Enjoy What May Be The Last Big Tim Walz Interview

I cried when Tim Walz got picked as Kamala Harris’s running mate. I’m a crier in general and always have been. Still, there was relief in knowing that Harris had chosen someone who felt like a real progressive. He isn’t just parroting talking points and then lamenting that the GOP isn’t letting him get anything done. With only a slim majority in Minnesota, Walz has helped institute positive change. He’s also just an absolute delight to watch and listen to.

Walz exudes the kind of masculinity that I strive for. He is kind and compassionate, listening in a way that most politicians don’t. He hangs on people’s every word, genuinely giving them attention. His kids love him. He talks to service workers the way every person on this planet should. Watching him on the campaign trail has been an absolute delight in a way I hoped for but could not have anticipated. He’s a nice guy! After today, we may not hear from him for a while.

I am nauseously optimistic about tonight. Things could absolutely go south, but hopefully, the odds are in the favor of decency. If they are not, Walz goes back to Minnesota, where I had admittedly only been passingly familiar with him. I had seen the video of him being hugged after signing free school lunch into law and thought, “That seems nice,” as NYC’s mayor threatened to cut universal three-K and libraries. I didn’t know Walz’s name at the time and didn’t take the time to learn it.

There should be a place for Walz in the future of the Democratic party, but, unfortunately, that only happens if his message works this time. If Dems lose this race, it might be a knife in the heart to their attempts at progressivism, something they’re already kind of bad at. If Conservatives win again, I see the DNC going farther to Center and that will leave people like Walz (and millions of others) out in the cold. Yes, Harris has often leaned center, even now, but choosing Walz has made it clear that she’s open to listening to more progressive values.

I don’t know what will happen tonight, but for now, I am happily soaking in an interview between Walz and Stephen Colbert. The late-night host met Walz in Philadelphia this weekend to have a lovely chat before election day. it is warm and friendly and, admittedly, light on policy. Still, it perfectly encapsulates what makes Walz such a likable candidate. At one point he describes meeting his wife because he was talking too loudly as she was trying to teach. Having met my wife under similar circumstances, that story gave me big old “heart eyes.”

Watch this interview. Go vote, if you haven’t already. Talk to a friend. Chat with a neighbor. Help someone rake their leaves. Don’t let someone pick up something heavy by themselves. Ask that cashier how their day is going. Be kind. Be decent. Keep that energy going and no matter what happens the goodness that time Walz represents will continue for generations to come.