memeorandum: Tim Walz Joins the Anti-weirdness Ticket (Tom Nichols/The Atlantic)

10:40 AM ET, August 7, 2024

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Marc A. Caputo / The Bulwark:

Trump World Fueled an Anti-Shapiro Whisper Campaign — AS KAMALA HARRIS BEGAN WINDING DOWN her search for a running mate, Donald Trump's team knew one thing clearly: It didn't want her to pick Josh Shapiro, the popular governor of swing-state Pennsylvania whose more moderate record made him a formidable opponent.

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Noah Berlatsky / Public Notice:

Kamala Harris's inspired choice — Democrats often use their running mate to pivot to the center. But not this time. — 🚨 This all-free, five-edition week of PN is made possible by paid subscribers 🚨 If you aren't one already, please sign up to support our independent journalism.

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Politico:

Playbook: Trump's reset opportunity — With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine — DRIVING THE DAY — ANOTHER INCUMBENT GOES DOWN — Prosecutor WESLEY BELL defeated Rep. CORI BUSH (D-Mo.) in a St. Louis primary election yesterday, 51 percent to 46 percent, per Nick Wu.

Discussion: NBC News and nationalinterest.org

Tom Nichols / The Atlantic:

Tim Walz Joins the Anti-weirdness Ticket — Kamala Harris picks a no-drama Middle American. — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will be the Democratic nominee for vice president. He's likely been tapped not for his liberal policies but for his amiability and optimism, in a bid to attract voters tiring …

Discussion: Politico, The Left Hook with Wajahat Ali, Forbes, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New Republic and HuffPost

Politico:

What Walz told Harris in his VP interview — “I'm not angling for anything else.” — In the dining room of the Naval Observatory on Sunday, Tim Walz sat across from his soon-to-be running mate for the biggest interview of his life. His message to Kamala Harris and her vetting team was one of deference.

Discussion: CNN, Business Insider, New York Post, Washington Post, Honest Graft, The Daily Beast, ABC News, NOTUS and Fox News

Lisa Lerer / New York Times:
In Walz, Harris Sees a Battleground Strategy Dressed in Carhartt

Reuters:
Tim Walz's handling of George Floyd protests put in spotlight

Discussion: The Raw Story, Vox, Daily Mail, Fox News, Politico, The Hill, KHOU-TV, The Daily Caller, The Daily Signal, The Post Millennial, Media Matters for America and New Republic

Politico:
Why Kamala Harris chose Tim Walz

Jill Lawrence / The Bulwark:
The Walz Pick and America's Urban-Rural Divide

Amanda Marcotte / Salon:

“Bringing back the joy”: Kamala Harris' rally blows away JD Vance's weird appearance across town — In Philadelphia, thousands cheered for Tim Walz, while Trump's running mate spoke to a small, aggrieved group — “He's so weird! He's so weird!” the crowd chanted in a sing-song …

Discussion: TMZ.com, Rolling Stone, USA Today, Mercury News, New Jersey Online, The Daily Beast, HuffPost and Mediaite

Josh Fiallo / The Daily Beast:

J.D. Vance's Backdrop Makes It Look Like He's Campaigning for ‘Kamala’ — AWKWARD — The unfortunate signage gaffe came on the same day Harris announced her VP pick. — Well that's confusing. — J.D. Vance delivered a rally speech Tuesday in Pennsylvania with a backdrop that made it appear …

Discussion: WHYY, NPR, Mediaite, CNBC and New York Times

Liz Skalka / HuffPost:

Democrats Lost Their Minds Over Tim Walz, Kamala Harris' New Midwestern Running Mate — The Minnesota governor delighted a Philadelphia audience with attacks on Donald Trump, previewing his role in the campaign for the next 91 days. — PHILADELPHIA — A crowd of thousands went absolutely nuts …

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Miranda Nazzaro / The Hill:

Why Trump supporters are calling Walz ‘Tampon Tim’ — Video Player is loading. — Play Video — Unmute — Current Time 0:00 — Loaded: 0% — Stream Type LIVE — Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE — Playback Rate — Chapters — Chapters — Descriptions

Discussion: ComingSoon.net, New York Times, Washington Blade, New York Post and Raw Story

Owen Lavine / The Daily Beast:
Kamala Harris Shares Video Informing Walz He Is Her Pick

New York Times:
Harris and Walz Make Their National Debut at Philadelphia Rally

Erin Reed / Erin In The Morning:
Tim Walz Took Historic Action To Protect Trans People, Now He's The Dem VP Choice

Discussion: Breitbart, The Hill, The Hollywood Reporter, Out Magazine and LGBTQ Nation

Associated Press:
WATCH LIVE: Harris holds first rally with Tim Walz after choosing him as running mate

Discussion: Military.com, CBS News, freebeacon.com, Bloomberg, The Guardian, Grist, CNN, The Japan Times and The Daily Beast

Washington Post:

JD Vance over text: Crude, dismissive and friendly with the far-right fringe — Private messages show Trump's running mate entertaining conspiracy theories and scorning the late Sheldon Adelson. — The day after JD Vance was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022, he received a congratulatory text …

Discussion: The Raw Story, The Daily Beast and Talking Points Memo

Casey Newton / Platformer:

X sues the advertising industry — I. — On Tuesday, X intensified its assault on advertisers that have declined to buy ads on the platform. Today, let's talk about the case, how Elon Musk is using his conservative allies in the House of Representatives to bolster it …

Discussion: Axios, Wired, One America News Network, The Hollywood Reporter, The Register, New York Times, Washington Examiner and USA Today, more at Mediagazer »

Kate Conger / New York Times:
X, Owned by Elon Musk, Brings Antitrust Suit Accusing Advertisers of a Boycott

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

Kamala Goes Electric and Trump Melts Down — Last Thursday the Harris campaign began offering tickets for a campaign rally in Detroit the following Wednesday (tomorrow, August 7th). Over the first 24 hours they received 47,000 requests for tickets. 47,000.

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

Arizona Republican becomes first fake elector to plead guilty for role in Trump scheme — It's the second victory for Arizona prosecutors this week in their sweeping case against many Trump allies. — An Arizona Republican who falsely claimed to be a legitimate presidential elector …

Discussion: Associated Press and Raw Story

Martin Pengelly / The Guardian:

Project 2025 leader's book with JD Vance introduction delayed until after election — A JD Vance-introduced book by a leader of Project 2025, the vast and controversial hardline rightwing plan for a second Trump administration, will be delayed until after the 2024 election.

Discussion: Democrats and The Daily Beast

Kelly Rissman / The Independent:

Republicans worry Trump is having a ‘public nervous breakdown’ — ‘Donald Trump is losing his marbles,’ former Congressman and Republican Adam Kinzinger said — Support truly — independent journalism — Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.

Discussion: The Hill, HuffPost, The Raw Story and Alternet.org

Domenico Montanaro / NPR:

Poll: Harris jumps to a small national lead over Trump — Vice President Harris has upended the presidential race and has now built a 51%-48% lead over former President Trump, according to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. — That result is 4 points better than just after Harris got …

Discussion: Fox News, The Hill, New Jersey Online and BizPac Review

Susan Milligan / New Republic: Trump's Campaign Is Drowning in Rage

Marist Poll:
The 2024 Presidential Contest (August 2024)

Discussion: New Jersey Online, masslive.com, New York Post, The Hill and Forbes

Cory Doctorow / Pluralistic:

Pluralistic: Circular battery self-sufficiency (06 Aug 2024) — Circular battery self-sufficiency: 125m of tons of battery material is one *seventeenth* of our annual road transportation oil extraction. — Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. — This day in history: 2004, 2014, 2019, 2023

Steven Greenhouse / Slate:

Tim Walz Has a Reputation for “Giving a Damn About Workers” — Last year, long before his name was on anyone's lips as a possible vice presidential pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz received huge praise from labor groups for signing what was considered the most pro-worker, pro-family package of legislation enacted by any state in decades.