Some liberals expressed concerns Tuesday about Vice President Kamala Harris newly minted running mate, Tim Walz, with one calling the Minnesota governor a “situational” pick.
“A lot of people are excited, but it’s not all one way,” CNN political analyst Van Jones said during an appearance on the network as he discussed Harris’ pick.
“What worries me is you see a lot of relief from the conservatives,” he said, arguing that Republicans were “scared” of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro or Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) winning the veepstakes.
“They thought that would help define Kamala more to the middle. You see a lot of rejoicing on the right. That’s not good,” Jones said.
Jones also suggested that he had noticed “some disquiet in the Jewish community” over Harris selecting Walz instead of Shapiro, who is Jewish.
“Some people had their hopes up. Maybe you’re going to get another shot at a Jewish vice president — we haven’t had that for two decades — and now that gets pulled away,” the CNN contributor said, referring to late Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who was Dem presidential hopeful Al Gore’s veep pick in 2000.
Jones then wondered whether the Jewish consternation he’s seen is because Shaprio is “a moderate” — or the result of “anti-Jewish bias.”
“The party is still digesting this,” he said of Harris’ pick.
Liberal columnist EJ Dionne, while largely praising Harris for picking Walz, noted in the Washington Post that he saw the Minnesota governor’s selection as “situational.”
“Shapiro is a great governor who has an exceptional future,” Dionne said of the onetime apparent runner-up.
“I think the choice of Walz was situational. There was a lot of static around Shapiro,” he argued. “A lot of it was unfair. But Harris clearly decided that litigating the meaning of a Shapiro choice would create distractions at a moment when she is on a roll.
“She decided to keep her momentum going,” Dionne wrote.
The liberal columnist described Walz as “unusual” in a sense, because he is “a safe choice who is also an exciting choice.”
