by Ernie McCray
I like the image I saw of
Tim Walz,
Kamala Harris’s
vice-presidential candidate,
walking comfortably
at her side
into a political rally,
to thunderous applause
which he accepted without pause,
his hands held high,
wearing a smile|
as bright as the audience’s festive energy,
like a man ready, as we used to say,
to take care of the b-i-z,
something the country truly needs.
And my judgment of him
based on what I’ve been hearing about him,
that he’s an okay guy,
became verified before my very eyes
as I watched him,
in the middle of a speech,
suddenly look down at someone
who was wilting in the heat
and said “somebody’s hot”
and went about getting help for this man
and others who seemed to need assistance
on this very hot day
in Eau Claire, Wisconsin,
choosing not to proceed with what he had to say
until the situation was taken care of
and, having witnessed this tender moving display of love,
I can’t help but sense
that the White House is soon going to be inhabited
by people
who will lead the nation
holding true
to their stated views
of not going back,
of creating a future
that will be beautiful to look at,
one in which, according to Walz’s wishes,
people’s choices are respected
and they’re not told who they should love
or what books they should read
or be subjected to health care that doesn’t suit their medical needs:
one in which people are neighborly
like he was with the folks who were overcome
by the temperature at the rally.
Tim Walz
keeps the hope I’ve been feeling of late
very much alive.
Thank you.
I feel some faintly revived hope myself.
Walz also is a big fan of Minnesota musicians – Dylan for one.
He named something in the state “Purple Rain.”
He has multiple dimensions and a sense of humor.
Very grounded and real.
Yes, Tim Walz continues to amaze by being as decent as a normal person. Hope you can open this 2008 article from the NYT about his high school class on genocide. Very impressive.
https://archive.is/2024.08.05-031636/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/education/23education.html
Right? My slogan is, Let’s all Kamala down, while we Walz back into an era of decency! (cackle)
Am a little biased on Kamala’s choice of VP, being a native Minnesotan. Growing up there–there was a code of not talking about politics or religion in order to have everyone in the room get along. It was rude to ask people what they spent on something, or to brag about having fancy stuff, which also lent to valuing people regardless of their material status. These social norms unified people in a way that focused on seeking common ground.
Spam is from Minnesota. My Dad sold it, but he and my Mom and my sihlings never eat it. But I do. Not every day, but a well balanced diet is good for you. And a well balanced diet includes canned goods once in a while.
If you are eating that salt pork called Spam as part of your “balanced diet” I would love to hear the rest. Twinkies perhaps?
My dad fought in the Pacific during WWII and a lot of the time, spam is all they had — he wouldn’t allow it in the house afterwards.