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Tim Walz on Principles & Values

Democrat

 


Democracy is bigger than winning an election

TW: Democracy is bigger than winning an election. You shake hands and then you try and do everything you can to help the other side win. To deny what happened on January 6, the first time in American history that a President or anyone tried to overturn a fair election and the peaceful transfer of power. And here we are four years later in the same boat. When this is over, we need to shake hands and the winner needs to be the winner. This has got to stop. It's tearing our country apart.

JDV: We don't have to agree on every issue, but we're united behind a basic American First Amendment principle that we ought to debate our differences. We ought to argue about them. We ought to try to persuade our fellow Americans. Kamala Harris is engaged in censorship at an industrial scale. She did it during COVID, she's done it over a number of other issues. That is a much bigger threat to democracy than what Donald Trump said when he said that protesters should peacefully protest on January 6th.

Source: 2024 Vice Presidential debate: Tim Walz vs. JD Vance , Oct 2, 2024

Jan 6 was not Facebook ads: it was overturning an election

VANCE: We actually do have a threat to democracy in this country, but it is the threat of censorship.

WALZ: Donald Trump refused to acknowledge that he lost this election. 140 police officers were beaten at the Capitol that day. Several later died. To deny what happened on January 6--the first time in American history that a President or anyone tried to overturn a fair election and the peaceful transfer of power--and here we are four years later in the same boat.

VANCE: Hillary Clinton in 2016 said that Donald Trump had the election stolen by Vladimir Putin because the Russians bought, like, $500,000 worth of Facebook ads.

WALZ: January 6th was not Facebook ads. Donald Trump is still saying he didn't lose the election. I would just ask that: Did he lose the 2020 election?

VANCE: Tim, I'm focused on the future. Did Kamala Harris censor Americans from speaking their mind in the wake of the 2020 COVID situation?

WALZ: That is a damning non answer.

Source: 2024 Vice Presidential debate: Tim Walz vs. JD Vance , Oct 1, 2024

If you don't like my choices, mind your own damn business

Walz told a packed auditorium Republicans were no longer the party of freedom. Democrats, he said, had a simple response, "mind your own damn business." The crowd went wild.

Walz's line has been adapted in subsequent speeches to read: "In Minnesota, we respect our neighbors and their personal choices that they make. Even if we wouldn't make the same choice for ourselves, there's a golden rule: Mind your own damn business."

So what does Walz mean when he preaches the 'golden rule' of "mind your own damn business"? Simple really. He means there should be unfettered access to abortion nationwide. Of course, the oft-repeated idea that being pro-life is anti-freedom ignores the freedom interests of the unborn.

Source: Magnolia (MS) Tribune on 2024 Veepstakes , Aug 11, 2024

DNC: "Outed" as Indian and a "good dosa cook"

Indian Actress Mindy Kaling addressed the Democratic National Convention, sharing anecdotes of her and Vice President Harris' similar Indian backgrounds: "I am an incredibly famous Gen Z actress who you might recognize from The Office, The Mindy Project, or as the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video," Kaling joked.

Kaling recalled that one of the first times she met Harris was years ago during the cooking demonstration, when Harris was a Senator. "We immediately hit it off," Kaling said. "Both of our mothers were immigrants from India who came to America and committed their lives to serving others."

"But the thing I remember the most about the vice president," Kaling said, "is that Kamala Harris can cook. Guys, she was so much better than me. But she also knew that my family was watching, so as she gently corrected my sloppy dosa making, she was complimenting me every step of the way."

Source: Magnolia (MS) Tribune on 2024 Veepstakes , Aug 11, 2024

Born and raised in Nebraska; college and career in Minnesota

Walz was born in 1964 in West Point, NE. After graduating from public high school in Butte, NE, Walz went on to earn his B.S. at Chadron State College and his M.S. at Minnesota State University in 1989 and 2001, respectively, having also attended Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Prior to his political career, Walz worked as a school teacher. He also served in the Army National Guard and is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Source: Ballotpedia Candidate Connection:2024 Veepstakes "Biography" , Aug 8, 2024

Born and raised in Ohio; college in Ohio and Yale

J.D. Vance was born in Middletown, Ohio. Vance graduated from Middletown High School in Ohio in 2003. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007.

Vance earned a B.A. in political science and philosophy from Ohio State University in 2009 and a J.D. from Yale University Law School in 2013. His career experience includes co-founding Narya, founding Our Ohio Renewal, and working as an intern for Republican state senator Bob Schuler, a law clerk for U.S. Senator John Cornyn and U.S. District Court for Kentucky's Eastern District Judge David Bunning, a litigation associate with the Sidley Austin law firm, the director of operations at Circuit Therapeutics, a principal at Mithril Capital Management, a venture capitalist with Revolution, LLC, and an author.

Source: Ballotpedia Candidate Connection:2024 Veepstakes "Biography" , Aug 8, 2024

Started "weird" meme to describe Trump/Vance

Of all the candidates [Kamala Harris] took under consideration, Walz had the lowest national profile [at the start of the process] two weeks ago. Walz had never been presented to a national audience.

That changed with Walz's first appearance two weeks ago on Morning Joe, the MSNBC proving grounds for the would-be running mates to perform their routines.

"What I know is, people like J.D. Vance know nothing about small-town America," Walz said. He described a state of divisiveness in the country where "we can't even go to Thanksgiving dinner with our uncle because you end up in some weird fight that is unnecessary." After that got a chuckle, he added, "Well, it's true--these guys are just weird. They're running for 'He-Man Women-Haters Club' or something."

"Weird" took off, earning a battlefield promotion to the top of Democratic talking points against Donald Trump and Vance--both of whom offered plenty of material afterward to earn the descriptor.

Source: Slate.com on 2024 Vice Presidential hopefuls, "Earned It" , Aug 6, 2024

Minnesota Lutheran, a Midwestern cultural subtype

Walz is Lutheran, as is more than 20% of the Minnesota population, thanks to a wave of Scandinavian Lutherans who settled in the region in the 19th century.

He does not often discuss his faith publicly but has posted about attending worship during Christmas and other services at various Lutheran churches. Walz refers to Pilgrim Lutheran Church in St. Paul--a congregation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a mainline denomination--as "my parish."

Walz sometimes describes himself as a "Minnesota Lutheran," an identity he frames as a sort of Midwestern cultural subtype. "Because we're good Minnesota Lutherans, we have a rule: If you do something good and talk about it, it no longer counts," Walz said in April. "So what you have to do is to get someone else to talk about you."

The only previous vice president connected to the tradition was another Minnesotan, Hubert Humphrey, who was raised Lutheran but ended up attending a Methodist church.

Source: Rachel Maddow MSNBC on 2024 Vice Presidential hopefuls , Aug 6, 2024

GOP endorser: Walz serves calmly & humbly, without bluster

Democratic vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is a normal guy. In these times of bitter political division, America needs someone who can calmly and humbly serve the nation without all the unnecessary shouting and bluster that too often defines our politics today.

Tim and I represented different political parties--he as a Democrat, and I as a Republican--yet we found common ground and worked together on numerous issues for the betterment of our constituents and our nation. More than ever, America just needs a normal guy to help lead our nation and bring us together. I'm excited Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Tim as her running mate.

Refreshingly, and sadly increasingly uncommon in D.C. today, Tim did not advocate issues to improve his partisan political standing or increase his social media presence. Instead, Tim demonstrated a simple commitment to policies that would improve people's lives regardless of any political advantage.

Source: 2024 VP endorsements by Rep. Charles Djou (R-HI) on Fox News , Aug 6, 2024

Trump's weirdness is simply what we're observing

Q: Democratic voters had a deep lack of confidence in President Biden's ability to serve another term. Dean Phillips was trying to make that point when he challenged Biden in the primary. You belittled his effort. But wasn't Dean Phillips actually right?

A: What I said was, President Biden was delivering. I applaud Joe Biden. I think he made the right decision in terms of the ability to prosecute this case against Donald Trump's weirdness.

Q: You have gotten some attention this week for calling Trump and Vance and Republicans in general weird.

A: When you just ratchet down some of the scariness or whatever and just name it what it is, I got to tell you, my observation is, have you ever seen the guy laugh? That seems very weird to me that an adult can go through six-and-a- half years of being in the public eye. If he has laughed, it's at someone, not with someone. That is weird behavior. And I don't think you call it anything else. It's simply what we're observing.

Source: CNN SOTU interview on 2024 Democratic Veepstakes , Jul 28, 2024

Coaching HS football taught grit, resilience, teamwork

The third reason I am giving my speech from this high school is a lesson I learned while coaching football. We were halfway through our season and had lost our first four games.

To the astonishment of everyone who had watched us at the beginning of the season, we qualified for the state playoffs. We went on to win to claim the state championship. I don't think we would've won if we hadn't lost at the beginning of the season. It taught us grit, resilience, and the true meaning of teamwork.

Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Minnesota legislature , Mar 28, 2021

Nonviolence the only way to move hearts and create change

So how do we usher in equality and dignity today? One way, which Dr. King spoke about at length in his speech, is nonviolent protest. As the trial of Derek Chauvin is underway, tensions and emotions will understandably run high. Please, Minnesotans, make your voices heard. Practice your First Amendment right--but please heed Dr. King's advice that nonviolence is the only way to truly move hearts and create change.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Minnesota legislature , Mar 28, 2021

Got political when students were turned away from Bush event

To be honest, I did not pay a lot of attention to politics. Things changed in 2004. Former President George Bush came to speak in a Mankato quarry. I accompanied two students who wanted to hear the speech. When we arrived, one of my students was turned away because of a John Kerry sticker on his wallet. We were ordered to board a bus to take us away from the quarry. Though I was allowed to stay--after offensive questioning by a campaigner--the boys were told to leave. This was a teachable moment for them and for me. I decided that, if a command sergeant major could be harassed for wishing to hear his commander-in-chief, the political process was deeply broken. That night, I became committed to working to help repair our nation's political system.
Source: 2018 Minnesota governor campaign website WalzForGovernor.org , May 2, 2017

Endorsed National Dems' "Front line incumbent retention" target.

Walz is endorsed by Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee 2014 targeting

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has added nine candidates to its `Red to Blue` list, a designation singling out strong campaigns in open or Republican-held districts. The list now includes two categories: targeted districts and `emerging` districts which may be targeted later.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is funding two programs [mostly via PAC-funded TV advertising] in the 2014 cycle: `Red-to-Blue` in Republican-held districts, and `Frontline` to defend Democratic-held districts.

Press Release from DCCCDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel named 26 of his colleagues to the Frontline program, a committee program designed to protect their most vulnerable incumbents. `We call this program Frontline for a reason--these Members are on the vanguard of protecting and expanding the middle class,` Israel said in a written statement. `While the 2014 campaign will be dominated by a strong offense taking on the Tea Party Republican Congress, our success begins with our Members,` added Israel, a Democrat from New York. `These battle-tested men and women have proven time and again that they can win because no one better reflects the values of their districts.`

Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn. will spearhead the program as its chairman. He`s a Frontline alumnus as recently as the 2012 cycle. Otherwise, the list includes several freshman members and Blue Dog Democrats:

Other candidates on Principles & Values: Tim Walz on other issues:
2024 Republican Presidential Candidates:
Former Pres.Donald Trump (R nominee)
Ohio Senator J.D. Vance (VP nominee)
Ryan Binkley (R-TX)
Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND)
Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ)
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL)
Larry Elder (R-CA;withdrew)
Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC)
Rep. Will Hurd (R-FL;withdrew)
Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR)
Perry Johnson (R-IL)
Mayor Steve Laffey (R-RI)
Former V.P.Mike Pence (R-IN;withdrew)
Vivek Ramaswamy (R-OH)
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC)
Secy. Corey Stapleton (R-MT)
Mayor Francis Suarez (R-FL;withdrew)

2024 Democratic and 3rd-party primary candidates:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D nominee)
MN Gov Tim Walz (VP nominee)
Pres. Joe Biden (D-DE,retiring)
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (I-NY)
Chase Oliver (L-GA)
Rep.Dean Phillips (D-MN)
Jill Stein (Green)
Cornel West (Green Party)
Kanye West (Birthday Party)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
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Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure/Technology
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Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War/Iraq/Mideast
Welfare/Poverty

External Links about Tim Walz:
Wikipedia
Ballotpedia





Page last updated: Nov 02, 2024; copyright 1999-2022 Jesse Gordon and OnTheIssues.org