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It's Walz.

Sounds like Shapiro backed out.

Yeah, it really does. There's no other way to read that snippet than "Thanks, but no thanks." Why else would he say "I'm having a hard time deciding to leave my current office" -- except as a way to politely decline?

I'd be interested to know what pushed Mark Kelly out. I kind of thought he was her 2nd best option.
 
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I guess they think it helps Wisconsin
He's very pro-Union, so it helps both MI and PA as well. Although WI and MN have an interstate feud, he also helps to mobilize "progressives" and students in WI, which like MN has a lengthy history of progressive ideals...

If he was the Gov of one of those 3 states he'd be a homerun. He's very quick witted, and people seem to really warm up to him. I'd personally rather have Shapiro, but it's her choice. He's also far more experienced and able to get Legislation thru on a bipartisan level than either Vance or Trump. and as a #2 will run rings around author turned 1 yr Senator JD Vance, er... JP Mandel or whatever name he's currently using...
 
I'll add to the confusion with regards to football and cards...

does-it-work-v0-jtbp0hd66dnb1.jpg
Is he holding up an Uno card?
 
Yeah, it really does. There's no other way to read that snippet than "Thanks, but no thanks." Why else would he say "I'm having a hard time deciding to leave my current office" -- except as a way to politely decline?

I'd be interested to know what pushed Mark Kelly out. I kind of thought he was her 2nd best option.
I think either Kelly wasn't that thrilled about being her VP or he has some skeletons in his closet.

As a Trump voter, I would have hated to see him be on the Kamala ticket.
 
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Yeah, it really does. There's no other way to read that snippet than "Thanks, but no thanks." Why else would he say "I'm having a hard time deciding to leave my current office" -- except as a way to politely decline?

I'd be interested to know what pushed Mark Kelly out. I kind of thought he was her 2nd best option.
If Shapiro was her first option, you'd have to think Kelly was second, because Walz is the odd man out among the three.
 
What do I mean? Do you watch the same things I watch and all the hate towards Israel from democrat politicians? Not all, but a decent sized group. How could they support a jewish candidate on the ticket is my point. Unless they did a 180. Was that not clear?
What do you mean by "Democrat politicains" hating Israel? Besides the fact her own husband is Jewish, there are far more Jewish Dems in Congress and Statehouses tahn Pubs. And it's not even close...

Lots of Jewish people, including many within Israel itself are critical of the way the IDF is operating in Gaza. Bibi is about like Trump, popular with a cultish minority and united with far right factions to keep his ass out of prison.
 
I think either Kelly wasn't that thrilled about being her VP or he has some skeletons in his closet.

As a Trump voter, I would have hated to see him be on the Kamala ticket.
She probably should've picked Beshaer. He has no future in the party and wouldn't alienate moderates. Newsom and Whitner backed out immediately as they don't think she can win. Her internal polling is supposedly horrible.
 
What do you mean by "Democrat politicains" hating Israel? Besides the fact her own husband is Jewish, there are far more Jewish Dems in Congress and Statehouses tahn Pubs. And it's not even close...

Lots of Jewish people, including many within Israel itself are critical of the way the IDF is operating in Gaza. Bibi is about like Trump, popular with a cultish minority and united with far right factions to keep his ass out of prison.
Well, probably because all criticism is pointed at Israel with only a passing mention, if any, on 10/7.

That and the Palestinian pledge, which has never been refuted, to destroy Israel.

Unlike the pro-Palestinian Democrats, most don't accept Palestinian claims of genocide or the number of casualties. Not when Hamas fighters are hiding among civilians. Not when Israel is allowing enough food and aid for the entire Palestinian population, which Hamas keeps from the populace.

It's pretty clear the Democrat Party is no friend of Israel. You will see that come election time.
 
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She probably should've picked Beshaer. He has no future in the party and wouldn't alienate moderates. Newsom and Whitner backed out immediately as they don't think she can win. Her internal polling is supposedly horrible.
He has no future in the Party today. But after Kamala gets destroyed, the Party may reject some of the crazies.
 
If Shapiro was her first option, you'd have to think Kelly was second, because Walz is the odd man out among the three.

If Shapiro turned her down (or backed away before it was offered), then it belies the notion that she wouldn’t pick him because he’s Jewish and a supporter of Israel.
 
So basically Walz is a nice guy?

Yeah but he has a lot of small town intersocial male in him. He's got a big laugh and enjoys making light of himself.

My only personal experience with him is totally insignificant to anything political but the GF and I were walking out two dogs at a leashless dog park right off of the Mississippi River (for JamieD it was Minnehaha falls but the dog park area a little further south from the falls) and I forgot the tennis balls to throw into the water for my 12.5 year old sheepadoodle to loves to jump in and swim to retrieve still (it really sucks that our dogs aren't around that long. He's literally the class of 2012 which seems like a year ago and he and I have gone everywhere in this super dog friendly town when he was this athletic looking but super friendly wide gait runner who now is just Old Man Pete for being 12.5 years old. Actually we thought we were going to lose him last week when he was hit with heat exhaustion just going out to the back to piss. He collapsed and struggled breathing for the first time and then his eyes turned white like he was blind. We got him back recovered and he's back to normal now but that was a huge scare. At 12.5 he's probably likely going to tap out in the next couple of years, which blows but that's part of the journey and relationship.

Anyway back to my Walz social interaction, I'm alone walking down the dog path and a dude who I immediately thought looked like him with two other dudes who looked like security was walking towards me going up the path. He smiled and greeted me by asking how I was doing the on this beautiful day with a big, booming voice confirming it was Walz. I thought it was really nice of him to engage even though I didn't ask him too. It reminded me of the likely daily duty of being a governor in social situations which would be annoying for me.

So I get back to my GF and our 2 pooches and her eyes are wide open and she asks me if I saw Walz. I was like yeah, he greeted me in a very cool and nice manner. She then told me that Maggie (that's her 3 year old sheepadoodle who is a massive living cuddly shaggy girl but is a little too crazy, naughty and aggressive now. Pete was a little crazy and aggressive at her age, but he wasn't this aphex predator that is way too aggressive in how she plays. She's also an alarmist so any sound or change and she barks her head off calling it out) anyway she saw Walz and immediately ran full speed at him. The GF called her but he saw her coming, let out a huge smile and laugh and welcomed her into his arms. The GF was worried his security would kill her when she took off towards him but he loved it and welcomed her into his arms. She said he literally kneeled and smiled to greet her as she ran to him.

How can anyone not think that was a nice and cool moment.

So yeah, he's a legit massive dog lover which again plays into his small town boy roots that he brings up.

Too bad the GF didn't take a pic now. Lol
 
If Shapiro turned her down (or backed away before it was offered), then it belies the notion that she wouldn’t pick him because he’s Jewish and a supporter of Israel.
The fact we can even consider this a realistic subject is the issue, not which reason was ultimately the one that motivated Harris's pick. We'll never know that, and she probably doesn't either.
 
The anti-semitic vein runs deep in the party. She caved.
Yes she did. Shapiro has handled it well. At the top of the ticket he would beat Trump easy. Not sure he has a place in Democrat national politics with the antisemite wing of the party seemingly in control.
 
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If Shapiro turned her down (or backed away before it was offered), then it belies the notion that she wouldn’t pick him because he’s Jewish and a supporter of Israel.
True. Raises another question. If we all agree that picking Shapiro could have done a lot to move the Dem party in the right direction, is Shapiro being selfish by backing away to let the party burn for four years?
 
I need more background before I cast judgment. I haven’t had a chance to read through the accusations and reality. It would seem inexcusable if somebody was never a CSM and referred to themselves as a former CSM. Like cancelable unacceptable.


I’m guessing there’s some nuance that’s not being discussed here by the partisans. I will give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
 
I need more background before I cast judgment. I haven’t had a chance to read through the accusations and reality. It would seem inexcusable if somebody was never a CSM and referred to themselves as a former CSM. Like cancelable unacceptable.


I’m guessing there’s some nuance that’s not being discussed here by the partisans. I will give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Says here he served as CSM on post, but retired as a Master Sergeant because he didn't complete necessary coursework.

 
True. Raises another question. If we all agree that picking Shapiro could have done a lot to move the Dem party in the right direction, is Shapiro being selfish by backing away to let the party burn for four years?

I expect politicians to do things that they believe are in their own (usually political) interests first. Things like party, country, state come after that.

It’s certainly possible that Shapiro was acting with an eye towards 28/32. Given his rising stock, I can understand why he would.
 
I need more background before I cast judgment. I haven’t had a chance to read through the accusations and reality. It would seem inexcusable if somebody was never a CSM and referred to themselves as a former CSM. Like cancelable unacceptable.


I’m guessing there’s some nuance that’s not being discussed here by the partisans. I will give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Looks to me like he would have been if he'd have completed the course he was taking. All I can go by is what his military comrades are saying.
.
I don't really care about his rank - I care more about the fact he bailed when his unit went to Iraq.
 
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Says here he served as CSM on post, but retired as a Master Sergeant because he didn't complete necessary coursework.

If that’s the case, then I don’t have any negative take on his claim of being a former CSM. CSM is a job not a rank. Battalions may have a few sergeants major, but only one is the CSM in that billet.

What I don’t think is accurate in that article is that he was a E9 (sergeant major) and went to E8 (master sergeant). More than likely, what happened is that he was an E8, master sergeant, and took the role of CSM given that it was a vacancy and they didn’t have anybody else to take the role that was already a sergeant major. That happens in both officer and noncommissioned officer corps alike.
 
It’s certainly possible that Shapiro was acting with an eye towards 28/32. Given his rising stock, I can understand why he would.
Never wait. Take your chance when you have it. Too many things can happen in the intervening time. As someone who follows the best business minds on instagram and owns an equity interest in six businesses all enjoying varying degrees of failure trust me on this one
 
I expect politicians to do things that they believe are in their own (usually political) interests first. Things like party, country, state come after that.

It’s certainly possible that Shapiro was acting with an eye towards 28/32. Given his rising stock, I can understand why he would.
Same for Whitmer who is termed out in 26. What is their incentive to grease the election for Harris as it was for Biden?
 
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If that’s the case, then I don’t have any negative take on his claim of being a former CSM. CSM is a job not a rank. Battalions may have a few sergeants major, but only one is the CSM in that billet.

What I don’t think is accurate in that article is that he was a E9 (sergeant major) and went to E8 (master sergeant). More than likely, what happened is that he was an E8, master sergeant, and took the role of CSM given that it was a vacancy and they didn’t have anybody else to take the role that was already a sergeant major. That happens in both officer and noncommissioned officer corps alike.
Makes sense. My grandfather was always proud of serving as a CSM, and when he died I was at first a bit confused why he was listed as Sgt Major, until I learned about that rank/job distinction you mentioned.
 
Good recap on his positives. Thanks.

It's interesting to me because I've been and am a Buttigieg fan mainly for how effective he communicates, the same thing that I have been impressed about Walz, but my GF called me out correctly in that they are two different personalities.

She made me think and what I came up with is that Pete reminds me of the most and blatantly obvious successful corporate directors and leaders. He's super polished, has a GQ presentation but also communicates so effectively while displaying his intellectual gifts. So yeah, I was lucky thanks to the opportunities from the Kelley SOB to spend around 20 years in multi million companies and have had amazing successful leaders and beyond terrible leaders and Pete reminded me of the super stars that deservingly rose up the corporate chain.

Walz reminds me of what I'd like to see in myself but he's a much, much better communicator. But I love his humor and how he battles in the political arena, I wish I could be as effective as he is even posting on the WC, but I'm not. Anyway he reminds me of people that I grew up with but it's like he reacts to the political world how I do but explains the reasoning for his reaction so much better than I do.

So I think I see Pete as a big company corporate star that I've worked with while I see Walz as a neighbor handyman, average Joe small town teacher/coach dude who definitely has an opinion but can be super funny and humble.
 
Just stop the bullshit. Please show some intelligence instead of this ridiculousness, because I can say the same of Trump and back it up with criminal indictments. You got nothing.
It's unbelievable. They really try to take the moral high ground on anything, seemingly forgetting that they support DonOLD freaking Trump...
There’s a big difference in avoiding military service and being in the military and not deploying (as a leader) with your unit for personal reasons. Light years apart.
Yes but we're not comparing Walz to Trump. We're comparing Walz to Vance. Vance served 4 yrs as a combat correspondent. Walz served 22 yrs in the National Guard including at least one deployment to Iraq. Nothing says he was required to extend past 20 yrs, and as usual MAGA is picking a fight they can't win
 
Never wait. Take your chance when you have it. Too many things can happen in the intervening time. As someone who follows the best business minds on instagram and owns an equity interest in six businesses all enjoying varying degrees of failure trust me on this one
And here I thought you would use your vast experience with women for the examples.
 
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What was his role in the Gulf War? I can't find any mention of his deployment during that war.
My point was he was there if needed. Not his fault if he didn’t get called to serve.
 
Yeah, it really does. There's no other way to read that snippet than "Thanks, but no thanks." Why else would he say "I'm having a hard time deciding to leave my current office" -- except as a way to politely decline?

I'd be interested to know what pushed Mark Kelly out. I kind of thought he was her 2nd best option.
Kelly has no executive experience. Goes from astronaut to U.S. senator, Harris went from AG to US senator They wanted a governor to balance the ticket.
 
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You're right, Skippy. We shouldn't put out all this information on Waltz because it's still possible Kamala could replace him before the convention.

We definitely don't want that.
So Walz was a congressman and 2 term Governor, unlike Vance who was a "famous" hilbilly author. The point is do you think that none of this "blockbuster news" somehow never emerged in the course of 3 previous elections?
 
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