We wanted an attack dog....

[kentuck]

But Tim Walz is not an attack dog.

He is a moderate and pragmatic Democrat that appeals to the middle of America.

That is why his approval ratings went up so dramatically after the debate. He appealed to many moderate Republicans and Independents with his debate performance.

It was not what we wished for, but it is what Kamala needed to seal her victory, in my opinion.

In my opinion, "undecided" voters, at this stage of the campaign, have no idea what the facts might be. They are looking for "something else" in their candidates. Whatever it is, Governor Tim Walz seems to have it.

[Emile]

1. Walz is a Labrador Retriever.

[LiberalArkie]

33. Probably Golden Retriever

[LT Barclay]

44. Not a bad thing. Super smart dogs. We had our golden at a dog park once and there

Was a male golden who was being pushed around by the other male dogs. So he decided to show those males where to stick that “submissive” stereotype and spent the next 30 minutes putting them all to flight.

[arlyellowdog]

2. I just wanted them to not find something on Tim

Or to say something stupid. He didn’t. Vance did. JD Vance is a Yale Law School educated author. I think thing the only person who could go up against him is a kindly, sincere guy Vance would look crappy going after.

[birdographer]

3. I left the debate halfway through

because Vance was getting away with so much BS. And Walz was being a good guy. The fact is, a good steady guy is who we want in the WH. I'm very glad to hear that his approval ratings went up. Also, clearly I missed some good stuff--I did see the clip where Walz asks Vance if trump lost in 2020 and Vance gets deer-in-the-headlights look. And where Vance fusses because the deal was there was to be no fact checking (so he can lie his ass off).

[bluestarone]

4. The ONLY thing that i wish was mention more was (when Kamala was accused of not doing anything for 3 and half years)

I wanted Walz to say that was because of TFG's RETHUGS in the house!! We need a NEW CONGRESS!

[Emile]

6. I thought the same as you.

[Chin music]

5. Not sue about you, but,

it was indeed what I hoped for. Gov Walz did a great job imo. I liked his performance completely last night.
Calm. Knew the answers. Stated them well. No gaffes.
I like hearing stuff he has to say. Calm, kind, smart and able day one.
vance is grim and is w the pro russia appeasement group as well. He was bought in Ohio by thiel. He still is. Should just ask p thiel what he's got planned for America and cut out the middle man.

[et tu]

14. p 25 is what they have planned

do away with the constitution and what we know as democracy
that is why cf 45 has a 'concept of a plan' [p25] because maybe
being a dictator doesn't go over so well with the rest of us and this
is the way they are selling it~

[MadameButterfly]

46. I just worry that Vance came off as normal

which is a win for them. The two men aren't even close. i wanted his dictator preferring mentors brought up. The plan to destroy universities and "delete" govenrment officials. People have a right to know.

Still, the topics didn't exactly allow Walz to go there and he seized the opportunity about healthcare, J6, and federal lands.

[et tu]

47. i agree but i think walz did his best

and i don't think vance will ever come across as 'normal' imho

[MadameButterfly]

54. It was the first time Vance looked good

since he became VP nominee. The idea that Vance and Walz agree on anything is fiction. Vance posed as a reasonable person who cared about people, which made him sound a lot like Walz. The low information voters who don't know his record will fall for that. He'll even get some people believing Trump saved Obamacare.

But, it was really helpful that the Jack Smith evidence on J6 came out the day after Vance called it a peaceful transition and wouldnt say Trump lost the election. Making the most of Walz best line.

[wryter2000]

7. He was fine with me

Attacking wouldn’t have penetrated that supreme arrogance.

[Prairie_Seagull]

8. I liked the 'mean mugging' from Walz

as Vance spewed his slithery shit.

Beware the dog that only growls.

[Iris]

9. Excellent point.

Especially - In my opinion, "undecided" voters, at this stage of the campaign, have no idea what the facts might be. They are looking for "something else" in their candidates. Whatever it is, Governor Tim Walz seems to have it.

[people]

10. Where did you read that Walz' approval ratings went up after the debate?

That's good to hear but where did you see that?

[kentuck]

16. I saw one report where his approval ratings went up by 11%..

...and another where they went up by more than 20%.. It was probably on CNN or MSNBC?

[littlemissmartypants]

31. Do you have any sources? I'm interested in reading the methods

Behind the surveys. Thanks! ❤️

[thesquanderer]

26. Among debate watchers...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GY4TaDDXQAACMTa?format=jpg&name=medium

[Sogo]

38. Thank you for this post.

I needed to see where the increased approval had gone up....

Delighted!!

[DinahMoeHum]

11. When push comes to shove. . .

. . .people prefer to work with steadfast plodders (Walz) , not devious geniuses (Vance).

Just my 2 cents.

[bigtree]

12. sick of that macho nonsense

...we need compassionate and responsive governance which doesn't rely on attacking people to make it's points or get things done.

[Self Esteem]

13. We didn't need a 2012 Biden-Ryan debate performance.

The dynamics of that race were entirely different. Democrats were coming off a really bad debate between Obama and Romney and the polls were just starting to shift toward Romney. They needed Biden to stop the bleeding and he did. Biden killed Ryan. It changed the whole narrative of the race and I think showed Obama how to effectively attack, which he displayed in the second debate.

Democrats really didn't need that this go around.

[Polybius]

15. I miss that Biden

He was one hell of a debater back then.

[twodogsbarking]

17. Undecided voters. Gee, what would y'all like for dinner, road kill or a home cooked meal.

[Jersey Devil]

18. Excellent analysis

Tim Walz just had to be Tim Walz for people to appreciate what a reasonable, solid candidate he is.

[kentuck]

21. Kamala made a wise decision in picking Walz...

...in my opinion.

[UpInArms]

49. I thoroughly agree

Walz is the right person … he is sincere, thoughtful, smart and nothing gets past him.

[Quiet Em]

19. excellent assessment.

I agree.

Many people are tired of the insults, divisiveness and clownish behavior that MAGA has unleashed through the past 8+ years. They want normalcy. Governor Walz delivers that normalcy.

[pansypoo53219]

20. we got a lassie of vp picks.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

22. I beg to differ.

I have seen Tim Walz debate his Republican opponents with the FACTS and he won every election he ran in. He is and never was an attack dog. But someone people could relate to. Which is why Kamala Harris selected him as her VP running mate.

Tim did everything he set out to do, and laid down the FACTS. He spoke to the American people directly. By that, his approvals went up 11% to 59% with a disapproval of 22%. I would say even Lassie would be happy with that.

[moniss]

28. Right you are and as I said people need to realize that Tim

is able to maneuver during a situation without "blowing up" at someone in order to get his desired result. It is a learned skill useful for being a good teacher and coach. When people slow down and think for a minute what Tim did last night was perfectly played and his polling numbers after showed it. He let JD spew all of his crap while he held off getting into yelling matches. He showed his even temper and being relatable while getting his views on policies out there. The media will try to say otherwise perhaps but undecideds and moderates respond to that approach way more than the hand waving and conspiracy theory lies etc.

[UpInArms]

50. He proved my grandmother's adage

You can disagree without being disagreeable

[whathehell]

35. "We got a lassie of vp picks"?

Care to explain?

[moniss]

23. I would also point out something for those not familiar with Midwestern

folks. Nobody should mistake being a nice guy as "weakness" etc. I can assure you that Midwestern people will fight down into the plowed soil if it calls for it. It's just that we generally don't "wear it on our sleeve" as much as other regions do sometimes. I guarantee that Tim Walz will go toe to toe with anybody if need be. Tim is also smart enough to know how to nullify someone with a maneuver as opposed to a "frontal verbal assault" so to speak.

[Pinback]

24. Sincerity, competence, decency.

These still appeal to most voters.

[poozwah]

25. typical

democrats are never happy. walz is an honest man……much more so than vance. who gives a damn if he isn’t as polished as vance who, like trump, is a shell of a human being who cares only about principal and will abandon principle in pursuit of power and money. this angst about the debate is the media trying to keep the race close. what they do not realize, or care about, is their existence is in danger. if democrats feel a tinge of pain from last night’s debate, they will get a severe beating in a month if they start giving up now. STOP THE GODDAMNED BITCHING AND START FIGHTING BACK!!!

[bluesbassman]

27. I think Tim did just fine and really connected with a lot of people. My only fault was his China answer.

I had no problem with him giving his back story for his experience there, but he danced around answering the legitimate question about his misstatement regarding his being in Hong Kong during Tiananmen Square. It was not a good look.

[littlemissmartypants]

36. Unfortunately, I agree. But it was only a very minimal cringe for me.

And he admitted to being a flawed individual. So, I gave him a pass.

He was standing next to a windup doll designed to lie, after all. It was an eyeball melting glaring contrast.

[bluesbassman]

45. Yes, just would've been a great contrast to that smarmy POS if Tim just boldly said "I mis-spoke" right out of the gate.

As it was though, unless one is predisposed to an attraction to sock puppets like the one Peter Thiel sent up there last night, even in his "charming" mode Vance was extremely repulsive.

[Playingmantis]

29. He did not have to be a snarking attack dog but

I think he could have attacked more but with a smile...

Harris is my kind of debater...smiles and laughs as she bites Trumps head off...

[BlueWavePsych]

30. Quite simply, I trust Kamala Harris and her VP pick as well.

[DownriverDem]

32. Not me

I didn't want an attack dog. I wanted Tim to be Tim and he was!

[Sogo]

34. Well said. That sums up my feelings (wanting an attack dog), but apparently it has turned out well....

Do you have a link for those increased approval ratings?

[ProudMNDemocrat]

39. Here it is...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219525302

[C_U_L8R]

37. Tim played the long game

It's become more and more apparent as people digest
what exactly happened and what was said.
Vance just compounded lie upon lie, wrapped in gooey saccharine,
which ultimately gave Tim's knockout blow more power.
Truth hurts.

[Joinfortmill]

40. It's called DECENCY.

[Figarosmom]

41. I do agree

He was amiable and normal. Vance tried to appear normal but came of as a sleazy tv evangelist who would only appeal to magas

[Martin Eden]

42. I hope so

My wife and I both watched the debate, and we were both very concerned that low information voters might fall for the impersonation of a decent reasonable person by Vance, and his gaslighting throughout.

[D_Master81]

43. How people are undecided at this point?

I can’t for the life of me understand how someone is undecided at this point. Donald Trump has been in the public domain for a decade. You either love him or want to move on. Depending on the events of the next month will determine how they break. If the Middle East and economy go down the crapper I can see them wanting a “strong man”. If the status quo remains I think they break for Kamala and we can begin to move on from this era.

[kwolf68]

52. People are undecided because

They are not sure about democracy or the constitution. Maybe they think “something better” is out there. Yuk

[mucholderthandirt]

48. I didn't. I wanted someone who would stand up to the usual Republican nonsense, and I got it, plus some.

He can't go against his nature, but he's got good instincts, he doesn't give up, and he's so honest he let everyone know he was nervous about the debate. He's perfect for the job. I think he did fine, Vance went on being an idiot, and Tim called him on it enough that people are talking about it days later. Good job. Well done, got the points across, let Vance be the whining crybaby he is. Don't fact-check me, bro!

[Ferrets are Cool]

51. My biggest complaint was the nodding and agreeing.

You don't agree with a lying psychopath that wants to destroy our Democracy and Country.
Yes, I was disappointed that Coach didn't wear brass knuckles in this fight for the Democracy, but I do understand the reasoning. I still can't agree with it.

[ColinC]

53. Speaking the truth Kentuck!!