Elections

CNN Host Asks David Axelrod If Walz’s Appealing ‘Appearance’ And ‘Demeanor’ Will Mask His Liberal Record

CNN Host Asks David Axelrod If Tim Walz's Liberal Record Will Be Trumped By His Appealing 'Appearance' And 'Demeanor'

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Jason Cohen Contributor
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CNN host Brianna Keilar on Tuesday asked her network’s senior political commentator David Axelrod whether Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate’s liberal record will be eclipsed by his appealing look and personality.

Harris tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who has a record of far-left stances and actions on immigration issues, as her vice presidential pick. Keilar, on “CNN News Central” asked Axelrod if Walz’ presentation can help him avoid scrutiny for his record. (RELATED: Harris Once Bragged About Working ‘Behind The Scenes’ To Get Sex Change Surgeries For Trans Inmates)

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“He just looks kind of like everyone’s uncle, right? … He just kind of has this sort of appeal to him. And I wonder if you can speak to that, because right now you‘re seeing the Trump campaign and allies of Donald Trump trying to define him,” Keilar said. “And David, there are some things they can work with. I mean, if they look at some things about the response to the riots and the protests in 2020, he admitted that there was a bit of a delay in calling out the guard. There was a bipartisan report from the Minnesota Senate that found that he and the mayor  of Minneapolis didn’t fully recognize the scope of the problem they were dealing with and that the didn’t respond to it in a timely manner.”

“Why does that matter that, I think sort of like the vessel here … let’s say his appearance and also his demeanor, just kind of straightforwardness of him. Is that going to trump his record?” she asked.

Axelrod responded that Walz’s record is more comprehensive than what Keilar mentioned and that he thinks the governor should acknowledge his past missteps to disarm critics.

“You don’t look at this guy in any way, shape, or form and say, ‘boy, this guy looks like a raving left-wing extremist.’ He doesn’t sound like it, he doesn’t talk like it,” Axelrod said. “And most of his initiatives are economically oriented and speak to a working class agenda or working people agenda that is what, in fact, Kamala Harris is going to run on and probably should run on if she wants to win this election. But there’s no doubt that there’s going to be a race to define Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on the part of the Republicans.”

Walz’s record includes several left-wing initiatives, including signing the “Trans Refuge Bill” in April of 2023 enabling the state of Minnesota to make custody determinations if a child’s access to sex-change procedures is prohibited. Moreover, his first executive order as governor was creating a diversity, inclusion and equity council.

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