120 Comments

I suspect as an experienced educator, Tim Walz will have strong command of the topics & policies that will be addressed, and the ability to communicate his answers in an engaging, easy to understand way.

I honestly, at this point don't think JD Vance can deliver pre-written material with much grace, and his apparent attempts at ad-libs have all been weird and awkward.

Like most mediocre white guys who have failed up, JD Vance can't recognize when he's flailing and off putting, but poor Tim Walz will have to stand on the other side of the stage, probably wanting to pat him on the back and tell him to take a breather on the bench for awhile.

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“Like most mediocre white guys who have failed up, JD Vance can't recognize when he's flailing and off putting, but poor Tim Walz will have to stand on the other side of the stage, probably wanting to pat him on the back and tell him to take a breather on the bench for awhile.” Love this. So true. Decency vs. Myopic Talentless Cluelessness.

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Steven B.:

[1]

"So what do you think will be the outcome of Tuesday’s showdown?

[2]

Can Tim Walz help dissolve the old and toxic idea of masculinity?

[3]

Do you expect him to take on Vance with aggression or a light touch?

[4]

Do you think Vance will succeed at pulling Walz down into angry discussions of immigrants and a failed economy?

[5]

Will Vance fail to beat the verbally talented Walz’s ability to infuse his ideas with humor?

[6]

Lastly, will you be watching the debate with nervousness or confidence?

Me[1]:The correspoding SNL skit will NOT beat SNL's "Harris V Pence" debate STARRING THE FLY!!😁😁😁

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI_lxFv203I

[2]Not as well as Brian in "The Life of Brian"😁😁😁

https://youtu.be/QHjj5S70kBc?t=2351

[3]We hope Tim can "bait" JD like Harris baited Trump😁😁😁

[4]Tim can expose JD's "TPS"(Temporary Trump Protective Status)

https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbcf01134-6e4c-4dad-a133-1ffad356101e_3500x2262.jpeg

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/caption-contest-springfield/comment/69959648

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/caption-contest-springfield/comment/69964427

[5]The Darker my sense of humor, the more joy I find in (the darker side of) Life.😁😁😁

[6]I will be watching the debate with Mary Jane😁😁😁

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She’ll beat him like a drum, but not a single MAGA will realize it 🤮

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Walz is so refreshing! Meanwhile, Vance thinks that Haitian people come from "Hatia" 🙄. How is it possible for someone to be in the running for the vice-presidency, and be that ignorant? 😖Vance is a walking nightmare and a joke, all at the same time.

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I really liked all her picks, but was *SO* happy when she picked Walz!

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At first, I was a bit unsure, as I had a favorite in mind, but once I saw the kind of person he was, I realized he was the perfect choice!

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And who went to Yale Law?

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So did Clarence Thomas 🤮.

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He’s a shameless, craven asshole

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So did Josh Hawley.

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Another jerk!

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Lessee if Missourians are smart and sane enough to elect Marine LTC and also a Yalie Lucas Kunce. Very smart and capable. Not a fake tough guy like Hawley who on Jan. 6 ran after inciting the very crowd

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Unfortunately, coward Hawley is now way ahead in the polls. Big money obviously talks big.

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Well he has said what needs to happen should his team win, is to go into the universities and root out all the “bad”people pushing corrupt ideas or words to that effect. I wish I could find the link but it gives us a pretty good idea of where they would hit as soon as they could. Following the typical playbook of all dictators.

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Makes one wonder, does it not? 🤔

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If he loses will he create a story that it was because of witchcraft?

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If Vance loses and is taking lessons from his mentor, Mr. T., he will blame anyone or anything, except himself.

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True. This is the excuse offered for his mentor

— Ohio Sen. JD Vance is set to participate in a town hall in Pennsylvania on Saturday with evangelical religious leader Lance Wallnau, who said after this month's presidential debate that Vice President Kamala Harris used "witchcraft."—

https://www.aol.com/news/vance-attend-event-evangelist-said-165058251.html

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Wallnau is another complete lunatic. Why are there so many of these who play at calling themselves Xtians?

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This guy is also known as a white christian nationalist. He’s supported Donnie since 2015. Apparently the GOP is much more comfortable campaigning openly with them - or much more desperate.

We know when someone wraps power grab in god’s will bad things happen. Marry it to $$$ and more people are drawn in. Things like selling the great replacement theory becomes easier. Also other lies that campaign is spewing - such as “they” are given things at the expense of real Americans who suffer.

Power and the so-called “prosperity gospel” are their common threads. Norman Vincent Peale was the trump family pastor. Fred Trump was a big follower as was DJT. He and DJT became friends. He’s gone and was replaced by people like Paula White and this guy. We can thank George W. for giving religion, mostly christianity, an official place in government that lingers.

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Well, it wouldn't surprise me... we all know he's perfectly capable of creating any story that will serve his purpose or provide a scapegoat.

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Confidence. But it doesn't matter. Walz will wipe the floor with Vance and nyt and cnn and wapo et. al will declare Vance the winner.

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I have never watched a VP debate, but I’m going to watch this one! I look forward to JD Vance

making a complete fool of himself and Coach Tim Walz laughing his ass off. There is no chance Vance can go through 90 minutes without saying something stupid. 🤣

I can’t wait until Tim wipes the floor with JD Vance at their debate.

I can't wait to celebrate Harris/Walz 2024 LANDSLIDE victory wearing this "Kamala removes stubborn orange stains" t-shirt 👇 🤣

https://libtees-2.creator-spring.com/listing/votek

After that it is over for Trump, he won't make it to another 4 years to run again.

November 6, 2024: Everybody dancing on the streets celebrating Madam President Kamala Harris!

Can't wait!

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Still hijacking other people's Substacks to hawk your own products, I see.

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So you missed the fly on Pence's hair. Youtube it. Good times.

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First I put a heart then deleted it bc yes, JD will be. Will this be a fact-checked debate?

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No it won't be fact checked by the moderators. The candidate will have to do their own fact-checking. Very disappointed with the moderators

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That's a heavy lift! However, I believe his decency and sincerity - the "nice" he brings just by virtue of his upbringing and, as a result, the man he has become - will place him miles ahead of JV, and perhaps move, or at least nudge, that needle in the right direction.

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Nice + experience governing and working in jobs with which many identify. He has shown a tough side that is more about being adamant about humanity that he’ll show.

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You've written a Good article this morning ☕ Steven. The differences between the two candidates is like Night and Day, Light and Darkness and Decency vs Cruelty. I'm confident that Tim Walz's knowledge and compassion will win over the American people.However,JD Vance's shallowness and Lies will be his downfall. I'm going to be watching the body language from both candidates because unlike Walz, Vance is unskilled as a real human being. Good Job here, Steven, Thank You! 💯👍💙🇺🇲🌊🌊🌊

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For my own mental health, I can’t watch any event that features the lies, hate and cruelty coming out of the mouths of Trump, Vance or anyone associated with the MAGA movement.

I look forward to the day when we again have two decent political parties in America that can debate issues with dignity and integrity. Then I will watch these debates again.

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I’m gonna try to watch. Alas it’s just after a condo meeting that will be filled with lies (from board) about the budget and their ineptitude. Maybe Great British Bake-off instead???

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The Presidential debate was at same time as our HOA where we addressed a petition presented by some Sovereign Citizen types. I had taped the debate. I was so thankful to get a text from a friend that "Kamala is killing it". It got me through my meeting and happy to watch the debate.

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I hear you! Good on you for listening to your limits and practicing self-care. I have to limit my exposure to the toxicity to a great degree, as well. The mental exhaustion and trauma since Trump stepped into politics is very real. I'm still trying to figure out why a mental health evaluation is not a requirement for those who seek the highest political offices in the country! I am going to try watching the VP debate in hopes of seeing Vance trounced as badly by Walz as Trump was by Harris.

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Tim Walz has such joyful and positive energy. People respond to this and I think he will win. What a fabulous choice he is as a partner for Kamala. Perfection!

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All he has to say is “mind your own damn business!” and he’ll win hands down.

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I believe Tim Walz will be the calm, cool voice of reason & clearly state his & Kamala’s goals for our country. He’ll echo Kamala’s debate performance. They’re the love, hope, & light our country needs.

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As ever Mr. Beschloss you bring provocative wisdom to every discussion. I am grateful for you. I am very hopeful that Tim Walz will demonstrate that a good Midwestern man can be a great teacher, can be a responsible gun owner, can be compassionate (eg-all kids need nourishment to be able to learn), and is a “man’s man”. I live in Ohio. Therefore, I have no comment about JD Vance. As my mother taught me many, many years ago: when you have nothing good to say—just don’t say anything at all.

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Walz is an accomplished leader also.

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Indeed, he is! Thanks for including that.

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Though I have every confidence in Tim Walz, I have to confess I'll be watching nervously. At least for the first few minutes until the way in which the CBS moderators choose to frame the debate becomes apparent. I mean, there is simply no comparison between the quality of character of Tim Walz and JD Vance. But unless the moderators work to underpin the event with some basis in truth and fact, my fear is that it will turn into a charade. Vance is more slick and nimble than the traitor he serves and will dodge and swerve from one lie to another with the veneer of outrage that he uses in his attempts to justify his hypocrisy. I hope that Walz will let Vance twist himself into pretzels while countering with his unfailing common sense, decency and humor. My hope is that this event strips away a sizeable number of Trump's supporters.

To take a step back, it is such an utter travesty that the best that the hollowed out shell of a Republican Party can do is to nominate two such worthless, malevolent men at the top of their ticket. This is a nothing short of a national disgrace. But we have to end it by prevailing in November, and by overwhelming numbers.

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Honestly, I think that each man only needs to be himself for us to see who they are and what they stand for. Walz is lovable, smart, generous, articulate, kind, thoughtful, genuine; Vance is repulsive, racist, homophobic, sexist, socially and verbally inept, insulting, judgemental, and well, just plain gross. Their true colours will shine.

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Walz shouldn’t even prepare for the debate, he could teach it. One word Charisma on camera and off, it rolls off him naturally as rain. He is going to slay vance and strip his clothes off to see an empty suit beneath. The truth is easy and trump made a huge mistake for all to then laugh about. If vance shows up.

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I really like this excerpt from you essay here Steven:

…”At a time when Vance and Trump are aggressively working to fuel anger and grievance and expand a belief among men of their superiority, Walz offers a kinder, gentler picture of what it means to be a man.

Not only is he the nominee to support a female candidate, this warm and joyful man has emphasized his humanistic commitment to community-centric policies and values of caring, neighborliness, inclusion and equality…)

As for an opinion… yes I think the contrast between the two men, Walz and Vance gives me hope Walz CAN reduce “masculine toxicity”

I am constantly aghast that so many men still support Trump and Vance and their total disrespect and dislike for women who in effect are not slaves to them to mistreat.

Et Tu my cousin….😪💔

I still have hope.

💙💙🇺🇸💙💙

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Again, very much depends on the journalist/facilitators of the debate. It takes only a subtle lean, a lingering pause, a suggestive implication to bring heavy sway to bring heavy damage to one side or the other. Vance will be primed with barbs to emasculate his opponent, his salient schtick. Much depends on the effectiveness of the response--hopefully mostly a cool, non-ignited mein and possibly just enough anger when needed to emphasize credible impatience against bullshit nonsense.

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I think that it depends on the role of the moderators and their ability to ask policy questions and hold the candidates to answer the actual questions. The GOP has no policy, they have Project 2025 and not a lot of nuts and bolts thinking about how to implement it.

Harris and Walz have a clear plan and policy that addresses significant issues that face Americans every day.

And...if it's a popularity contest, then who do you think is more likable?

The guy who is more likely to buy all the neighborhood kids an ice cream at the Mister Softee truck, or the guy who calls the cops because a foreign looking man is lurking and his truck is pulled over in his neighborhood.

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Let's remember Tim Waltz is a former educator and coach. There are few men who don't get along well with local teachers and coaches. These are your main stays in local communities. These are those people who volunteer to coach little league sports and every dad and mom knows! J.D. doesn't understand the meaning of family and working in the community.

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Sorry, Steve, but it's not about masculinity per se, but what it is to be a man of character. Vance has the human touch of an armadillo and the empathy of his fearless leader. It will be a quick and humiliating victory for Walz as Vance will not be able to measure up against the kind of humanity that Walz will exude.

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