Good morning. It should be a delightful summer Friday and a nice weather weekend.
Vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz are locked in for a debate. Both candidates confirmed an Oct. 1 debate date with CBS over social media. And Vance suggested that he’d be open for another public debate in September. Walz didn’t immediately respond to that request. But both will no doubt start preparing for the CBS debate in New York.
Political smackdown 2024? Two former professional wrestlers — former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura and Hulk Hogan are taking sides. Ventura has thrown his backing behind Vice President Kamala Harris while Hogan has sided with former President Donald Trump in the presidential contest. The New York Times wrote about the wrestling undercard in this piece . Who could forget Hogan’s in-character speech at the Republican National Convention where he ripped apart his shirt to reveal one with Trump’s campaign logo? Interestingly, Ventura had been “on the list” of potential running mates to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier this year. Ventura came out for the Democratic ticket after Gov. Tim Walz was added to it; Walz and Ventura have had a warm relationship and appeared side-by-side at a marijuana legalization bill signing in 2023.
Coming off her primary victory, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar said she’ll work to help the Democratic party patch up its divides between now and November. In an interview with All Things Considered host Tom Crann, Omar said the United States should use its “leverage” to achieve a measure of peace in the Middle East, perhaps holding back on weapons being used by Israel in Gaza. She said she hopes the Harris-Walz ticket finds a way to get those upset over the U.S. handling of that war back in the Democratic fold because “we cannot afford to play around and get a Trump presidency.” In her campaign, Omar said she also heard from voters they want actions aimed at “making life affordable,” including matters of housing and general consumer inflation.
St. Cloud’s long-serving mayor, Dave Kleis, is getting ready to leave that job, but he’s apparently not done with government assignments. He has been named to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, which is the state regulatory board around political candidates and groups trying to influence state-level campaign spending. The board is politically balanced by design. Kleis, a former Republican state senator, will fill a position reserved for a former Republican officeholder.
A state representative of ‘bonkers’ fame is headed to the Minnesota Business Partnership. Rep. Anne Neu Brindley, R-North Branch, will join the group of leaders of some of the state’s largest businesses as a policy director working in health care policy. Neu Brindley stamped the word “bonkers” on the DFL legislative agenda in 2023 and kept it rolling through the following legislative session. Neu Brindley announced her retirement from the Legislature last year but could have to step down from her seat earlier than expected, although the timing is still unknown. A spokesperson from the business group suggested that she could start her job before exiting the Legislature. Neu Brindley starts the new role on Sept. 1. All 134 House seats are on the ballot in November.
Finally, Brian felt targeted by the latest video out of the Harris-Walz campaign where they talk about the delicate palates of Minnesota eaters. Walz describes for Harris how he’s a fan of “white guy tacos” — shorthand for bland ground beef and cheese with no kick. “Black pepper is the top of the spice level in Minnesota, you know?” No governor, I don’t. If it ain’t got kick, don’t put it on my plate. The spicier, the better. For the love of cuisine, please keep food stereotypes out of this campaign. | 