Waltzing with a presidential run?

From Blois Olson's Friday edition of his Morning Take newsletter. 

When fmr. Gov. Tim Pawlenty or Sen. Amy Klobuchar starting spending time in Iowa, the Minnesota media asked questions, and even though they were largely avoided – it was clear each were positioning themselves to run for President. So that’s what should happen when Gov. Tim Walz visits Iowa. Writing about Minnesota DFLers playing Presidential politics wasn’t on my 2023 bingo card, but such is Minnesota and politics.

As Rep. Dean Phillips, left his “lane” and messed up the get-in line zipper merge of other Democrats, he dared to raise questions many have been asking. That gave Minnesota a little national Presidential buzz. Now, Gov. Walz has visited Iowa twice in two weeks which begs the question – Is Tim Walz on the national Democratic bench? He has won statewide twice, and of course he’s a neighbor to Iowa, but Walz World has embraced the national spotlight since the trifecta and may believe that their own headlines would play well nationally. Of course, Biden is running, and it wouldn’t make sense to speculate that Walz World is thinking that the Governor has any other reason to raise his national profile other than to support the President. Unless something happened to the Biden candidacy.

So, does Gov. Tim Walz have a spot the metaphorical bench of Democratic future Presidential candidates? Based on the rise of a Mayor from South Bend, he could. Compared to Senators, like the senior one from Minnesota, he’s few spots away from the starting line-up on the current depth chart. Maybe it’s fitting that the same day he was in Iowa, the 4th and 5th string Vikings were trying to make an impression in Seattle.

As Walz’s team, and Walz himself flirts with a national profile, or a future potential Presidential run, he will be tested more than he has been in Minnesota. That’s a good thing.

 

Well, Nebraska Fats Walz sure has the chanting points down. 

As MAGA Republicans descend on the midwest, I’m in Iowa to make sure everyone knows just how extreme this field of GOP presidential candidates is.

We must re-elect @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris to protect our rights and liberties from those who want to turn the clock back.

— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 10, 2023

 

Given the far left prog policies that have been signed into Minnesota law by Walz this year, his stock has risen among the extreme left who are disappointed Biden hasn't done more to advance a "progressive" agenda. And while Dems like Walz continue to put up a facade that Biden will able to run a formidable reelection campaign, the fact is a lotta Democrats are quietly pondering what would occur if they are no longer able to effectively indulge in the Weekend at Bernie's bit.   

If indeed Biden cannot go forward, Walz may well be heavily recruited to be the 2024 Democrat nominee. I can't help but wonder if he's gonna continue with this particular line of rhetoric should he be the one. 

In Minnesota, we mind our own damn business.

We don’t need you in the exam room. We don’t need you telling us who we can love. And we sure don’t need you attacking our teachers, students, and schools.

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) August 10, 2023

This from the guy who OK'd policy which:  

• Encouraged Minnesotans to call a "snitch line" during the COVID pandemic if they felt their neighbors were violating the "social distancing" protocols. 
• Put the human-rights department in charge of compiling a "bias registry" of people conveying speech progs find objectionable. 
• Will shelter pre-adults from their parents if said young people travel to Minnesota to make life-altering decisions as double mastectomies, genital mutilation, etc. 

Not sure how much more tone deaf one person can be. 

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