the Republican "base." The foundation of the Democratic Party is an unwieldy coalition of various interest groups who are unified mostly around defeating the kleptocracy/kakistocracy that the GOP has come to represent. And that is important. Harris can't "offend" any of those interest groups in the quest to take down Trump. Democratic infighting has to be doused quickly, or the alternative is a second Trump administration. And yes, that is worse than what is perceived as going "back to failed politics and policies from a decade ago." Trump is far worse.

I agree with you! Those failed policies from a decade ago led us to Trump though, in many ways.

I’m much more inclined to support the Democratic Party of Joe Biden (pro-worker, anti-monopolist, etc) than the technocratic Democratic Party of the Obama era.

Both are better than Trump, no doubt. But one is much better at countering the rhetoric Trump and his ilk employ.

 

[tallheel95]

While I wouldn’t be necessarily upset with any of the options, I just keep coming back to Walz.

I feel like his story would connect with a lot of people. School teacher, military service, popular Governor. Although I’m not sure “baggage” is the right term, he doesn’t have the negatives associated with Shapiro or Kelly.

Agreed and I’m firmly in the Walz camp now too…

 

[heelslegup]

My bias when viewing the VP candidates is as a moderate-to-liberal Democrat living in Virginia. If all those candidates were running for VA governor, I think Beshear would be the easy choice--he would destroy any R in VA, revive them from the dead and then wipe them out again...without braking a sweat,
Shapiro probably would as well, though not as much. I think Walz would be 60/40 in Virginia depending on the R candidate.
For the VP race, I am
1) Shapiro (owing to PA and because I believe he would give KH some cover to be a bit more pro-Palestinian and anti-Netanyahu if she wanted. I also think he is the most "talented" of the bunch
2) Beshear: to appeal to indie and some conservative voters. Would be a nice complement to Harris, Also would be fantastic with young Democrats and IMO help in GA, and possibly NC and FL.

I don't believe the other candidates add anything to the ticket, though that should not be an automatic disqualifier. They don't harm the ticket either to any significant degree. Ultimately people are voting for Pres, not VP.

 

[HeelingAg]

Agreed and I’m firmly in the Walz camp now too…

Same. He has poor name recognition, which is about the only thing I know to criticism, other than he does look like an old white guy.

Shapiro is quick and nimble on the stump and presumably would mean the Harris campaign has to spend less time in PA. GREAT advantages. On the flip side, he will get tarred FROM THE LEFT with school vouchers, protesters = KKK (I know context makes it ridiculous, but still), and the sexual harassment scandal. Harris already has her own baggage with the left.

 

[farce©]

Shapiro is quick and nimble on the stump and presumably would mean the Harris campaign has to spend less time in PA. GREAT advantages. On the flip side, he will get tarred FROM THE LEFT with school vouchers, protesters = KKK (I know context makes it ridiculous, but still), and the sexual harassment scandal. Harris already has her own baggage with the left.

And you didn't even mention the alienation of the substantial Middle Eastern voting block in Michigan.

 

[tallheel95]

Same. He has poor name recognition, which is about the only thing I know to criticism, other than he does look like an old white guy.

Shapiro is quick and nimble on the stump and presumably would mean the Harris campaign has to spend less time in PA. GREAT advantages. On the flip side, he will get tarred FROM THE LEFT with school vouchers, protesters = KKK (I know context makes it ridiculous, but still), and the sexual harassment scandal. Harris already has her own baggage with the left.

I don’t read a lot from this publication but there are some troubling features about Shapiro. The veepstakes, to me, are more about “do no harm” than thinking that the pick will actively bring in voters. Walz brings some folksy charm and a practical attitude, and he has very little baggage.

The One Vice Presidential Pick Who Could Ruin Democratic Unity

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is a leading candidate to be Kamala Harris’s running mate. Selecting him would fracture the party.

newrepublic.com

 

[HeelingAg]

And you didn't even mention the alienation of the substantial Middle Eastern voting block in Michigan.

I considered that more implicitly built into the protesters = KKK thing. No question Shapiro carries baggage others likely do not, while also holding the job and approval rating that understandably feels difficult to pass on.

 

[2ManyBlueCups]

To say that criticism of Shapiro is anti-Semitic just highlights the issue even more.

Anti-semitism is not anti-Zionism.

He has compared protestors of genocide in Gaza to the KKK and said Palestinians are not capable of peace.

Not to mention the school voucher issues and the Me Too coverup.

There are better options than Shapiro, and that’s why people are speaking out against him. Not because he’s Jewish.

If Joe Scarborough is going to bat this hard for Shapiro, that reaffirms my belief that it should not be him.

To be fair, his ire towards protesters was directed towards the pro-Hamas elements of the protests that were present (albeit in small numbers) at many of these protests. I don’t think it is unfair to equate supporters of Hamas to supporters of the KKK. Also, the comment about Palestinians not being capable of peace was made 30 years ago, when he was 20. Do you still share all of the same political positions now that you had when you were 20?

 

[Icky Mettle]

Fetterman has been one of the most annoying pols in Congress this session. I had high hopes for him before his election, but he quickly revealed himself to be just as craven as the rest.

Not sure what his angle is at this point re: Shapiro other than he probably genuinely dislikes him based on personal history.

I don’t think Fetterman is trying to position himself for a presidential run anytime soon lol.

It’s the Western PA vs. Eastern PA rivalry.

 

[Paine]

To be fair, his ire towards protesters was directed towards the pro-Hamas elements of the protests that were present (albeit in small numbers) at many of these protests. I don’t think it is unfair to equate supporters of Hamas to supporters of the KKK. Also, the comment about Palestinians not being capable of peace was made 30 years ago, when he was 20. Do you still share all of the same political positions now that you had when you were 20?

Fair points, but I think the fact that we’re arguing about it means Shapiro will be a distraction.

 

[2ManyBlueCups]

Fair points, but I think the fact that we’re arguing about it means Shapiro will be a distraction.

Couldn’t that apply to any candidate? I doubt you will find a single person on earth that is immune to any criticism whatsoever. If criticism is invalid, it should be called out as such.

 

[Paine]

Couldn’t that apply to any candidate? I doubt you will find a single person on earth that is immune to any criticism whatsoever. If criticism is invalid, it should be called out as such.

I guess, but there haven’t been many articles about glaring issues with Walz or Beshear.

 

[uncgriff]

I do worry about Palestinian protests at the convention and on college campuses the next 3 months. Will play right into Trump's hands

 

[Faucette]

Walz is by far the the most genuine and likeable candidate, I just go back to Shapiro can or will help in PA.


And yes Fetterman and others need to shut their pie holes. Keep the eyes on the prize lefties