As the nation basked in Tim “Coach” Walz‘s big dad energy at his Philadelphia debut as Kamala Harris’ running mate, The View co-host Ana Navarro-Cárdenas summed up what Walz has going for him — not so much in his record as Minnesota governor, but as compared to the otherwise “weird” field of competition.
There are many things about Walz’s Minnesota record to crow about like supporting abortion and LGBTQ+ rights and sensible gun safety laws. But on the heels of truly bizarre revelations like RFK Jr. dumping a baby bear carcass in New York’s Central Park, South Dakota Governor Gretchen Whitmer admitting she once shot a puppy because it was “untrainable,” and Donald Trump and JD Vance being — well, Trump and Vance, Walz does seem refreshingly normal. It speaks volumes about U.S. politics that a service-oriented politician with a military and public school background could feel like such a welcome change.
Like Navarro-Cárdenas, we’re ‘good with Walz’
Like Ana Navarro-Cárdenas, many around the U.S. weren’t familiar with Walz before he made Kamala Harris’ VP shortlist, and there are still further points to be made about how refreshingly “not weird” Walz seems compared to MAGA Republicans. To be fair, RFK Jr. didn’t stab the bear cub, it was roadkill. But then again, Trump was convicted in the hush-money case involving retired adult actress Stormy Daniels, so the porn star bit is more than just rumor, as her X post suggests.
Still, Navarro-Cárdenas’ post on X is a calling card for what we can only hope will be the “new normal” in D.C. Even Walz dropped a Vance-related-conjugal-couch-visit dad joke at his Philly premiere when he said he couldn’t wait to debate Trump’s VP pick “if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up” — good one, coach.
Walz is not without his MAGA critics
The View co-host caught some blowback in her comments section about Walz about his handling of the 2020 Black social justice demonstrations in Minneapolis and how Walz turned Minnesota into a haven for “groomers.” Others, however, added comments like, “[Walz] has a great backstory! I’m excited about VP Walz ushering in a more progressive model of masculinity for our young men: not only serving your country, coaching football, but enthusiastically supporting women and children earnestly.”
As for Ana Navarro-Cárdenas, she elaborated on her Walz endorsement in an Instagram post. “I’ve read and watched as much as I can on Tim Walz in the last couple of hours. You’re gonna hear he’s some sort of Leftie socialist. That’s false. He’s a gun-owner and hunter. He signed-up to serve his country at 17 and was a member of the National Guard for 24 years … Joe Manchin — not exactly a flaming Liberal — has come out in support of his selection,” Navarro-Cárdenas wrote in part.