Kamala Harris’ Running Mate Finally Selected
When Joe Biden stepped down from the presidential election, Kamala Harris became the Democratic forerunner. With just a few months until the election, she had to pick a running mate quickly. Earlier this week, Walz was announced as the potential Vice President of the US.
Source: @KamalaHarris/X
Walz is the Governor of Minnesota and is a good match for Harris. He has been known to cause typically Republican-leaning states to swing to the Democratic side, which could benefit the Democrats’ fight to remain in power.
Accusations Against Walz
Since it was announced that Walz would be Harris’ running mate, Vance has stepped up his attacks on Walz. He has claimed that Walz betrayed his country by leaving the army before he was needed to serve in Iraq in 2006.
Source: Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan/Wikimedia Commons
Vance did serve in Iraq and said he’s proud of his accomplishments, as he believes it is his duty to serve his country. But while naming his achievements, he also felt the need to shame Walz.
Walz’s Time in the Army
One important thing to note is that Walz did serve in the army. He spent 24 years in the Army National Guard before deciding to retire in 2005 so he could run for Congress.
Source: US Army/Wikimedia Commons
Walz’s retirement happened two months before his unit was alerted that it was required to go to Iraq. His service, which is highly appealing to voters, helped with his selection as Harris’ running mate.
Vance and Walz’s Time in the Army
There is a clear difference between Vance’s and Walz’s time in the army. Vance has accused Walz of lying about serving in a combat zone, but Vance’s time in the army was somewhat different.
Source: @Mikel_Jollett/X
Vance was deployed to Iraq in 2005; however, this was as a military journalist. He was assigned combat correspondent but didn’t experience any combat. In contrast, Walz served in the infantry and artillery and was needed for natural disasters in the US and to help in Europe with Afghanistan.
What Was Walz Like in the Army?
Soldiers who served under Walz have stood up for him through these attacks. One soldier made it clear that no one looked down on him for his decision and that it was one that he made with a heavy heart.
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Walz himself has even made it clear that he knows he got more out of the army than the army got from him, especially regarding leadership opportunities.
Armed Weapons Started the War
It was a video on armed weapons that first started this argument. In the video, Walz makes his stance on gun control clear, saying, “We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war.”
Source: Thomas Tucker/Unsplash
However, Vance claims that Walz has never served in combat. Walz supporters have said that Walz has never tried to misrepresent what he did when in the army, whereas they feel that Vance has.
A Desperate Attempt to Win
Common Defense, a progressive veterans’ group, claims that Vance launched these attacks on Walz in a desperate attempt to put the Republicans back in the White House.
Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
They have made it clear that they don’t agree with attacking a fellow veteran’s military record and that what Vance is trying to attack Walz on doesn’t really matter, as many people have served in many different ways.
Similar Attacks Have Happened Before
This isn’t the first time an attack on a Democratic nominee has happened regarding their military career. A similar attack happened twenty years ago to presidential nominee John Kerry.
Source: United States Department of State/Wikimedia Commons
Kerry had served in Vietnam. Chris LaCivita, a Republican who is now a senior advisor to Trump, continuously tried to discredit his time in the war, and the result was a win for George W. Bush.
Other Republicans Disagree With the Attacks
Despite Vance’s attacks, not all Republicans agree with them. This includes Marc Short, Mike Pence’s former chief of staff. It goes to show that Republicans don’t widely respect this attack.
Source: The White House/Wikimedia Commons
Short believes that an attack on policy would be more effective than an attack on someone based on their military background. The attacks are too personal for his liking.
How the Democrats Are Framing It
As the Republicans are attacking Walz for his military background, the Democrats have decided to frame Walz’s decision to leave the army in a positive manner.
Source: Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan/Wikimedia Commons
They have emphasized his military record and time as a football coach and said that he decided to leave the National Guard and serve in politics so that he could help veterans and those currently serving.
Republicans vs. Democrats
At the end of the day, it is all about Republicans and Democrats pitting themselves against each other in the hope that their party can win the presidency.
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While Vance has been attacking Walz and his military career, Walz has taken a different approach. He has repeatedly thanked Vance for putting his life on the line to serve his country, and many believe Vance should share the same sentiment.