I need to address this room elephant. I absolutely LOVE the VPs choice for running mate

[pepperbear]

I've been on this site since 2005, so I'm no lurker con. However I do have common sense and I know how this will play out if it isn't addressed soon.

There is an elephant in the room. It certainly isn't a secret, *and I'm sure that many on DU are aware*, but not many people outside of MN know about the fact that Tim Walz was arrested for drunk driving when he was 31. The charge was reduced to reckless driving, which probably won't matter because that part of the story won't be in the headline.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/tim-walz-democrat-vice-president-dui-b2592248.html

Of course it will be an issue. He will probably have to waste an entire news cycle answering for it. Better now than October. We all know the GOP has it, and that's no surprise as it's a matter of public record, along with his mugshot.

My plea: Governor Walz, the honeymoon is almost over. Please address it now, otherwise you're going to have to answer to trump's taunts of "Timmy the Drunk" throughout the campaign and the press will soil themselves with glee.

If you want to trash me for pointing this out and urging complete transparency, go ahead. But we know how stupid people can get during an election year.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. He'll deal with it the way he did when running for Congress and for governor. He fucked up and stopped drinking.

Nobody got hurt. Nobody died. He made a mistake and made a change. Not much more to be said than that.

[jimfields33]

28. Yes. This won't affect anything. We've had presidents with DUI before.

Americans are very forgiving especially when they fixed the problem. He did!

[True Dough]

2. It was 30 years ago

He's done so much good since then. We can't allow the party of the FELON cult members be any sort of judges of moral character.

[Baltimike]

3. Nope. He had a debt to society, paid it, and saw to it that others who paid their debts

were reinstated fully to society too.

He isn't perfect. He walked the walk, and still is...for all of us

[wnylib]

41. He also quit drinking completely back then.

Does not drink alcohol or do drugs, not even Adderall.

[Lonestarblue]

4. The Washington Post reported it yesterday near the top of the digital page to draw attention.

The comments on the article soundly criticized the Post for bringing up something that happened 30 years ago and has no bearing on his years of public service. I think Walz can defuse that news fairly easily.

[BannonsLiver]

5. We've already had a 2 term president with a DUI.

What else have you got?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

25. Not to mention Bush's V.P. had multiple DUIs

https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20001103&slug=4051081

Several hours after the story broke, a spokeswoman for Bush's running mate, Dick Cheney, 59, said Cheney also had two driving-while-intoxicated offenses when he was in his early 20s, in 1962 and 1963. Press secretary Juleanna Glover Weiss said she did not have details. Cheney disclosed the incidents privately in 1989, when President Bush nominated him to be secretary of defense.

[jimfields33]

29. Damn. I never knew Cheney too.

This story will drop like a rock. Go Walz!!!!!

[Ocelot II]

6. It's been known and dealt with long ago.

He's run for office successfully many times since; it's never been an issue, and he doesn't drink at all. 30-year-old news.

[Jim__]

7. I hope the Dems could successfully put up Walz "criminal record" against Trump's.

[Tetrachloride]

8. i appreciate the thread. ty

[themaguffin]

9. This isn't his first campaign. No way that this wasn't litigated.

[Sugarmaggie]

10. Not Worried

I know Walz and Harris already have a response for anything coming at them.

[Ocelot II]

11. As elephants in the room go, this one is about the size of a hamster.

If you're backing a ticket consisting of a guy with 34 felony convictions and civil verdicts of fraud and sexual assault, along with another guy who might have fucked a couch, the opposing ticket's 30-year-old DUI is pretty weak sauce.

[cally]

12. Marty Walsh was on VP vetting team

I’m sure he discussed this with Tim Walz. I’m not worried about it

[Bucky]

13. Vociferous opinion

Feigned outrage. Accusatory finger wagging. Desperate plea for unity

[JI7]

14. This has been mentioned many times when talking about

pros and cons of possible VP picks.

What exactly do you want him to say ? What happened was of course wrong of him and he hasn't done it again since then.

[Brainfodder]

15. ...and that is when he stopped drinking... let's do some drug testing Orange Oaf, and frequently like before debates!

[Brainfodder]

16. IF they do, remind them that we are still waiting on TSF's college grades and Melania's apology presser!

[H2O Man]

17. Not an elephant.

[yellowcanine]

38. More like a hamster.

[Think. Again.]

18. wow, you really think THAT is an important issue???

Do you know anything about what he's done for farmers in his political career?

https://www.agriculture.com/walz-brings-ag-committee-experience-as-vp-pick-8691584

[recovering_democrat]

19. Not one teensy bit less awesome!

Watching his speech yesterday, all my mind said was "where has he been???"
Considering the Republican option, it is more likely he gets a few more votes as a result.

[obamanut2012]

20. It's already all over, and who cares

He has never had a drop since, and tried to resign as a teacher and they refused it. It was 30 years ago.

DUIs are bad, but not the flex for Trump you think it is.

[hlthe2b]

21. Good lord... A DUI 30 years ago that resulted in him giving up ALL alcohol? Really?

I could see repeats, but 30 YEARS AGO!

[hawkeye21]

22. Good point, but . . .

It's 30 years ago. And it's not quite on the same level as, oh, treason or insurrection or even being convicted of 34 felony counts or stealing top secret government documents and refusing to return them and denying you took them and committing adultery and paying off a porn star and . . . LOL

The list of Trump's transgressions is legendary. A drunk driving arrest from 30 years ago is a mouse to this "elephant in the room." But I agree it would be smart for Walz to bring it up himself and get it out there and over with. And in doing so he could compare that mistake to the recent laundry list of major crimes Trump has committed. They are not alleged, either. We've seen the evidence ourselves. It's everywhere. The only question is if and when will he ever be held accountable.

Do you think I could have incited a mob to attack the US Capitol and try to overturn the results of a presidential election and not be in jail that same day? LOL again

Trump should have been arrested and charged on Jan. 6, or no later than 12:01 p.m. on Jan. 20, and he should have been held without bond. That he has been allowed to remain free--and even to run for president again--is a travesty of any definition of the word "justice."

[ms liberty]

23. This is a ticket that will smack this down and redirect it right back to Guyliner and the Orange Man

I'm confident that they can handle this.

[jimfields33]

34. I wish we'd stop the bashing of guys wearing makeup.

It’s pretty nasty as many do. There are tons and tons of other criticisms.

[ms liberty]

39. I'm not bashing guys who wear eyeliner. I'm bashing

One guy who wears eyeliner and a beard to look more attractive but would never admit to wearing eyeliner, and disavows any and every belief associated with men who ever have worn makeup in their personal lives.

[Initech]

43. Guyliner & The Orange Man - I'm totally stealing that band name!

[Marthe48]

24. I bet there are no pics of Mr. Walz with epstein

Bet he hasn't boasted about grabbing women.
Bet he didn't have sex with a porn star
Bet there are no women or children claiming abuse or sexual assault
Bet his business dealings are aboveboard
And I bet there aren't any other charges against him, or 34 convictions!

[TheProle]

26. There's nothing wrong with reasoned acknowledgement of oppo research

Especially since now it will be viewed in the context of a national race. Better to get in front of it.

[Irish_Dem]

27. No one cares.

30 years ago.

In some of the rural areas, a DUI is par for the course.

[grammiepammie]

31. No one cares

Sad to say it is true. I am from the farm lands of PA and I have seen people driving with a beer can in their hand. Others have had three DUI's. They get three months probation and have others have to breath into a breathalyzer before driving. It is just not considered serious like the state I live in now, Massachusetts. With three DUI's, you would be in jail.

[Irish_Dem]

33. Yes the voters Walz is going for don't care about the DUI.

In fact it may get votes in that demographic.

[grammiepammie]

32. DUI's

Sad to say it is true. I am from the farm lands of PA and I have seen people driving with a beer can in their hand. Others have had three DUI's. They get three months probation and have others have to breath into a breathalyzer before driving. It is just not considered serious like the state I live in now, Massachusetts. With three DUI's, you would be in jail.

[Happy Hoosier]

30. He did address it. He quit drinking. NT

[megahertz]

35. You think no one knows about it already?

Walz has been vetted, it's not a surprise. They have a plan to address it if needed.
No need to clutch pearls.

[Midnight Writer]

36. This should appeal to the drunk rednecks who go road-drinking voter.

[Bev54]

37. It is already out and they have tried to use it. Not going to work, he made a mistake

he quit drinking altogether and moved on and so should we. This is not an elephant, not even a mouse. People make mistakes, want to compare that to all of Trump's sexual assaults and rapes? Or to all his fraud and bankruptcies? Or to all his connections with Russian spies?

[kenziemom06]

40. Let's ask all the Republicans

who voted for George W. Bush. Let's try to remember how big a deal it was for him to have a DUI from 25 years earlier for the voters of his party.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

42. Governor Walz is a good person

Link to tweet

[Kaleva]

44. Why do you think this is an elephant sized issue? Because you want it to be?

[Torchlight]

45. The enthusiasm we're witnessing will far outweigh a 30 year old irrelevancy.

That's what I think the trolls in St Petersburg are missing; the enthusiasm for the Harris campaign is real, it's sincere, it's organic, and it's joyful.

The trolls from Olgino may not even know it themselves yet, but their doctrine and tactics will have to change and adapt to meet this unprecedented wave of positivism, and I doubt they'll figure it out in time.

[TBF]

46. One DUI vs. 34 Felonies?

I'm sure it came out when he ran for governor, and if that is all they have for an October surprise we will be ok.

[DFab420]

47. Garbage.

[Clouds Passing]

48. So proud of Tim Walz for being sober for the last 28 years. Woohoo! There is a good life

beyond alcohol. Sober 21 years!

[Zoomie1986]

49. The DUI is well known

Multiple people here on DU have posted coverage about it in the media.

It was a long time ago, he took responsibility for it, he admitted it was stupid and dangerous, so there's no need to harp on it anymore.

All he has to do is say, I did something wrong. So did TSF. The difference is that I took responsibility for it and learned from it. TSF hasn't taken responsibility for his felonies, and he never will. If he doesn't accept that responsibility, or his mistake, then he will never learn from it. What kind of example is that for our children?