Kamala Harris had two weeks to make one of the most important decisions of her life. Here's why she picked Tim Walz — and not Josh Shapiro or Mark Kelly. Vice President Kamala Harris had just 16 days to pick someone she could be linked to forever. She ended up going with one of the options that she — and the rest of the world — knew the least.
Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz is a tale of meticulous decision-making and unexpected choices. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was a dark horse from the start, left off early lists of potential running mates. But no one used the 16 days since President Joe Biden stepped aside more effectively than Walz, who charmed Harris and national Democrats alike with a Diet Mountain Dew-fueled media tour that labeled the opposition as “weird” and won him a spot in history.
The Decision Timeline
Kamala Harris had just 16 days to pick someone she could be linked to forever. This tight timeframe added immense pressure to an already high-stakes decision. Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz unfolds against a backdrop of political maneuvering and intense scrutiny. The choice will leave an indelible imprint on the image of Harris that is still forming for many Americans, who know her far less than they do Biden or former President Donald Trump, raising the stakes of a choice that can be difficult in the best of times, let alone under unprecedented time pressure.
The Dark Horse: Tim Walz
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was a dark horse from the start, left off early lists of potential running mates. However, big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz shows that Walz used the 16 days since President Joe Biden stepped aside more effectively than anyone else. His Diet Mountain Dew-fueled media tour, where he labeled the opposition as “weird,” showcased his ability to capture attention and gain favor with both Harris and national Democrats. This unexpected charm offensive won him a spot in history.
The Significance of the Choice
The choice of Tim Walz as a running mate will leave an indelible imprint on the image of Harris. This decision, as big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz highlights, is still forming for many Americans, who know her far less than they do Biden or former President Donald Trump. This raises the stakes of a choice that can be difficult in the best of times, let alone under unprecedented time pressure.
Complementary Backgrounds
In Walz, a gun-owning hunter who enlisted in the Army National Guard at 17, Harris sees a loyal governing partner who complements her background. Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz illustrates how the governor’s personal history and character align with Harris’s vision for leadership. The governor does not typically use a teleprompter, so had to practice with one Tuesday before his big speech at his debut rally in Philadelphia, showing his adaptability and readiness to step into a national role.
The Final Countdown
Harris did not know any of the candidates very well just three weeks ago. But after she whittled down her final list to Walz, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and held in-person interviews with them Sunday, Harris concluded she had the best personal rapport with Walz. Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz delves into this crucial aspect, showing how Harris was convinced that Walz would have her back and not let his personal ambitions get in the way.
Walz’s Unique Appeal
Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz reveals that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s unique appeal played a significant role in Harris’s decision. His background as a gun-owning hunter who enlisted in the Army National Guard at 17 provided a stark contrast to the typical political candidate. This authenticity and relatability resonated with Harris, who saw in Walz a loyal governing partner who could complement her own background.
The Media Tour
Walz’s Diet Mountain Dew-fueled media tour was a masterstroke. Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz describes how this media blitz helped Walz capture attention and gain favor with both Harris and national Democrats. By labeling the opposition as “weird,” Walz managed to stand out in a crowded field and secure his place as Harris’s running mate.
The In-Person Interviews
The in-person interviews were the final hurdle in the selection process. Harris had to choose between Walz, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz shows how Harris concluded that she had the best personal rapport with Walz. This connection was crucial, as Harris needed a partner she could trust implicitly.
The Big Speech
Walz’s debut rally in Philadelphia was a significant moment. Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz details how the governor, who does not typically use a teleprompter, had to practice extensively for his big speech. This adaptability and willingness to step out of his comfort zone demonstrated Walz’s readiness for a national role.
Harris’s Trust in Walz
Harris’s decision was ultimately based on trust. Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz emphasizes that Harris needed a partner who would have her back and not let personal ambitions interfere with their joint mission. Walz’s loyalty and commitment were evident, making him the ideal choice for Harris.
Big dad energy: How Harris got to Walz provides a comprehensive look at the factors that influenced Kamala Harris’s decision to pick Tim Walz as her running mate. From his unique background to his effective media strategy, Walz emerged as the best choice in a high-stakes, time-sensitive selection process. This decision will shape Harris’s image and political future, making it a pivotal moment in her career.
Additional Insights
“You also have to ask yourself at some point: Is this someone you would want to have lunch with every week for four years?” a White House official said. Ultimately, people close to Harris say, it came down to trusting her “gut,” with an aide comparing it to finding a husband. No one was perfect, but Walz was seen as the best.
The pick stunned many Democrats, including some top party donors, who were unfamiliar with the sleeper candidate. “Once they read about him, they were impressed,” said Harris campaign national finance chair Chris Korge, who started fielding calls the moment the news broke. “I got a ton of calls today and not one of them negative. They loved how relatable he was.”
Now, Harris is betting that Walz’s Midwestern dad charm will win over America like it won over her team.
This is the inside story of how Harris got to Walz, based on interviews with more than a dozen Democrats, several of whom requested anonymity to speak candidly about what happened behind the scenes.
A Ticking Clock
Harris’ advisers did not wait for Biden to step aside. With a looming deadline that Democrats concluded they had to meet to finalize their nominee, people close to Harris and outside allies began a few days before his announcement to start thinking about what her campaign might look like and started batting around names of potential running mates at daily meetings.
Almost immediately after Biden dropped out, her team concluded that it most likely had to be a middle-age white man, for many of the reasons Barack Obama chose Biden as his running mate.
“It’s not rocket science,” said a person familiar with the Harris campaign’s thinking. “Let’s just face it. There’s a lot of sexist, racist white dudes out there in America who don’t like Trump but just need a little extra validation.”
They needed “someone who gives moderate Republican voters a place to go,” said another person familiar with the process. “The Nikki Haley voters that are like, ‘God, JD Vance is terrifying and Trump is horrifying, but I wasn’t really sure that Biden could do the job, and I’m not sure that she can do the job.’”
Nine names were initially selected to enter the vetting process, led by former Attorney General Eric Holder and former White House counsel Dana Remus. By last Thursday, Holder and Remus had compiled their findings for a meeting Friday with a panel of trusted confidants who conducted the first interviews. They included Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and former Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana, a top Biden adviser who has remained on the Harris campaign.
By Saturday, the team had whittled the list down to three names — Walz, Shapiro and Kelly — who were told to prepare for face-to-face meetings with Harris.
On Sunday, the black SUVs with out-of-state plates slipped through the gates of the Washington Naval Observatory, home to the vice president’s residence, on their way to the most important meeting of their occupants’ lives.
Walz left his meeting feeling confident. Shapiro did not.
“He wrestled with it Sunday,” said a person close to Shapiro, because he “loves his job” and, only two years in, has more he wants to do. “[He’s] all in for her, no matter where he sits,” the source added.
By the end of the weekend, Harris had been speaking so much with candidates and advisers that her voice was growing hoarse, and she took to carrying throat lozenges to the nonstop meetings.
Meanwhile, beyond the black iron fence of the observatory, the apparatus to support the eventual running mate began to whir to life.
Former Biden State Department official Liz Allen was tapped to be the eventual running mate’s chief of staff, while “jump teams” were dispatched to the finalists in case they were chosen. Staffers at the campaign’s headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, began preparing graphics, videos, talking points and even stump speeches for each of the finalists.
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