How will GOP attack new VP candidate Tim Walz? | Letters to the Editor
Tim Walz is now on the main stage
Kamala Harris selects Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as running mate
A critical part of successfully campaigning for the presidency is a candidate’s ability to define themselves in positive terms—and avoid being defined negatively by their opponent. Kamala Harris’s choice of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice president may provide us with a unique approach to the issue of how a candidate is defined.
Why is this so?
As a scholar of communication who studied political discourse for more than 45 years, I believe it rhetorically will be hard for Trump and Vance to define (actually “redefine”) Walz, a person who has not been on the national stage and someone most Americans don’t know. Unlike other politicians, Walz’s words and images paint a picture that is clear, genuine, authentic and understandable--and hence hard to dispute.
Moreover, Walz proudly owns his identity and will use it to persuade independent and undecided voters—people who will like and identify with Walz’s down to earth (tell it like it is, often humorously) discourse and common sense approach to governance.
In short, the 2024 election could be unique, providing politicians with a new strategy for campaigning.
Richard Cherwitz, Camas
Proposed state bill will boost voter registration
Millions of eligible Californians are not registered to vote. What can be done about it?
My family sought refuge in California from war in Southeast Asia. My parents spoke little English, and I became my family’s sole interpreter and civic navigator at a young age. This enormous responsibility is one many immigrant children hold within their families – often leading to prioritizing responding to urgent messages above voter registration. SB-299 will help families like mine when they’re at the DMV by implementing a secure automated system that records their preferred language for future electoral correspondence.
The bill also allows the Secretary of State to develop a “pre-approved for registration” list, granting voters the proof of eligibility needed for same-day registration on election day in case they accidentally miss deadlines. There are 4.6 million eligible but unregistered voters, many of whom are limited English speakers. SB 299 makes the most of California’s innovative reputation to lead us into a more effective and democratic future.
Vang Her, Fresno
