It's Minnesota Governor Tim Walz

A social studies teacher in the halls of power...

Tim Walz at the Polk County Steak Fry

I first saw Minnesota Governor and now Democratic VP candidate Tim Walz speak last fall at the Polk County Steak Fry. He dressed, looked, and acted like the high school social studies teacher and coach he once was. He stood under the bright sun in the grassy field, addressing the crowd, most of whom were in the shade or trying to be. If I remember correctly, he wore a white dress shirt and jeans. It was hot. I’m not sure if he was sweating, but I was.

He spoke clearly and passionately about progressive policies that he and Minnesota Democrats had been able to enact. He spoke with pride, passion, and positivity, with hope for the future.

I remember my emotions while listening to Walz as if it was yesterday. While I appreciated what he had to say about what was happening in Minnesota, my overall mood was bleak. I felt profound sadness as to what Iowa has become under Republican leadership. I also felt shame and envy.

When Walz spoke with pride of how Minnesota stepped up to feed hungry kids, and knowing that Iowa kids were going hungry I was filled with anger. I also felt powerless, hopeless, and defeated.

“Good for you, Minnesota,” I thought. “Iowa sucks.”

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The State of the Race

It’s only been a few days since Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris selected Walz as her VP running mate, but it seems like much longer.

You may not have heard much about Walz before this week, but you now know he’s a progressive, former high school Social Studies teacher and coach, hunter, and retired member of the National Guard.

The most-excellent Substack The Fucking News has a valuable summary of Walz’s career here. Republicans are smearing him, as can be expected, and The Fucking News has a summary of that too. And as they say, nothing is sticking.

Jacobin’s Branko Marcetic highlights some of Walz’s policy positions:

• Free school meals.

• Paid family and medical leave.

• Strengthening worker protections.

• Free college for students from families making less than $80,000 annually.

• Gun control.

• Abortion rights.

• Transgender rights.

Pulitzer Prize winner and fellow Iowa Writers’ Collaborative member Art Cullen shares his perspective on Walz here. Other Collaborative members with columns on Walz include Arnold Garson and Doug Burns. Check them out. Sorry if I missed anyone.

Just a few weeks ago, local Democrats were in a state of despair over Biden’s chances in the race against Trump. Over a few short days, we went from despair to joy as Biden withdrew from the race, and VP Kamala Harris emerged as the presumptive nominee. Now that Walz has been named VP candidate, I haven’t felt this much excitement among Democrats since Obama first ran for President. Seemingly overnight, the polls have responded, and at this writing, Harris leads Trump in national polling.

Let me say that again. HARRIS LEADS TRUMP IN NATIONAL POLLING!

During the last caucus cycle, I interviewed Harris three times. I found her smart and personable, with lots of progressive ideas. You will read reports that she “failed” in her caucus run that year. No, she didn’t. I saw her speak at several events before hundreds of people and Iowans loved her. She just couldn’t find financial backing in a crowded field.

She’s formidable, Walz is the perfect running mate, and there are a lot of us out here who can think of nothing better than a powerful, accomplished, and deserving Black woman kicking Trump’s racist, misogynistic, orange ass.

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Social Studies

One of the things that I like about Walz that isn’t getting a lot of attention is that he was a social studies teacher.

Social studies is the combined study of humanities, the arts, and social sciences, mainly including history, economics, and civics…Social studies aims to train students for informed, responsible participation in a diverse democratic society. The content of social studies provides the necessary background knowledge in order to develop values and reasoned opinions and the objective of the field is civic competence.

Social studies teachers are generalists and know a great deal about a great many things. In a time where Republicans are demonizing our public schools, our teachers, and the curriculum, Walz is in a perfect position to challenge their assault.

With his experience, Walz will defend our public schools at a time when Republican Governors are undermining and dismantling them in favor of offering billions of dollars worth of vouchers to private, mostly Christian schools with no accountability.

Harris and Walsh would be wise to make funding our public schools a top priority in their campaign. It will resonate among all who have kids or grandkids in public schools, and to others who know the important role public schools have in our society.

Furthermore, Walz’s entire teaching career was devoted to teaching students how to engage in informed, responsible participation in a diverse democratic society…how to develop reasoned opinions…and gain…civic competence.

All competencies the Trump/Vance ticket lacks.

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Public School teachers see and know more than we do

Public school teachers are the heart of our communities, and they see and know more than we do.

They see which kids are hungry, who has been bruised, and who needs a haircut. They pass out toothbrushes, tissues, and tampons between classes.

They engage with a diverse population, with different norms and expectations. They see the potential of every student, no matter their age, gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, and economic status. They not only know who needs help, they also know what kind of help they need. They’ve seen it all, and know when to offer a helping hand or tough love advice.

They do their best to elevate all of our children and grandchildren, with love.

The MAGA world is coming for our constitution, our public schools, our history, minorities, immigrants, and eventually for the rest of us who don’t think and act like they do as they seek to impose a white “Christian” Nationalist worldview on the rest of us. Think I’m exaggerating? Read Project 2025.

It’s fascism. And social studies teachers know it when they see it.

And that’s why we need social studies teacher Tim Walz in the halls of power.

While I was despondent about the state of Iowa politics listening to Walz at the Polk County Steak Fry, now I’m elated at the prospects of the Harris/Walz ticket. Should they become President and Vice President, there’s a good chance we will see progressive change across the country, and not just in Minnesota.

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I’m a proud member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Please check out our work here. Subscribe! Become a paid subscriber if you can afford it. Please and thank you. We need you. Thanks for being part of the team! Want to buy me lunch or a cup of coffee? Venmo @Robert-Leonard-238

The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative is now offering our political podcast Iowa Down Ballot. I’m happy to be in the company of legendary journalists offering our takes on the current political scene. It’s a take you won’t see or hear anywhere else. On Friday, Rekha Basu, Julie Gammack, Barry Piatt, Ed Tibbetts, Laura Belin, and I talked about the Tim Walz pick, the potential for Kamala Harris to boost Democratic candidates down the ballot, and Iowa's judicial retention elections. Thanks to Zachary Oren Smith for producing and to Dartanyan L. Brown (a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative) for providing music.

My friend Spencer Dirks and I have a podcast titled the Iowa Revolution. Check it out!

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I look forward to seeing you there!