Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is one of the finest people I have ever known in politics. He is a leader with integrity, honor, humility, and a fighting spirit. He is also a veteran who cares deeply about the well-being of his fellow veterans. That is why it is outrageous and sad to see Ohio Senator and fellow veteran JD Vance and Team Trump attempt to tarnish his military record and accuse him of “stolen valor.”
“Do you know what Tim Walz did when his country asked him to go to Iraq? He left the Army and let his unit go without him – a fact for which he was heavily criticized by many of the people he served with,” Vance, a Marine veteran who served in Iraq, said Wednesday.
In fact, Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard at age 17 and honorably retired before running for Congress in 2005. As an artilleryman, Walz “served overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and was the highest-ranking National Guard Soldier in southern Minnesota when he retired from the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery in 2005,” according to the U.S. Army.
Building on that experience, Walz has dedicated his political career to helping other veterans. As ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, veterans have had no better and more tenacious advocate than Walz. Every veterans’ support organization and veterans’ leader knows he is one of us and that we can always count on him. He knows how to get things done in Washington and for his communities. And he’s always stood by us, from the expansion of the new GI Bill in 2008 to the Clay Hunt SAV Act in 2016 and countless battles in between.
Democrats had to pick a veteran. And they picked one that everyone knows, respects, and trusts. (And one that Rep. Nancy Pelosi and other key party leaders know, respect, and trust.) Walz is a patriotic, down-to-earth, and lovable bulldog.
If Democrats didn’t elect a Republican or a true independent – or Arizona Senator Mark Kelly – I think Walz would be their best chance to win. A 2022 Pew poll found that “about two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning people (66%) say they like political leaders who have military experience,” with men generally more likely to view military service positively.
Walz still embodies the spirit of his career as a high school football coach. He knows how to spot talent, support teammates, make people better, bring diverse groups together and motivate a team to win. And he is a fighter. Especially in difficult times.
The loss of his brother Craig in 2016 was an unimaginable tragedy. But Walz helped his family get through that tragedy – just as he is now able to support our country through all of this pain and uncertainty. He understands the pain, he understands working people, he understands national security, he understands America.
And he knows how to fight back.
He is also more liberal than I (and many other Americans), and that will certainly pose a challenge to him among independents and moderates. And with Walz and Harris together, Democrats will have to fight incredibly hard to show that they are more moderate than the narrative suggests.
Republicans are already using the fact that Walz was Senator Bernie Sanders’ preferred choice as a weapon.
And now they’re resorting to one of their oldest, meanest and most effective moves and attacking Walz’s serve.
The Harris-Walz campaign was clearly not prepared for the attacks on the Swift boats – but they were entirely predictable. Details, military records and investigators who knew Walz and the truth should have been kept under wraps in advance, ready for the announcement and shared with the public and the media. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
This is an unnecessary failure of communication and strategy, and a reflection of a deeper lack of cultural competence regarding military and veterans in the Democratic Party. This problem also exists in the Republican Party (to a lesser extent) and, indeed, throughout our society. And it is an important reminder that we need more veterans in politics, media, education and business. But the lack of representation – and the resulting ignorance – is particularly painful in politics. Just ask former Senators Jim Webb (Virginia) or Bob Kerrey (Nebraska).
The Trump campaign hired Chris LaCivita – a longtime political activist who led Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2004 and helped bring down Vietnam veteran John Kerry’s campaign – months agoThere is no reason why the Democrats should be unprepared this time.
Whether the Swift boats’ attacks were fair or not, the Harris-Walz campaign should have been better prepared for the fight. Failure to plan is planning to fail. Now the campaign (and Walz himself) must come up with a plan, be transparent, clear and forceful, and make up for lost ground. And, where possible, fight back skillfully.
This is the first battle of this kind for the new Democratic slate of candidates. But it will definitely not be the last. Every vote and every political foot won is crucial for victory. Especially among veterans – and especially among independent veterans in the swing states.
I want to live in an America where no one attacks a veteran’s service or tries to compare one tour of duty with another. Everyone who volunteers to wear the uniform has done something for our country that 99% of the public has not. And that should be respected – whether it’s a Navy SEAL hunting Osama Bin Laden or a cook at Fort Liberty making breakfast for other troops across the U.S. Serving our country is honorable. And one of the most dangerous jobs in America, whether you’re deployed in combat or training at home.
But this is America. And no matter what anyone says, Tim Walz is incredibly sincere, hardworking, tough, and personable. He is a leader with integrity and character. He is the opposite of “weird.” And yes, he is funny.
He will change the hearts and minds of some people. Hopefully enough to defeat Trump.
I’m just a veteran. But I’m rooting for him.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com.
