While there was plenty of progressives happy about Kamala Harris’ choice for vice president in Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the choice was also met with some skepticism from anti-Trump media members on Tuesday, including the suggestion he wasn’t a “safe pick.”
CNN commentator Van Jones pondered Tuesday that antisemitism in the Democratic Party influenced Harris’ decision not to choose Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish.
“Is it just because he’s a moderate or is there some anti-Jewish bias here?” Jones asked following the news that Harris picked Walz.
“You also have antisemitism that has gotten marbled into this party. You can be for the Palestinians without being an anti-Jewish bigot, but there are some anti-Jewish bigots out there,” Jones said later in the exchange. “And there’s some disquiet now – and there has to be – how much of what just happened is caving in to some of these darker parts of the party?”
Jones said there was a lot of rejoicing from conservatives over the Walz choice, which he said was “not good.”
“What worries me is you see a lot of relief from the conservatives. They were scared of Josh Shapiro. They were scared of [Arizona Sen.] Mark Kelly. They thought that would help define Kamala more to the middle. You see a lot of rejoicing on the right,” he said.
Former Ohio governor and MSNBC contributor John Kasich said the choice pushed the Democratic ticket further to the left.
“I think Shapiro would have helped them. I was surprised they picked this gentleman,” he said. “I think by picking Walz, they have sort of labeled themselves, ideologically, as progressive. I don’t know if that sells. We have to see.”
MSNBC’s Charlie Sykes suggested that Walz wasn’t a safe pick because he didn’t appeal to centrists. The vocal never-Trumper said the party was trying to win back their progressive base at the possible expense of Pennsylvania; no candidate has won the White House without winning the state since George W. Bush in 2004.
“Deep breath here, this was not a safe pick,” he said. “Josh Shapiro seemed like the obvious pick for two reasons. No. 1, Pennsylvania is the key swing state with 19 electoral votes. Josh Shapiro would be able to appeal to centrists. Obviously, the decision that has been made here has been to go with the strategy of making sure you take care of the base and base enthusiasts as opposed to reaching out to centrists.”
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The MSNBC contributor also suggested Harris’ decision process would be called into question.
“I have to say that I think you’re going to get a lot of attention on the process here. Again, because Josh Shapiro was such an obvious choice, but was the subject of a vicious online attack from the left for his views on Israel. And I want to point out that his views on Israel are not substantially different than any of the other candidates, except that Josh Shapiro is Jewish. I think there’s going to be some question, did they blink? Were they influenced or over-influenced by the excessively online anti-Israeli left in order to get rid of Josh Shapiro?” Sykes added.
CNN’s David Axelrod praised Walz and dismissed criticism that he was considered progressive.
However, he noted, “he doesn‘t help you win a state.” Minnesota hasn’t voted for a Republican White House candidate since 1972.
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CNN’s S.E. Cupp noted that Walz did appease the progressive wing of the party, as the Minnesota governor secured endorsements from Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Cupp said the “good vibes” for Harris and Walz would eventually end and they both were going to have to answer to Republicans attacks, and the media.
Alyssa Farah Griffin, a co-host of “The View” and CNN political commentator, said Harris’ choice was an “extraordinary missed opportunity.”
She noted some pros and cons of Walz, which included that he was “not viewed as a moderating force” on the Democratic ticket.
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“My fears about Harris are that she is incredibly bad at public speaking, and that she reliably makes bad political decisions. So far, she has done nothing to allay either fear. I’m not saying she can’t win, but I wish she gave me more confidence,” Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle wrote on social media, reacting to the choice.
Several pundits took to X to react to the Walz pick.
Former CNN pundit Chris Cillizza wrote, “Such a weird choice,” while MSNBC’s Brendan Buck said the pick feels “very 2019.”
“The VP doesn’t matter a ton but I think this reflects very poorly on her decision making,” Buck posted on X.
Walz recently referred to his competition, former President Trump and Sen. JD Vance, as “weird,” terminology that’s caught on as a repeated attack on the Republican ticket.
“The fascists depend on us going back, but we’re not afraid of weird people,” Walz said during an event last month. “We’re a little bit creeped out, but we’re not afraid.”
Walz was also criticized for telling a group of men on a “White Dudes for Harris” phone call to embrace their progressive values.
“Don’t ever shy away from our progressive values,” the Minnesota Democrat said on the call last week. “One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.”
Fox News’ Brian Flood and Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
