Harris and... Walz?

[eddiememphis]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...-kamala-harris

The Minnesota governor has delivered progressive policies in his state and has a history of swaying Republican districts.

Walz, 60, was born and raised in small-town Nebraska. He became a teacher, first in China, then in Nebraska and finally in Mankato, Minnesota, where he taught geography and coached the high school football team. He was the faculty adviser for the school?s first gay-straight alliance chapter in 1999, long before Democrats nationally stood for gay rights.

"Frankly, a lot of politicians are just not normal people," said David Hogg, a gun control advocate and a Walz fan. "They just don't know how to talk to normal people."


​Well, if little Hogg is a fan, he has to be great!

[XJ]

I've already read that he retired to avoid Iraq. No idea if true.

The military background balances Vance in soundbites. Also Tulsi is predicting one of the early things KH would do is get us into a fight going to prove she has balls, so Walz could be useful to keep her away from microphones other than reading from a script.



Interdasting that they didn't bother trying to use the VP selection to help in a contested state, probably because the fraud is already on schedule.

[Clint45]

Retired Army Command Sergeant Major seems like a plus.

He used to be a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, then began supporting universal background checks and red flag laws. No idea what his position is on "assault weapon" bans.

Also he strongly supports "gender affirming care" for minors.

[Sawin]

Never heard of him.

[eddiememphis]

I listened to the radio and did a bit more research on him.

Super lefty.

Pro-everything. Tampons in boy's rooms. Riots are peaceful, fuck tha police, etc.

“Don’t ever shy away from our progressive values,” Walz said. “One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.”

Vice Presidents rarely have an effect of the tickets of either party so he's another Tim Kaine.

[eddiememphis]

No idea what his position is on "assault weapon" bans.

https://www.newsnationnow.com/politi...olicy-changes/

During his campaign, Walz said he donated all the money he had ever gotten from the NRA to charity and made a public push for background checks for people purchasing firearms. He also spoke out in favor of a ban on assault weapons.

"I know basic gun safety isn't a threat to my rights. It's about keeping our kids safe," Walz said last month about his evolution on the issue. "I had an 'A' rating from the NRA. Now I get straight 'F's'. And I sleep just fine."

" I know that there's no place for weapons of war in our schools, or in our churches, or in our banks, or anywhere else people are just trying to live their lives without fear,"...

[CS1983]

Retired Army Command Sergeant Major seems like a plus.

He used to be a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, then began supporting universal background checks and red flag laws. No idea what his position is on "assault weapon" bans.

Also he strongly supports "gender affirming care" for minors.

A retired CSM is almost never a plus. Especially if he was reduced in rank to MSG because he never went to the proper NCOES for SGM/CSM, as is the current scuttlebutt (Stolen Valor is hunting down the truth). His position on anything doesn't matter. He's now the Dem VP pick. He will follow the party. But he is on record as supporting such bans, based on this NYT article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/u...walz-guns.html

[TEAMRICO]

Retired Army Command Sergeant Major seems like a plus.

Deployment and Promotion: In late summer 2003, Walz deployed with the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion to Italy for Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon returning to Minnesota in 2004, he was conditionally promoted to Command Sergeant Major but did not meet the conditions required for that promotion.

Quitting Before Deployment: In early 2005, as his unit prepared for mobilization to Iraq, Walz abruptly quit, leaving his fellow soldiers without leadership. His rationale—claiming he needed to retire to run for Congress—has been challenged by the retired sergeants major, who argue he could have sought permission to run while remaining in service.

[Scanker19]

Harris/Walz sounds like a shitty radio I wouldn’t want to use. Also I’ve had enough bad run ins with CSMs to never vote for one.

[CS1983]

Harris/Walz sounds like a shitty radio I wouldn’t want to use. Also I’ve had enough bad run ins with CSMs to never vote for one.

Indeed. I was only in 6 years, but I can count on 1 hand and have fingers left over for the number of CSM's that ever left a good impression, personally. Sure there's examples out there of great Senior NCO leadership, but goodness are they few and far between in the actual ranks. I'd imagine CSM in a NG unit isn't exactly cream of the crop given the smaller pool they have to work with. Are there awesome NG CSM's? Of course! But they are by and large the exception and not the rule. Same with AD.

As for the ARSOF CSMs, I have no personal experience. I'd imagine they are somewhat generally better. Perhaps I'm wrong.

ETA: The two CSMs who made the most positive impressions on me were CSM Robert Gallagher (https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-...aq-dies-at-52/) and CSM (later SMA) Dan Dailey.

Gallagher was my Brigade CSM in OIF 3, 1st Brigade, 3ID. Gallagher had a lot of time w/ Ranger Regiment, so I hesitate to consider him pure non-SOF AD insofar as the leadership I saw in him. He was an absolute badass. He wasn't some goof who thought he had to act tough. The man oozed toughness. He was no nonsense, but also approachable. Not in a buddy way, but you knew that if you took him an issue the answer would be fair even if not wanted. He was a Ranger with time in combat with Batt. Not a grunt or scout or anyone in that Brigade was going to think he was just another doofus Bde CSM. The man was tough, solid, badass, and that allowed him to have the respect needed to fulfill that role on a very difficult deployment.

Dailey was my Brigade CSM at 3rd Brigade, 4ID. Dailey, hate him or love him, was honestly a solid leader. He might have been a little too idealistic, but he wasn't a jackass like some other SMAs of recent memory were. As a Brigade CSM, he was keenly aware of the warfighting stance of his unit, and that while standards were indeed important, he wasn't wont to be a weirdo about it that I ever saw. He understood conventional army uniformity, but not at the expense of the Soldier's ability to do their job. He was charismatic and held the attention of a formation well. He was excited to be there. He was excited to be the senior enlisted leader in the Brigade, in hopes of keeping it healthy and on mission. But he was honestly excited to be around Soldiers. And he cared.