Team Kamala is gloating about their rise in the polls — and, at first glance, the selection of Tim Walz seems a shrewd one. He seems to shore up her weak points. He is affable, she does not. He’s got union support and blue-collar credentials, she does not. He’s unknown, she is known for being obnoxious.  

But Republicans don’t seem too wrongfooted by Walz. To their mind, he’s like Lotso, the cuddly bear villain in Toy Story 3: he sounds gentle but he really isn’t. As governor of Minnesota, he allowed Minneapolis to burn for days out of a warped sense of solidarity for Black Lives Matter. His record on trans issues is far to the left of the American middle and he was draconian in his lockdowns during Covid. 

The Trump campaign now believes that Walz gives them a chance to “reset,” which implies an awareness that the last two weeks have not been going. Trump, meanwhile, sounds jubilant. “He’s a shocking pick,” he said on Fox News this morning. “And I’m thrilled.” He didn’t sound like he was having a meltdown.