The Symbolism of Walz
Many breathed a sigh of relief as reports came in that Tim Walz was Harris’s pick for VP and not the hyper brazen pro-Israel Josh Shapiro.
Part of the ridiculousness of this is that few have seriously objected to how orchestrated Harris’s own coronation has been.
Harris picked Walz because she had to to appear less genocidal than she is. That is the result of public pressure, protests, the International Court of Justice rulings and so on. In terms of policy, this doesn’t signal a shift yet. What it does signal is the value of confronting the genocidal establishment as much as possible. All such efforts should accelerate. So, the challenge is to go from symbolism to policy. That doesn’t come from getting sucked into the horserace.
It certainly won’t come from fawning over humanistic photo ops of Walz with cute kiddies signing a bill for free school lunches.
In 1968, an affable Minnesotan who was VP with liberal domestic politics who went along with the horrific war was pummeled by the left.
In 2024, an affable Minnesotan running for VP with liberal domestic politics who went along with the horrific war is being embraced by the left.
In terms of a strategy for this election, I continue to stress the wisdom of my VotePact.org strategy which gives leverage to the public over genocidal establishment candidates. It avoids both capitulation and “burn it all down” — both of which are likely self-destructive.
Aída Chávez of Just Foreign Policy points to some seemingly positive things in Walz’s resume: “In the House, Walz played a significant role in pushing back against a new war in Syria during both of the major pushes for US involvement in 2013 and 2016. He was also a strong voice in defending Congress's war powers.”
But Jewish Insider reports: “Walz also received AIPAC’s endorsement during his House tenure, speaking at the pro-Israel group’s 2010 conference. ‘Israel is our truest and closest ally in the region, with a commitment to values of personal freedoms and liberties, surrounded by a pretty tough neighborhood,’ he said in his address that year.”
Jewish Telegraph Agency reports more recently: “He also expressed support for Zionism and said those who do not recognize Israel are antisemitic this June at an event held by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.”
Al-Monitor reports: “The governor traveled to Israel and the Palestinian territories in 2009 and met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. … ‘When Jewish students are telling us they feel unsafe, we need to believe them and I do believe them,’ he said.”
MPR News from February reported: “14 protestors calling on Walz to divest from Israel cited for trespassing at his residence.”
While in Congress Tim Walz voted for a House resolution that was "Objecting to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334" to which Obama/Kerry abstained, allowing a UN resolution which condemned Israeli settlement-building.
Walz joined 233 Republicans and 108 other Dems, including most of the most pro-war Dems, in voting: YEA. 76 Dems, including most of the "better" ones, voted NAY. Even Pelosi voted NAY to defend the Obama abstention at the UN.
That UNSC resolution 2334 was actually the origin of "Russiagate" since Netanyahu reached out to the Trump campaign to try to stop it in Dec. 2016 and Kushner put Flynn on the case to talk to the Russians. So, it's actually Israelgate -- see:
Exactly right! I said the exact same thing to my husband the night before the announcement, that if Walz was picked to be Harris' VP running mate, it will be because he doesn't have Shapiro's pro-genocide baggage. But our MN Governor Walz has consistently voted for war and MIC profiteering. I go all the way back to the 2006 election with him when he, Klobuchar and I all ran as DFL candidates for the first time that year (Klobuchar and Walz successfully). Walz actually made his surprising spurt against the Republican incumbent congressman Gutnecht in southern MN district that year after Gutnecht slipped up (politically) by making a disparaging comment about the Iraq War that the pro Iraq War Dem candidate Walz was able to jump on. Since then Walz learned the art of opportunistic politician speak to (FALSELY) come off as the nice guy you'd want to have a beer with, the common sense neighbor next door. Walz has also made sure he's continues to veto the call for divestment of millions $$ in Minnesota funds from Israel.
Walz lacks the appearance of Shapiro (which is probably why he got picked) but there's no difference in their support for MIC and Israel's genocide.
I think the moral and/or intellectual bar is so ridiculously low for both major parties' presidential candidates that the lesser of two evils choice we so often complain about is not just a metaphor this time around. And it wasn't the last time.