Tim Walz, the VP running mate chosen by Kamala Harris is not just a teacher, but one recognized for his excellence, and not just any teacher but a social studies teacher!
From the pictures above, you can guess why I’m excited.
This is a man who majored in East Asian history and regularly took students on summer field trips to China. His Master’s thesis dealt with Holocaust education. He knows geography. He knows history. He knows civics.
Put it this way, he has a strong layman’s background in world geography, history, and government which should make it easy for him to understand national security intelligence reports. Okay, he is not the Presidential candidate, but he will be a good partner for Kamala Harris.
He is the opposite of Donald Trump, who lacks a knowledge of even middle school social studies, at least that’s how it seems to me. Here are some examples,
(a) When visiting the USS Arizona destroyed by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, Trump indicated he had no idea of the significance of that site. “When a passenger boat ferried the Trumps to the stark white memorial, the president pulled [Chief of Staff John] Kelly aside for a quiet consult.
“‘Hey, John, what’s this all about? What’s this a tour of?” Trump asked his chief of staff.
“Kelly was momentarily stunned. Trump had heard the phrase ‘Pearl Harbor’ and appeared to understand that he was visiting the scene of a historic battle, but he did not seem to know much else.”
[Kelly went on to explain to Trump what happened at Pearl Harbor and its significance.]
“If Trump had learned about ‘a date which will live in infamy’ in school, it hadn’t really pierced his consciousness or stuck with him.
” ‘He was at times dangerously uninformed,’ said one senior former advisor.” [NOTE 5 below]
(b) On another occasion, he told President Macron of France that he had no idea that France had won many battles in its history! Napoleon? World War 1? World War 2? Not a clue.
(c) Another time, he ordered Secretary of State Tillerson to “get rid of” the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act saying it was unfair that American businessmen were not allowed to bribe foreign government officials, and Tillerson could not “school” Trump on basic civics – that the executive branch cannot make or repeal laws. Every middle school student is taught that.
No, Trump is NOT a genius. In fact, later Secretary Tillerman said the President was a “moron.” (He thought it was said confidentially, but Trump heard about it, and Tillerman resigned.)
More appropriately, let’s just say: Trump is unfit to serve.
Social Studies knowledge is fundamental for anyone in the White House. Harris and Walz are knowledgeable and competent and a far better fit to be in the White House in 2025.
Resources:
- Tim Walz Biography (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Walz
- Tim Walz Biography (Campaign website): https://kamalaharris.com/meet-governor-tim-walz/
- 55 Things to Know About Walz (Politico, 8/6/24): https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/08/06/tim-walz-55-things-harris-vp-00172790
- The amazing class Walz taught in Nebraska that included a test predicting the next Holocaust (NYTimes, 4/23/08): https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/education/23education.html?unlocked_article_code=1.F04.4IzV.-w97zPLVZa6j&smid=url-share
- Example (a) – from: Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig, A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump’s Testing of America, Penguin Press, 2020, page 169.
- Example (b) – from: Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig, A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump’s Testing of America, Penguin Press, 2020, page 169.
- Example (c) – from: Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig, A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump’s Testing of America, Penguin Press, 2020. page 170-171.
- “Moron” comment by Tillerson from: Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig, A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump’s Testing of America, Penguin Press, 2020, page 138-139.
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