Minnesota Governor Tim Walz led the pack of Democratic governors who met with President Biden in the White House on July 3. I documented Walz’s comments for the record in “A word from Governor Isuzu.” I transcribed Walz’s comments from video that I included at the bottom of the linked post.
Emerging from the meeting, Walz took center stage outside the White House to express his support for Biden:
We are all looking for the path to win. All the governors agree with that. President Biden agrees with that. He has had our backs through COVID, through all of the recovery, all the things that have happened. The governors have his back and we’re working together just to make very, very clear on that. A path to victory in November is the number one priority, and that’s the number one priority of the president.
When directly asked the obvious question about Biden’s fitness for office, Walz also sought to assure those who hearken to his voice that all is well:
Yes, he’s fit for office….None of us are denying Thursday night was a bad performance. It was a bad get [?], if you will on that. But it doesn’t impact what I believe — he’s delivering.
In other words, Walz professed not to see what everybody else in the United States sees. He acknowledged only that Biden got “a little cycled up[.]”
We knew he was lying. Walz knew he was lying. He remains the pale shadow of a man incapable of embarrassment. Walz presents as an example of life imitating art, in this case the advertising art that created Joe Isuzu.
Now Walz has landed on the list of running mates for Kamala Harris. Walz has dreams of getting out of St. Paul. I estimate his chances of emerging as Harris’s pick somewhere between zero and zero — right where I had President Biden’s chances of serving out a second four-year term.
MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviewed Walz yesterday. According to MPR’s story (posted with audio at the link), Walz is “open” to a vice presidential run. Yes, he’s as open as a gutted pig:
Walz said that he’d seriously consider being added to the ticket, if Harris asked.
“She mentioned she would need my help. And I said she has it in any way that she sees fit,” Walz told Minnesota Now hosted by Cathy Wurzer. “If that’s the direction she goes, I guess that’s fine.”
Walz noted that he loves his job as governor of Minnesota but would consider the role of vice president if he felt he could bring more to the Democratic ticket.
“When I travel, a lot of states like what we’re doing here, and I think that idea that we could do that in other places would be great,” he said. “So if I could add to the vice president’s agenda, if I could add to that ticket, if I could help electorally, I would certainly listen to her.”
“I would certainly drool” might be more like it.
If you doubt Walz’s self-assessment, visit downtown St. Paul — within shouting distance of Walz’s office in the Capitol. Attorney Kelly Hadac represents the largest private property owner in downtown St. Paul. He provided a knowledgeable glimpse earlier this month in a July 10 letter to the City Council. Mr. Hadac observed that downtown was in “very evident crisis” and went into some detail:
Crime is up. Bullet holes in the glass on the commercial buildings and elsewhere [are] no longer uncommon. There [are] rampant homelessness and drug use. Restaurants have gone out of business. Businesses have gone bankrupt. Large buildings are vacant. Operating businesses are fleeing to the suburbs. Skyways are empty. Public and private employees are working from home. I could go on and on but we trust that you understand the point.
On the other hand, as I saw when I drove by last night, business at Catholic Charities is booming.
Walz isn't ruling out joining the ticket as VP per @CathyWurzer interview:
"She mentioned she would need my help. And I said she has it in any way that she sees fit. If that’s the direction she goes, I guess that’s fine.”https://t.co/g8qLm5gBc6
— Torey Van Oot (@toreyvanoot) July 22, 2024
