How Kamala Harris Trusted Her Gut and Picked Tim Walz

4 months ago 36

You person a preview presumption of this nonfiction portion we are checking your access. When we person confirmed access, the afloat nonfiction contented volition load.

The ambitious Josh Shapiro asked astir his relation arsenic vice president. The battle-tested Mark Kelly was already seen arsenic a 3rd option. And the happy-go-lucky Mr. Walz promised to bash thing for the team.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota lasting  onstage and waving to the assemblage  astatine  their archetypal  associated  run  rally connected  Tuesday successful  Philadelphia.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota astatine their archetypal rally unneurotic connected Tuesday successful Philadelphia. He had appeared to beryllium a agelong changeable for her moving mate erstwhile her astonishment elevation began conscionable weeks agone but emerged arsenic a apical contender.Credit...Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

Published Aug. 6, 2024Updated Aug. 7, 2024, 11:14 a.m. ET

Follow unrecorded updates connected the 2024 election.

When Vice President Kamala Harris gathered immoderate of her closest advisers successful the eating country of the Naval Observatory connected Saturday, they had much choices than time.

Her squad had conscionable wrapped up the fastest, astir intensive vetting of imaginable moving mates successful modern history, a blitz of paperwork and virtual interviews that had concluded lone connected Friday. The advisers were determination to contiguous their findings connected a database that inactive technically ran six heavy to Ms. Harris, who had little than 72 hours to sift done it to marque her last decision.

One by one, the ellipse of her astir trusted confidants ran done the pros and cons of each imaginable No. 2. The sessions went agelong capable to beryllium breached up with sandwiches and salads arsenic the squad yet focused connected the 3 men she would conscionable the adjacent time for what would beryllium to beryllium pivotal in-person interviews: Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.

Polls had been conducted. Focus groups had been commissioned. Records reviewed. And the upshot, Ms. Harris was told, was this: She could triumph the White House with immoderate of the 3 finalists by her side.

It was the rarest of governmental proposal for a governmental person astatine the crossroads of specified a consequential decision. And for Ms. Harris, a vice president who had spent overmuch of her tenure trying to softly found herself without moving afoul of President Biden, the proposal was freeing alternatively than constricting.

She could prime whomever she wanted.

On Tuesday, she did conscionable that, revealing Mr. Walz arsenic her moving mate aft the 2 struck up an casual rapport successful a Sunday sit-down astatine her residence, forming a caller concern that volition specify the Democratic Party successful 2024 and perchance beyond. The communicative of however Ms. Harris came to prime Mr. Walz was told done conversations with astir a twelve radical progressive successful the enactment process, galore of whom spoke connected the information of anonymity to picture deliberations and discussions that were intended to stay private.


Thank you for your patience portion we verify access. If you are successful Reader mode delight exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for each of The Times.


Thank you for your patience portion we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want each of The Times? Subscribe.

Read Entire Article