Tim Walz's Masculinity Is Terrifying to Republicans

[Zorro]

Since Tuesday, when Vice President Kamala Harris introduced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, Republicans have scaled back their initial attacks on Harris’ race and gender. Instead, they have targeted the traditional signifiers of Walz’s masculinity.

It’s hardly surprising. Any liberal Democrat whose resume includes football coach, military veteran and sharp-shooting hunter is a challenge to MAGA mythology, which posits that liberalism and feminism threaten traditional masculinity, so you’d better vote Republican before marauding Amazons take your endangered man card away.

At their packed campaign launch in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Harris lauded “Coach” Walz, honored his veteran status and beamed with pride that Walz “was known as one of Capitol Hill’s best marksmen, winning a bipartisan sharpshooting contest year after year.”

Those traditional manly traits are threatening enough on their own. But if such a marksman, state-title-winning football coach and regular guy can happily play second fiddle to a Black woman running for president, then what does that say about MAGA’s efforts to reverse-engineer the 21st century? After all, if a middle-aged, heterosexual White guy who likes to hunt doesn’t have to live in constant fear of losing status and doesn’t need traditional gender and racial hierarchies to validate his life choices, then what does he need Donald Trump and JD Vance for?

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-08-09/tim-walz-isn-t-a-typical-democrat-that-scares-republicans

[madaboutharry]

1. Excellent article on every point.

Republicans are afraid of Tim Walz. They are afraid of him because as Kamala said: “Isn’t Tim fantastic?”

[liberalla]

2. This is a great article and I love that Tim Walz' brand of masculinity is getting

so much attention! It seems to both mystify and anger republicans who can't deal with it not fitting their accepted stereotypical pattern.

Amanda Marcotte just wrote a piece for Salon that ties in with this subject and article very well:
Tim Walz's normal dad energy is causing MAGA to come unglued

[raccoon]

3. Reason is because to many people, especially Republicans and Trump supporters,

being a strong man means being an asshole. Which is why so many of them admire TFG.

Walz shows what nonsense that idea is.

[appalachiablue]

4. Excellent, thanks for posting.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. Republicans think slobs who grab women by the privates against their will are macho

[Renew Deal]

6. I agree, and it's not just Walz.

The entire current crop of top Democrats is a threat to their message. That includes Beshear and Fetterman. And I think men are noticing. One of the biggest changes I've noticed since Harris took over is the number of men willing to be in her corner.

[electric_blue68]

7. Very interesting and well written. I like! Ty