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Who is Tim Waltz: a dizzying rise in politics, an army veteran, but unknown to the general audience

Kamala Harris introduced her vice presidential candidate at a stormy rally in Philadelphia

Aug 7, 2024 10:49 420

Who is Tim Waltz: a dizzying rise in politics, an army veteran, but unknown to the general audience  - 1

Kamala Harris introduced her vice presidential candidate Tim Waltz at a stormy rally in Philadelphia, writes the British "Guardian", quoted by BTA in the press review.

The publication notes that the Democratic candidate for the White House called Walz "exactly the vice president" that America needs, and that the presidential couple has vowed to give Republican candidate Donald Trump a fight.

"Guardian" notes that all this happened at a stormy rally, in the presence and against the background of the ovation of thousands of supporters of the Democratic Party – Harris's biggest rally since joining the campaign trail, with the Philadelphia rally itself in a key swing state of Pennsylvania showing unity and excitement among Democrats ahead of the November election. The newspaper adds that the new Democratic presidential candidate tandem presented their participation in the race for the White House as a "battle for the future", and with the election of Walz as vice president, the Democratic Party has put an end to one of the most turbulent periods in American political history. which led to the unprecedented situation of President Joe Biden dropping out of the campaign in favor of his vice president.

"Independent" notes that Walz is a man who has enjoyed a meteoric rise in his political career, seeing his rise from congressman representing his home state of Minnesota in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2017, to governor of the state, and now to a candidate for vice president.

The publication notes that as governor, he helped advance a number of progressive policies, including protections for abortion rights and the LGBT community in Minnesota, as well as the introduction of free lunch and breakfast for children in public schools.

Another British daily – The Independent added that during the rally, Harris also highlighted Walz's progressivism, including his role in the 1990s when the federal government passed a law banning the recognition of same-sex relationships, noting that at the time Walz was a school consultant on this issue.

"The strength of Minnesota comes from our values, our commitment to work together, to overcome our differences, to always be ready to lend a hand to help," Walz told the crowd at the rally in Philadelphia.

London's "Daily Telegraph" commented that in her speech to the audience at the political event, Harris emphasized that she and Waltz were in the role of outsiders in the race for the White House, but added that their campaign was gradually gaining momentum.

"We are the underdogs in this race, but we have gained momentum and I am very aware of what we are up against," she said.

"Daily Telegraph" notes that the Harris-Waltz tandem has yet to build synchronicity into their "choreography" during joint public appearances, but the publication adds that, despite everything, the two appeared to be a much more cohesive team than many other presidential candidate couples in recent American history.

The American "Washington Post" points out as an advantage of choosing Walz as a candidate for vice president that he has experience in winning the votes of conservative voters in more remote areas of the USA, which is a very good prerequisite for expanding the fan of support for the tandem.

The fact that Walz is an Army veteran, a gun owner and has represented in Congress a more remote area of Minnesota that tends to vote Republican is a plus that could help Harris attract votes, for example from the working class, an electoral segment that Democrats have lost and that has largely been at the heart of Trump's political rise.

But despite everything, Walz remains unknown to the general public, and the fact that he comes from a state like Minnesota, which is not key to the outcome of the race for the White House, since it has only once supported a Republican candidate since 1960 for president, brings little added value in terms of the battle with Republicans in those states that most depend on who wins the election.

The newspaper "New York Times" comments that by choosing Walz as his vice presidential candidate, Harris is on the offensive, mostly because of his flamboyant public appearances and the style he uses when agitating voters against voting for Trump and his vice presidential candidate JD Vance.

In particular, Walz's characterization of the Republican candidates as "weird" gained traction, causing an internet furore and prompting a number of prominent Democratic Party figures to abandon old messages about Trump, such as that he is an existential threat to democracy, and to take this Waltz line into service.

Newspaper "Wall Street Journal" commented that Harris preferred a "more down-to-earth" the Minnesotan-looking Walz over centrist Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, despite the fact that of all the possible vice presidential candidates, Walz's seemed the least likely to be preferred.

The business publication commented that this was a mistake, as Shapiro is key to the outcome of the race for the White House state. Donald Trump, the newspaper continued, did the Democrats a favor by choosing a vice presidential candidate who would strengthen his electoral core rather than attract wavering voters. Now Harris is returning the favor, bowing to pressure from progressives, settling on their favorite Waltz, notes the "Wall Street Journal".

The candidacy that scared Republicans the most was that of Shapiro, a Pennsylvanian, because he is from a key state that could be crucial to winning the Electoral College. But Shapiro, who is Jewish, has been subjected to an extremely vicious smear campaign, notes the Wall Street Journal.

Another business outlet, the Financial Times, notes that at yesterday's rally in Philadelphia, Harris made a point of portraying Walz as a defender of precious freedoms that Trump plans to take away.

Taking stock of the messages heard on the campaign trail, the newspaper said there has been a distinct shift from Biden's messages of fighting for democracy to protecting personal liberties such as abortion rights and protection from gun violence. a weapon that has reached epidemic proportions in the US.