The ReMaking of Tim Walz?

The minute Tim Walz came on the scene, I had some issues. His Namaste hands as he bowed to Kamala Harris—over and over again—even at his unveiling, didn’t sit right with me. But as the crowds roared and my friends told me I was off on this one, I joined the bandwagon. I misjudged what the American people needed. I saw him as a grandfatherly, fatherly figure, someone who made everyone feel a little safer at a time when Trump’s message was scary as hell.

But it was always in the back of my mind that there was a problem.

There’s a scene in Mississippi Burning where Gene Hackman is in the town barbershop—where all the men gather to reinforce their own largeness—and he grabs the deputy sheriff and says something like, “You’ve got a stupid smile.” Then he throws him up against the wall and into a swiveling barber chair. He’s angry, but it reminded me of Tim’s smile. I thought it could get in the way, and I wondered. why they weren’t helping him rework it for a national stage. I never quite felt he had the physical presence to step into the Oval Office should something happen to Kamala. Not with that Reaganesque steadiness people still seem to crave. Silly them.

And then the election happened.

Both Kamala and Tim pretty much disappeared. And I never really sat down to assess what led to the loss she always believed would be a win. I was too busy running around in circles terrified and taking a break to try and save my sanity. I think Kamala Harris is an upstanding human, and part of the reason she never did a deep postmortem is that she likely blames Biden—too little, too late, all of that.

Tim Walz went back to being governor, and he’s been speaking up. But when he’s in his governor role, he still has that fatherly appeal. There’s a different demeanor underneath now, though. It says: “I’m running this state, and not only that—I’m running it well. Don’t even bother to get in my way.” I think this may be the real him, rather than the him that was trying to learn to be second on the stage, not the first he has always been.

I like it.

And now, he’s returning to the national stage.

In an interview yesterday, he talked about the lack of Democratic leadership. I’d argue there’s a lack of Democratic collaboration, not leadership—but that’s a blog for another day.

He said leadership was lacking then, and it’s lacking now.

And then he did something big. He took responsibility for the loss last fall. He left Kamala out of it.

He admitted Trump played him. That attacking Trump—especially on things like his comments about immigrants eating dogs—was a mistake. That Trump understood his constituency better than Walz did. And when I say Walz, I mean the entire ticket. He said he was wrong—but more importantly, he realized what the campaign failed to do was tell voters what they were actually going to get if they voted for his ticket.

So what’s he doing? He’s going to red states. He’s holding town halls.

His demeanor is still approachable, but damn, is he stronger. I think he’s working with someone or a team. I’d bank on it. His hair is shorter, no more messy appearance. He’s a new candidate.

I’m beginning to suspect that when Tim Walz was chosen as VP, he fully committed to Kamala’s campaign strategy. He never went rogue. He toed the line.

Mike Pence was like that. It’s very Midwest, actually. Toe the line. Be a good neighbor. Know your boundaries. Stay out of people’s business.

Tim Walz’s “stay out of my business” mantra? It’s the Pence playbook. The Pence-Walz style is eerily similar when you look at them side by side.

I need to go back and watch some of Pence’s speeches from last year when he ran for president. I want to study him more.

I’m starting to think Tim Walz might be a lot smarter than I thought.

And I think stepping into the front lines over these next six months to a year is a very smart move. No one else is doing it. The Dem senators should have gone on tour, red states only, three or four of them, not touting their individual passions, which I think has been one of the things that has gotten us into this mess, but the ‘party’ line. Dems have always done better for you financially; we just were too humble to throw it in your face.

I think Walz going into red states and holding town halls—because he looks like them, talks like them, and doesn’t trigger them emotionally the way Kamala Harris did—is exactly the right strategy. I do think he should sometimes bring some national players along with him. Not Pete, AOC, but quieter ones.

Please think about it. If you see what I’m seeing, start spreading his videos. Call his office and encourage him to do more. Send him money? Get him onto the national stage in a new way—his way.

I know everyone loves Pete Buttigieg, and I think he’s one of the great warriors and thinkers of our time. I’d vote for him in a heartbeat. But let’s be honest. That swing voter, that older American—the one who just couldn’t pull the lever for a woman of color with a strident manner—is also not going to vote for a family man whose family has two fathers and no mothers.

They just won’t.

And AOC, the reason she can’t get a program to market is because she has zero ability to collaborate or to negotiation. “Give me everything or give me death.” It’s a losing combination, but keeps her war chest full, and her popularity high, with some Americans. And, the woman can speak. She understands the soundbite like I understand the different between different varieties of chocolate chip ice cream.

Welcome Tim. So glad to see you. I feel better. I do.

Just some food for thought on this Friday after a Blood Full Moon Eclipse—one that had me dancing under it at 2:45 AM and now has me feeling like a rejuvenated human. I’m not kidding. At this point, I am stopping at nothing to keep my sanity.