Latest news with #Republican-friendly
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Time running out to topple Cuomo in New York City mayor's race
NEW YORK — The weekend Andrew Cuomo jumped into the mayor's race, Brad Lander held an 'emergency press conference' denouncing his record — and he hasn't let up since. Scott Stringer cut a video of himself scoffing at the notion that anyone should be afraid of the fear-inducing former governor. Zellnor Myrie and Adrienne Adams are telling Black church attendees — who are key to Cuomo's path — they should vote for candidates who come from their neighborhoods, rather than a New York City newcomer whose Albany record they attack. And old foes formed a super PAC to take him on. But that PAC has reported raising a paltry $2,000 so far, compared to the $2.5 million that's flowed into a pro-Cuomo one. And week after week, the candidates have failed to make a meaningful dent in Cuomo's significant polling lead. Now, with seven weeks until the June 24 Democratic primary, Cuomo's rivals are focusing their resources on the one thing they hope will alter the course of the race: TV ads. Zohran Mamdani and Myrie are already out with their first spots; Stringer and Lander will air theirs fairly soon, according to their representatives. And Adams, who entered the race late, has yet to raise enough money to afford a TV buy. It raises the question: Do these lesser-known candidates use precious air time to go after Cuomo, or simply introduce themselves to voters? 'Cuomo is about to be hit with a storm of reminders for New York voters who have very short memories — and a kind of pandemic-memory distortion — of all of the ways he screwed the city and mismanaged the city,' a Lander official recently told New York Playbook. 'And those things will begin to unravel the mirage he's created for himself of competency and good management.' Lander, who has $4.6 million in the bank, is planning to go after Cuomo. But his team won't say whether he'll start with a biographical ad before one that laces into the ex-governor. Mamdani put about $100,000 — a modest sum in the New York media market and a fraction of his $7.5 million — behind five days of ads in which he blamed New York's problems on Cuomo. Myrie, who is polling in low single digits, recently dropped $500,000 on a TV and digital ad to introduce himself to voters. It had nary a mention of Cuomo. Stringer is similarly not signaling any plans to ambush the front-runner, with an aide simply telling Playbook, 'Our TV strategy is one that allows us to robustly reach all the voters we need to, when we need to, and when they're paying attention.' One Cuomo rival, through a representative, said voters have little appetite for negative campaigning. 'They want someone who is seen solving the problems, taking this seriously,' added the person, who was granted anonymity to freely talk strategy. 'Going against Cuomo would be detrimental to that.' So for now, Cuomo is sitting comfortably — at times facing more vitriol from the no-holds-barred, Republican-friendly New York Post than from his Democratic rivals. And one idea Lander floated to take Cuomo on hasn't materialized. The city comptroller, whom supporters — and some rivals — believe will have a late-in-the-race rise, wanted candidates to pool campaign funds for negative ads against Cuomo, according to three people familiar with the matter who were granted anonymity to speak freely. Mamdani, the consistent runner-up to Cuomo in polls, pulled out of the talks and opted to go his own route, they said. Some on the political left have begun to privately bemoan what they describe as Mamdani's go-it-alone strategy, despite what initially seemed like a united front from most of Cuomo's opponents. On Sunday night, Working Families Party leaders — who've endorsed four candidates to block Cuomo — were among the roughly 1,500 attending Mamdani's campaign rally at a music venue in Brooklyn. Mamdani's campaign said conversations about how to capitalize on ranked choice voting are ongoing. Campaign spokesperson Andrew Epstein said the campaign suggested Cuomo's rivals each commit the same percentage of their media budget to anti-Cuomo ads with a coordinated message, but others rebuffed that. 'We are proud to be the only campaign who has spent a single dollar in paid media against Andrew Cuomo,' Epstein added. Jason Beeferman contributed to this report. A version of this appeared in New York Playbook. Sign up for it here.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With Trump back in power, World Bank walks a tightrope on climate work
The World Bank has softened its once-vocal cheerleading for climate action as the Trump administration evaluates its support for international organizations and works to cut funding for climate programs. As head of the largest public development financier, World Bank President Ajay Banga has been emphasizing jobs and Republican-friendly energy sources like nuclear power and natural gas. He's also defended its climate work when asked, saying recently that the bank's climate investments don't interfere with its core mission of poverty reduction. But that messaging signals a break with Banga's robust public defense of the bank's climate record under President Joe Biden, who nominated Banga in part to bolster green lending. Former officials and at least five people familiar with the thinking inside the institution, some of whom were granted anonymity to speak candidly, said the bank is downplaying its messaging of climate work out of self-preservation even as its underlying climate policy has not changed. 'Now, do you want to scream this all loudly? Probably not in this environment. You don't get much from doing that,' said Samir Suleymanov, a former World Bank official who directed its strategic initiatives unit. The bank's messaging on climate represents a delicate balancing act between the institution and the U.S., its largest shareholder. The U.S. has provided significant support for the arm of the bank that serves the world's poorest nations, with the Biden administration pledging $4 billion before leaving office. That funding is still subject to approval in a Republican-controlled Congress, and withholding it would crimp investments to poorer nations struggling with multiple crises ranging from climate change to inflation to food insecurity. Banga says he hasn't changed anything and is still using the words climate finance to refer to the bank's commitment to put 45 percent of its annual lending toward climate-related projects in fiscal year 2025. 'Remember, we have a board which has representatives of all our shareholders and all these words and thinking go through their system,' Banga said on a call with reporters ahead of the bank's annual spring meetings that start Monday in conjunction with the International Monetary Fund. 'This is a fair debate to have at the board, and then we'll figure out what may change or not change.' But in recent weeks, he has also talked about an 'all of the above' energy strategy he wants to take to the board in June and has already pressed it to restart investments in nuclear energy, in part, he says, to help power data centers. 'There is no reason why a country in Africa should not care about affordable, accessible electricity,' Banga told reporters Wednesday. 'And it includes gas, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, wind and nuclear where it makes sense.' Banga has previously talked about natural gas, often as an example of the divide between developed countries that have grown wealthy on fossil fuels and oil- and gas-rich poorer nations now being told not to exploit those resources. 'The rules of energy access are not applied equally,' he has said. He's also talked about gas as a transition fuel and said in 2023 that 'all we're trying to do is reduce investment in fossil fuels.' The bank's climate work is occurring as several of the Trump administration's allies want the U.S. to exit the World Bank entirely, arguing that its mission runs counter to American national interest and does China's bidding. A Trump administration review of U.S. participation in international organizations like the World Bank is due in August. It's a high-stakes game for the World Bank, which must balance previous commitments to put nearly half of its financing toward climate initiatives while avoiding stoking Trump's anger. The bank's green initiatives include measures to help countries adapt to rising temperatures by strengthening infrastructure or supporting drought-resistant agriculture, and aid for the transition to cleaner energy and transportation. A spokesperson for the World Bank Group said the bank's agenda has long been clear and consistent. "For two years, we've been working to make the Bank faster, more efficient, and focused on creating jobs," the spokesperson said, noting that jobs are intertwined with clean air and water, reliable power and support for the private sector. "The realities of the countries we serve—and the diversity of the challenges they face—mean we match solutions to context and rely on every tool at our disposal to deliver," the spokesperson added. "Climate finance—like shifting freight to rail or building drip irrigation—is part of that mix, but no more and no less important than the rest. That's what we've been saying. That's what we've been doing." Banga, during last week's press conference and in recent speeches, has stressed that projects under the bank's climate financing have broader benefits to a country's economy, leading to job creation and stemming migration. Banga's climate boosterism only deepened Trumpworld's animosity toward the bank, said Stephen Moore, the conservative economist who co-authored the Project 2025 chapter imploring a U.S. exit from the World Bank. He said the bank's climate agenda diverted it from its development mission, claiming it became harder to finance fossil fuel projects even for people who lack electricity access. 'It was so outrageous that this is what they were doing. It was almost like they wanted to keep countries poor,' Moore said in an interview. The chances of a U.S. withdrawal from the bank are unlikely, in part because doing so would mean giving up its shares to countries willing and able to buy them, namely China. But the bank's work on climate and its international focus broadly aren't likely to be overlooked entirely by an administration that has put American energy dominance at the center of its agenda. That's different from Trump's first term, said Karen Mathiasen, a former acting U.S. representative to the World Bank from 2017-2018 who is now project director at the Center for Global Development. 'There was a much more open attitude towards working with these institutions and kind of focusing on traditional Republican issues like fiscal responsibility,' she said. 'Now everything feels very hostile and adversarial.' Banga has made a case for the bank's utility, highlighting its efficient use of capital, work to engage the private sector and his moves to refocus toward its core mandate, poverty reduction. 'Our ultimate goal is to help countries build dynamic private sectors that convert growth into local jobs – not by shifting work from developed countries, but by unlocking opportunity where people already live,' he wrote in an opinion piece in the Financial Times published April 1. It made no mention of climate change, a marked contrast with Banga's earlier op-eds and speeches. In an address at the World Bank and IMF's annual meetings in October 2023, Banga said the world 'cannot endure another period of emissions heavy growth' and filled it with examples of why the bank needed a new playbook to tackle global challenges, of which climate change was central. 'In addition to the efforts already underway to bring more efficiency and focus on core mandates, which may partly address Trump administration concerns, I think there is willingness to go further, especially when it comes to greater flexibility in how the institutions think about energy investments,' said Matt Swinehart, a former Treasury official now a managing director at Rock Creek Global Advisors. The IMF, the bank's sister organization, has also toned down talk of climate. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund and a former environmental economist, didn't mention climate once in her curtain raiser speech on Thursday, focusing instead on trade and global growth. An IMF spokesperson said the speech 'understandably focused on the most pressing issue facing the global economy at this juncture – the impact of ongoing trade tensions, market volatility and uncertainty on the outlook, and how policymakers should respond in this context.' The spokesperson noted that climate-related events are on the spring meetings schedule. 'I think the institutions right now are walking a tightrope between policing the biggest shareholder and having legitimacy with the rest of the members,' said Kevin Gallagher, director of the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University. The bank has rolled out changes to extend its lending capacity and introduced Climate-Resilient Debt Clauses, a way for countries to defer loan payments following disasters, as part of its Biden-era reform agenda. It also amended the bank's mission of ending poverty to include the words 'on a liveable planet.' Many of those moves have earned the backing of other shareholders. Banga has also acknowledged that his new energy strategy requires shareholder approval. Several countries have doubled down on their commitment to support climate through the multilateral banks. France last month said 'a massive scaling up of public finance is needed both to alleviate poverty and protect the planet,' in its 'Paris Pact for People and the Planet,' which vowed to overcome divisions on multilateral development bank boards and the IMF. Some have welcomed the shift in messaging. The language around and emphasis on clean energy felt restrictive, boxing out other projects that can reduce emissions, said Suleymanov. The rhetorical shift is merely additive for the bank's climate portfolio, he said, noting that it would not come at the expense of renewable projects the bank has spent years planning with other governments. 'It may sound funny, but there is sort of a relief that this kind of pretend thing is over,' he said. 'The ideological underpinning took so much space. Everybody had the feeling they were caught in the game, like this is something that they have to do, but not necessarily with a clear practical outcome in mind.'
Politico
20-04-2025
- Business
- Politico
With Trump back in power, World Bank walks a tightrope on climate work
The World Bank has softened its once-vocal cheerleading for climate action as the Trump administration evaluates its support for international organizations and works to cut funding for climate programs. As head of the largest public development financier, World Bank President Ajay Banga has been emphasizing jobs and Republican-friendly energy sources like nuclear power and natural gas. He's also defended its climate work when asked, saying recently that the bank's climate investments don't interfere with its core mission of poverty reduction. But that messaging signals a break with Banga's robust public defense of the bank's climate record under President Joe Biden, who nominated Banga in part to bolster green lending. Former officials and at least five people familiar with the thinking inside the institution, some of whom were granted anonymity to speak candidly, said the bank is downplaying its messaging of climate work out of self-preservation even as its underlying climate policy has not changed. 'Now, do you want to scream this all loudly? Probably not in this environment. You don't get much from doing that,' said Samir Suleymanov, a former World Bank official who directed its strategic initiatives unit. The bank's messaging on climate represents a delicate balancing act between the institution and the U.S., its largest shareholder. The U.S. has provided significant support for the arm of the bank that serves the world's poorest nations, with the Biden administration pledging $4 billion before leaving office. That funding is still subject to approval in a Republican-controlled Congress, and withholding it would crimp investments to poorer nations struggling with multiple crises ranging from climate change to inflation to food insecurity. Banga says he hasn't changed anything and is still using the words climate finance to refer to the bank's commitment to put 45 percent of its annual lending toward climate-related projects in fiscal year 2025. 'Remember, we have a board which has representatives of all our shareholders and all these words and thinking go through their system,' Banga said on a call with reporters ahead of the bank's annual spring meetings that start Monday in conjunction with the International Monetary Fund. 'This is a fair debate to have at the board, and then we'll figure out what may change or not change.' But in recent weeks, he has also talked about an 'all of the above' energy strategy he wants to take to the board in June and has already pressed it to restart investments in nuclear energy, in part, he says, to help power data centers. 'There is no reason why a country in Africa should not care about affordable, accessible electricity,' Banga told reporters Wednesday. 'And it includes gas, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, wind and nuclear where it makes sense.' Banga has previously talked about natural gas, often as an example of the divide between developed countries that have grown wealthy on fossil fuels and oil- and gas-rich poorer nations now being told not to exploit those resources. 'The rules of energy access are not applied equally,' he has said. He's also talked about gas as a transition fuel and said in 2023 that 'all we're trying to do is reduce investment in fossil fuels.' The bank's climate work is occurring as several of the Trump administration's allies want the U.S. to exit the World Bank entirely, arguing that its mission runs counter to American national interest and does China's bidding. A Trump administration review of U.S. participation in international organizations like the World Bank is due in August. It's a high-stakes game for the World Bank, which must balance previous commitments to put nearly half of its financing toward climate initiatives while avoiding stoking Trump's anger. The bank's green initiatives include measures to help countries adapt to rising temperatures by strengthening infrastructure or supporting drought-resistant agriculture, and aid for the transition to cleaner energy and transportation. A spokesperson for the World Bank Group said the bank's agenda has long been clear and consistent. 'For two years, we've been working to make the Bank faster, more efficient, and focused on creating jobs,' the spokesperson said, noting that jobs are intertwined with clean air and water, reliable power and support for the private sector. 'The realities of the countries we serve—and the diversity of the challenges they face—mean we match solutions to context and rely on every tool at our disposal to deliver,' the spokesperson added. 'Climate finance—like shifting freight to rail or building drip irrigation—is part of that mix, but no more and no less important than the rest. That's what we've been saying. That's what we've been doing.' Banga, during last week's press conference and in recent speeches, has stressed that projects under the bank's climate financing have broader benefits to a country's economy, leading to job creation and stemming migration. Banga's climate boosterism only deepened Trumpworld's animosity toward the bank, said Stephen Moore, the conservative economist who co-authored the Project 2025 chapter imploring a U.S. exit from the World Bank. He said the bank's climate agenda diverted it from its development mission, claiming it became harder to finance fossil fuel projects even for people who lack electricity access. 'It was so outrageous that this is what they were doing. It was almost like they wanted to keep countries poor,' Moore said in an interview. The chances of a U.S. withdrawal from the bank are unlikely, in part because doing so would mean giving up its shares to countries willing and able to buy them, namely China. But the bank's work on climate and its international focus broadly aren't likely to be overlooked entirely by an administration that has put American energy dominance at the center of its agenda. That's different from Trump's first term, said Karen Mathiasen, a former acting U.S. representative to the World Bank from 2017-2018 who is now project director at the Center for Global Development. 'There was a much more open attitude towards working with these institutions and kind of focusing on traditional Republican issues like fiscal responsibility,' she said. 'Now everything feels very hostile and adversarial.' Banga has made a case for the bank's utility, highlighting its efficient use of capital, work to engage the private sector and his moves to refocus toward its core mandate, poverty reduction. 'Our ultimate goal is to help countries build dynamic private sectors that convert growth into local jobs – not by shifting work from developed countries, but by unlocking opportunity where people already live,' he wrote in an opinion piece in the Financial Times published April 1. It made no mention of climate change, a marked contrast with Banga's earlier op-eds and speeches. In an address at the World Bank and IMF's annual meetings in October 2023, Banga said the world 'cannot endure another period of emissions heavy growth' and filled it with examples of why the bank needed a new playbook to tackle global challenges, of which climate change was central. 'In addition to the efforts already underway to bring more efficiency and focus on core mandates, which may partly address Trump administration concerns, I think there is willingness to go further, especially when it comes to greater flexibility in how the institutions think about energy investments,' said Matt Swinehart, a former Treasury official now a managing director at Rock Creek Global Advisors. The IMF, the bank's sister organization, has also toned down talk of climate. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund and a former environmental economist, didn't mention climate once in her curtain raiser speech on Thursday, focusing instead on trade and global growth. An IMF spokesperson said the speech 'understandably focused on the most pressing issue facing the global economy at this juncture – the impact of ongoing trade tensions, market volatility and uncertainty on the outlook, and how policymakers should respond in this context.' The spokesperson noted that climate-related events are on the spring meetings schedule. 'I think the institutions right now are walking a tightrope between policing the biggest shareholder and having legitimacy with the rest of the members,' said Kevin Gallagher, director of the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University. The bank has rolled out changes to extend its lending capacity and introduced Climate-Resilient Debt Clauses, a way for countries to defer loan payments following disasters, as part of its Biden-era reform agenda. It also amended the bank's mission of ending poverty to include the words 'on a liveable planet.' Many of those moves have earned the backing of other shareholders. Banga has also acknowledged that his new energy strategy requires shareholder approval. Several countries have doubled down on their commitment to support climate through the multilateral banks. France last month said 'a massive scaling up of public finance is needed both to alleviate poverty and protect the planet,' in its 'Paris Pact for People and the Planet,' which vowed to overcome divisions on multilateral development bank boards and the IMF. Some have welcomed the shift in messaging. The language around and emphasis on clean energy felt restrictive, boxing out other projects that can reduce emissions, said Suleymanov. The rhetorical shift is merely additive for the bank's climate portfolio, he said, noting that it would not come at the expense of renewable projects the bank has spent years planning with other governments. 'It may sound funny, but there is sort of a relief that this kind of pretend thing is over,' he said. 'The ideological underpinning took so much space. Everybody had the feeling they were caught in the game, like this is something that they have to do, but not necessarily with a clear practical outcome in mind.'
Associated Press
01-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Live updates: Mass layoffs begin at HHS
Employees across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday, as part of a major overhaul expected to ultimately lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices come just days after President Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights at HHS and other government agencies. Trump teases 'Liberation Day': Trump has promised to roll out taxes on imports from other countries on Wednesday, which he's calling 'Liberation Day,' and says they will free the U.S. from reliance on foreign goods. A top European Union official warned the U.S. that the world's biggest trade bloc 'holds a lot of cards' when it comes to dealing with tariffs and has a good plan to retaliate if forced to. Election Day in Wisconsin and Florida: Elections in Florida and Wisconsin have become key tests of Trump's political standing. The marquee race is for a swing seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Two Republican-friendly Florida congressional seats could give the GOP some breathing room in the narrowly divided chamber. Joint Chiefs chairman nominee to face questions: Trump's pick to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan 'Razin' Caine, will face questions from senators during his confirmation hearing Tuesday about his qualifications to become the top U.S. military officer. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker carried an all-night speech to protest Trump's agenda Booker took to the Senate floor Monday evening saying he would remain there as long as he was 'physically able.' He was still on the floor Tuesday morning more than 12 hours later. 'These are not normal times in our nation,' Booker said at the start of his speech. 'And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.' Booker railed against cuts to Social Security offices and spoke to concerns that broader cuts to the social safety net could be coming, though Republican lawmakers say the program won't be touched. Trump's schedule for Tuesday At 12:30 p.m., President Trump and Vice President JD Vance will have lunch at the White House. At 3 p.m., Trump will sign executive orders. There will also be a press briefing held at noon today, according to the White House. FDA's top tobacco official is removed from post in latest blow to health agency's leadership The Food and Drug Administration's chief tobacco regulator has been removed from his post amid sweeping cuts at the agency and across the federal health workforce handed down Tuesday, according to people familiar with the matter. In an email to staff, FDA tobacco director Brian King said: 'It is with a heavy heart and profound disappointment that I share I have been placed on administrative leave.' King was removed from his position and offered reassignment to the Indian Health Service, according to a person familiar with the matter who did not have permission to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Dozens of staffers in FDA's tobacco center also received notices of dismissal Tuesday morning, including the entire office responsible for enforcing tobacco regulations. JUST IN: FDA's tobacco director has been forced out, the latest in a string of departures at the public health agency ask a question Ask AP a question By The Associated Press We'll answer your questions during our live coverage. Trump has dubbed April 2 'Liberation Day' for his tariffs. Here's what to expect Trump has repeatedly called April 2 'Liberation Day,' with promises to roll out a set of tariffs, or taxes on imports from other countries, that he says will free the U.S. from a reliance on foreign goods. To do this, Trump has said he'll impose 'reciprocal' tariffs to match the duties that other countries charge on U.S. products. But a lot remains unknown about how these levies will actually be implemented. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Trump would unveil his plans on Wednesday, but maintained that the details are up to the president to announce. Since taking office just months ago, Trump has proven to be aggressive with tariff threats, all while creating a sense of whiplash through on-again, off-again trade actions. And it's possible that we'll see more delays or confusion this week. Layoffs begin at US health agencies Employees across the massive U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday in a major overhaul expected to ultimately lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices come just days after Trump moved to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights at HHS and other agencies throughout the government. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s announced a plan last week to remake HHS, which, through its agencies, is responsible for tracking health trends and disease outbreaks, conducting and funding medical research, monitoring the safety of food and medicine, and administering health insurance programs for nearly half of the country. The plan would consolidate agencies that oversee billions of dollars for addiction services and community health centers across the country under a new office called the Administration for a Healthy America. The layoffs are expected to shrink HHS to 62,000 positions, lopping off nearly a quarter of its staff — 10,000 jobs through layoffs and another 10,000 workers who took early retirement and voluntary separation offers.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: Why Tim Walz Has a Bad Case of ‘Main Character' Syndrome
Tim Walz was a dud as vice presidential pick. He added zero to the ticket. In his one big moment—the vice-presidential debate with J.D. Vance—he got beat. Badly. And looked hopelessly out of his depth. None of this is to say that if Kamala Harris had picked someone other than Walz she would be president right now. History tells us that VP picks almost never make any real difference. And I think that's true this time too. Had Harris picked, say, Josh Shapiro, she still would have lost. To my mind then, Walz was a sort of historical blip. Plucked from relative obscurity and then, after losing, sent back to that relative obscurity. Which isn't nothing! Being a governor of a state is a big deal! Being the VP nominee is a huge deal! But, in politics, water usually finds its level. And Walz's level was not—and is not—national politics. This is obvious to anyone who has spent any amount of time covering or watching politics. It is not obvious, however, to Tim Walz. Since the election loss, Walz has slowly but surely tried to fashion a narrative that he was under-utilized during the campaign. And that had he been properly deployed a) he would have shined and b) Harris might have won. Witness this recent story from CNN on Walz—and this line in particular: Walz says now he should have been doing events all through last fall. He says he offered, but was told no, and in his bewildered daze, he decided to be a team player. A few things: 1. The job of the VP nominee is literally to be a team player. Like, that's the gig. 2. If you think that the answer to Democrats' problems in the 2024 election was 'more Tim Walz,' I have a terrific up-and coming-video company named Blockbuster you might be interested in. This is not the first time that Walz has done some backseat driving about what went wrong in 2024. Or the first time he has concluded that the solution to what ailed the campaign was MORE TIM WALZ. Here's Walz diagnosing the problems with the campaign earlier this month in an interview with Politico: I think we probably should have just rolled the dice and done the town halls, where (voters) may say, 'you're full of shit, I don't believe in you.' I think there could have been more of that… We, as a party, are more cautious…in football parlance, we were in a prevent defense to not lose when we never had anything to lose because I don't think we were ever ahead. I actually think he's right about that. But, the problem is that the risk-averse strategy Walz is decrying is the only reason he was picked as VP! Harris wanted someone who wouldn't overshadow her didn't have national political ambitions of his own. Of course, every politician who has had a taste of being a candidate for national office wants more of it. Walz is no exception. Hence his decision to embark on a tour of Republican-friendly congressional districts this year. Again, CNN: As many Democratic voters have moved since November from dejection, to panic, to curdling anger at party leaders who haven't come up with a better way of fighting back, Walz's answer is a tour of Republican House districts to listen to stories of desperation, call on Democrats to lay out a policy agenda with clearer direct benefits for voters and try to build a new sense of community that he says he hadn't realized his party had lost so much. Here's my guess: Walz probably runs for a third term as governor next year. Because why not? It's a midterm year with a likely unpopular incumbent Republican president and in a Democratic-leaning state, he likely wins. At which point, he will offer some blandly vague answers about running for president in 2028. And then admit he is, yes, thinking about it because so many people—eye roll—are asking him to consider it. I could also see Walz deciding against a third term in 2026 but trying to emerge as one of the voices filling the current leadership void within the party—he's already sort of doing that now—and, when asked, offer some blandly vague answers about running for president in 2028. And then admit he is, yes, thinking about it because so many people —eye roll—are asking him to consider it. To be clear: I am extremely skeptical that Walz is a real player come 2028. Nothing I saw during the campaign—or after it—suggests to me he is that guy. But Walz absolutely has caught a case of 'main character' syndrome. He seems to have convinced himself that he is a major player. That the Democratic party is clamoring for what he is selling. And that if only he had been unleashed—or something—on the campaign trail in 2024, things would have been different. It reminds me a little bit of Uncle Rico. Walz is, of course, entitled to his own opinion. But not to his own facts. And the facts of the 2024 race are these: 1. He was picked as VP because of a single viral TV clip—the whole 'weird' thing—and because he offered no threat to Harris. 2. Once the initial hype machine efforts—he's a football coach! he's a normal guy!—wore off, Walz was beset by a number of negative stories including that he had misremembered whether he had been in Tiananmen Square during the massacre in 1989. 3. His performance in the VP debate with Vance was mediocre at best. 4. The Harris campaign realized that he was not an asset, and largely hid him from view in the final weeks of the race. Again, Walz may run for president in 2028! It's a wide-open field. And he clearly thinks the public is longing for him. But, objectively, they aren't. Walz is a supporting actor. Not a lead guy. He's just the last guy to realize it. Want more ball and strike calling—no matter what uniform the batter at the plate is wearing? Check out Chris Cillizza's Substack and YouTube channel.
