To his former high school football players. He was coach. And in 91 days. The nation will know Coach Walt by another name. [00:00:15] Vice president of the United States. You know, when they write these books, after performing like that and having people believe them, why would I ever believe them again? Here's what's going on. In her upcoming book, Kamala Harris reveals that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz [00:00:32] was not her first choice for running mate, but ultimately she went with Tim because he was a safer option. Her first choice former Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Buttigieg would have been an ideal partner if I were a straight white man, [00:00:51] but we were already asking a lot of America to accept a woman, a black woman, a black woman married to a Jewish man. Part of me wanted to say, screw it, let's just do it. But knowing what was at stake. It was too big of a risk. [00:01:08] And I think Pete also knew that to our mutual sadness, Harris goes on to explain how close the two were, stating he was, quote, a sincere public servant with the rare talent of being able to frame liberal arguments in a way that makes it possible for conservatives to hear them, [00:01:28] especially during the pandemic. Buttigieg did become sort of a household name and spokesperson for the Democratic Party, going on right wing networks like Fox News to tout Biden and his agenda. After Biden dropped out of the race, Buttigieg was suggested [00:01:45] as a possible running mate by allies who touted his high name recognition and ability to act as an attack dog. They also noted his age, just 42, would help Harris make the race about generational change and distance herself from the 81 year old Biden. [00:02:05] Harris wrote about how her life was upended when she became Biden's running mate in 2020, and her awareness that she was about to cause the same sudden swerve in someone else's life. But yet, she ultimately went with walls. Minnesota governor had burst onto the national stage weeks earlier with a series [00:02:24] of buzzy national cable interviews, and Harris has said that she liked his mix of Midwest folksiness and progressive bona fides. But after a well-received convention address, Walz became something of a non-entity on the campaign trail and turned into a middling performance [00:02:44] in his one debate with J.D. Vance. Buttigieg did seem to be a favorite among voters. According to ABC News Ipsos poll released in July of last year, Buttigieg was viewed favorably by 29% of respondents, with Mark Kelly coming in second at 22%. [00:03:02] Following them Governor Gavin Newsom, California 21% and Governor Whitmer, 20%. Shapiro came in at 17%. Tim Walz only had 6% favorability. Regardless what things have been different, if she'd chosen Buttigieg [00:03:21] over Walz, probably not, according to some Democrats ahead of the 2020 election. Harris moved to the left, along with most presidential hopefuls. Many primary voters, a shift that included an embrace of progressive policies on issues such as policing and immigration. [00:03:38] The party debated gender politics such as pronouns, transgender rights, and there was a heavy focus on the backgrounds and identities of its candidates. By 2024, Democrats seemed out of step with a country that appeared more focused on kitchen table issues. [00:03:56] The Atlantic filling in some of the details on this one. I think I learned something I didn't realize, Michael, how close she and Buttigieg were. But as I was chronicling that for for the For the audience. I started thinking about something. Just the way my mind works. [00:04:14] Do you think there's a possibility that she didn't go with Buttigieg, regardless of what's written here? Because when you're picking a vice president and maybe it's geography, but it's also I don't want you to upstage me. I don't want that. [00:04:30] Is that, do you think, possibility of what could have also been behind this? And when you are a sitting vice president, anyone you select, because of the, you know, the sort of nothing image of that job as vice president, [00:04:46] anyone you select, you run the risk of being upstaged when when al Gore, a vice president, because the nature of that job is so is so dull. He selected Joe Lieberman. That was even Joe Lieberman was electric compared to al Gore at the time. [00:05:03] So, you know, when Walter Mondale selected Geraldine Ferraro, the same thing happened. You're actually looking for someone to upstage you in a way, because your position is so dull that you do want something. And the same thing. George H.W. [00:05:19] Bush selected Dan Quayle because Dan Quayle was young and handsome and much more vibrant and vital. It would seem so. I don't think that. And I think this is kind of a nothing story, which is not to disparage us talking about it or selecting it, because it's an interesting conversation. Nonetheless. There are 25, 30 people that that Kamala Harris could have selected to run with [00:05:38] when she was vice president, and each one of them knew that the other could be selected. I would imagine the governor Walz knew that Secretary Buttigieg could have been selected and may have been the first choice. The calculation you make when you were doing this is that it's your first decision, it's the first thing you do. [00:05:55] And if there's anyone in America who thinks that Kamala Harris lost the presidency because she selected Tim Walz, they they don't know enough about politics. It doesn't matter. People don't vote for the vice president. He was perfectly acceptable to a lot of the progressives in the party. [00:06:12] She lost because of what you just talked about, which was kitchen table issues and the ability of Donald Trump to say, your gas prices are going to come down and your egg prices are going to come down, and all they care about are gays and lesbians and transgender people. [00:06:27] He said it, they bought it, and that was that. He may have, you know, it may have been different. We'll never know. Had had President Biden bowed out earlier, perhaps it would have been. Perhaps it would have made no difference. Perhaps it would have made the loss even more devastating if they went through a primary, selected a candidate in the traditional ways, [00:06:45] and that candidate also lost. Who knows? At least the Democrats can say, well, we had a truncated election here. We weren't able to get our ideas around. Let's let's try and do it again next time. So I don't that's why I think this is a a nothing story. I don't think ever that the vice president matters unless they totally screw up. [00:07:03] Had John Edwards, had we known about John Edwards that he had a family out of wedlock? That would have been a bad choice, right? When when when, you know, those sorts of things. But I don't see this at all in that way. We're going to move on, but quickly. Do you believe that? You know, why is she writing the book besides the money? [00:07:21] Perhaps relevancy? Will the book do enough to distance her from what she knew about an aging president? Competency? I don't know what's the reason. I think what's interesting about it is the 107 days. It's a it was a unique presidential campaign. [00:07:38] I'll read anything, anything by a former candidate. I, I think that there's some candor here. Most likely, she lost and she's a vice president. I don't think she will be president. I don't think that she's a viable candidate because of the fact she's from California, and Gavin Newsom is from California, and [00:07:55] they go to the same places to get money. And those people are have already given to to Vice President Harris. And I think now they're going to give Governor Newsom. But I look I think it's interesting I think it's part of political history. And I as someone who likes politics and likes history, I'm interested. [00:08:11] But it's nothing more than that to me. Every time you ring the bell below, an angel gets its wings. Totally not true. But it does keep you updated on our live shows.