'The guy is ambitious': How Walz got on Harris' radar -- and onto the 2024 ticket

[JoeOtterbein]

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/15/walz-harris-2024-elections-00174271

The Minnesota governor worked the media and the fundraising circuit to build his profile.

By Holly Otterbein, Elena Schneider and Meredith Lee Hill

08/15/2024 05:19 PM EDT

The Democratic Governors Association had an enviable problem last December. After better-than-projected midterm elections, it had an unexpectedly large pool of candidates who could potentially lead the agenda-setting group — and out of them, they chose a Midwestern governor who was not known to have his eye on the West Wing.

What that governor, Minnesota’s Tim Walz, did with that job is a big part of the reason he’s Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate now.

Chair of the DGA for less than a year, Walz headlined state party events across the country, developed relationships with top media outlets and promoted a hefty slate of progressive legislation he signed as the “Minnesota Miracle.” Key donors and activists took notice. And then, ultimately, so did Harris, tapping him as her running mate — a choice that partially hinged on his deference to Harris, telling her that he wasn’t “angling for anything else.”

But Walz’s use of the DGA to expand his profile and strengthen his relationships with powerful figures in the party and the press suggested he was more politically calculating than his unassuming demeanor made it seem.

snip

more at link

(The article is co-written by my daughter)

[CincyDem]

1. Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar.

Ambitions ascribes intent. Seems like he just likes people…all people..and that kind of authenticity can’t be faked. That’s why every group he’s been part of seems to appreciate him. I’m not buying ambition.

[arlyellowdog]

2. Seems like he's energetic, passionate, empathetic

He was a football coach and wanted to win. When someone uses ambitious to describe Tim Walz, it’s seems like taking positives and hanging a negative term on them.

[unblock]

3. kudos to holly!

[Irish_Dem]

4. Of course he is ambitious and focused.

It is obvious.

Isn’t this exactly what makes him a good politician and VP candidate?

[dpibel]

5. Whole lot of mindreading going on here

Here's an example. The article is shot through with this sort of editorializing pretending to be reportage.

But Walz’s use of the DGA to expand his profile and strengthen his relationships with powerful figures in the party and the press suggested he was more politically calculating than his unassuming demeanor made it seem.

The "but" follows a direct quote from Walz, suggesting that he was, in fact, not being entirely truthful.

"Suggested" is a pure statement of inference on the part of the writers.

"Politically calculating" is a clear editorial statement that the writers know what he's up to, and it's not what he says. "Made it seem" is also a statement that he's dissembling.

But the key is "suggested." That's the writer's conclusion, not anything supported by direct knowledge.

I'm not going to take the time to pull out all the examples of this sort of thing, but there are many.

Then again, it's Politico, so we shouldn't expect much in the way of actual reporting.

[Bev54]

6. I am pretty sure he did not know that Biden would step down and Kamala step up.

I think he is just who he is, someone that develops relationships with whoever he comes in contact with.

[cally]

7. Interesting article with information I did not know

I hope you are a proud Dad. It’s hard to work in journalism now!

[JoeOtterbein]

8. Yep!

You know it!