Tim Walz: People are Sick of Dems' "Strongly Worded Letters"

[ihaveaquestion]

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tells Scott Galloway and Kara Swisher that it’s time for Democrats to start breaking the norms.

Full Pivot podcast:

[Traildogbob]

1. Preach Coach

No half time strongly worded letter to your team that’s getting an ass kicking on the field has ever came back to win.

[dalton99a]

2. Fuck the high road and fuck the norms. Stop turning the other cheek.

Last edited Tue Mar 10, 2026, 01:12 PM - Edit history (1)

We have leaders who lead by making speeches when nobody is paying attention

[WSHazel]

4. Carrot and stick

Everyone does not need to do exactly the same thing, but we do all need to resist.

[BattleRow]

17. We need leaders who will "get the lead out"...

[RetiredParatrooper]

51. Yes

Talk to them in the way they understand in the environment they created and wanted.

Fuck them.

[MustLoveBeagles]

3. I agree with him

[LiberalBrooke]

5. Just think, he could be vice president now

And a future president after 8 years.

[Auggie]

33. FYI: He made it clear he didn't have any presidential aspirations ...

and would retire at the end of Harris' term.

Your thought is wonderful, though.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. What does he mean by "breaking the norms"? An eviction freeze would go a long way toward walking the talk in MN rn.

[leftstreet]

8. He was referring to Trump destroying things

And "breaking the norms" to do it. Then he says well why can't Democrats can "break the norms" for things like national healthcare, etc.

essentially

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. I'd find it helpful if he had some examples of how he's doing that in MN

[leftstreet]

10. True enough n/t

[hamsterjill]

12. He's talking about Dems doing more of what Republicans do.

Cheat if necessary and DARE anyone to catch them.

Unfortunately, this IS what's needed. I'm sure you will disagree, but the current approaches are getting us no where. It's time for a stronger, more determined and creative approach. How?

Not up to me to decide or make that decision. But it IS up to the Democratic leadership.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. okay but like he could be doing this himself, yes? In Minnesota? Because I remember a lot of strongly worded statements

from him in January and February but not a ton of action. So which is it?

I'm sure you will disagree, but the current approaches are getting us no where.

Oh I don't disagree at all.

[hamsterjill]

37. Yes, he most assuredly could be doing this - setting an example.

He's on his way out, after all, and has nothing to lose.

[dickthegrouch]

28. I think Dems would have a great platform if

We'd list all the LAWS that *rump and allies have broken;
All the LAWS that they say they want to continue to break;
And then list out how we are going to change the LAW to make that harder to do, and to extract personal responsibility for the transgressions, rather than allowing lawless criminals to hide behind institutions.
We need to list out all the ways in which those institutions clearly need to be hardened, and put integrity back into the entire system, a DEM Project 2028, if you will.
Just advocating cheating like they do, is never going to be enough to satisfy people who ardently WANT the rules (LAWS) to be adhered to. Get us the ability to fix it all, AND THEN FIX IT. Takes planning, and a resolve to follow through, just like with Project 2025.

[hamsterjill]

41. I think voters generally want and expect integrity from Democrats, but we've got to get control back first.

Make no mistake: I want the rules adhered to, myself. But when I see Republicans blatantly flaunting "bending" the rules over and over and over and over again - I start to understand that "going high" isn't going to cut it, unfortunately. When Mitch McConnell was allowed to get away with not having hearings on Merrick Garland's nomination to the SC, THAT was a blatant cheat.

So, I can agree with the premise of your post completely, but we've got to deal with the obvious first. And it's not going to be pleasant any way you look at it. The alternative is to continue down the current path and Republicans will continue to be emboldened and break and stretch the rules even more.

[Mysterian]

7. I wish Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Schumer would take these words to heart

They are the faces of the party right now.

[Grim Chieftain]

11. The most corrupt president in US history

should be met with the strongest Democratic leadership in US history. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

[Betty Boom]

13. Exactly!

If the polling shows disapproval of Democrats, a huge share of it, doesn’t have anything to do with policy. It’s got to do with why the hell aren’t you doing something? Stop acting as if norms apply. We are in the upside down now. We are through the looking glass. And every time we turn the other cheek or take the high ground, the other side looks at us and thinks we’re wimps. I’m not a wimp. I’m mad as hell and I want my country back.

[DJ Synikus Makisimus]

15. You betcha. (n/t)

[Joinfortmill]

16. Yup. We coulda had him. And, Trump cheated. Just saying, peeps.

[popsdenver]

18. We dems have been engaged in a war

with these NEW Republicans since the 1980 election.......They have been fighting the war, using guerrilla tactics, and the Dems have been using pea shooters......."we will take the high road", "I am going to write a sternly worded letter", " I am REALLY concerned"....etc etc etc........

Many of us have been hammered, for even daring to say even the slightest of constructive criticisms......

We have over 200 U.S. Reps and Senators, and with the exception of a few select ones, that we never hear a peep from.......
Colorado has THREE of them.......TWO SENATORS AND OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM DENVER............l

I think it would be hard to figure out, if the Dems have had any true leader/leadership for a long time.........

Once again, I feel that:
They have been walking down the jungle path, swatting at mosquitoes, completely oblivious to the herd of charging elephants.
Pun Intended...................

And so folks, here we are today....................

[dalton99a]

21. +1. Heck, we had people on here who were severely criticized for calling Trump a traitor/racist/dictator/Nazi/rapist

all of which are true.

[leftstreet]

52. +1

[Linda ladeewolf]

19. Just think!

In an alternate Universe, Kamala won the election. There is no war, and they have free healthcare. Trump is in prison for life there (or what’s left of it) and they are happy and laughing.

[Historic NY]

20. Exactly fuck'em makes them sue, cry and whine themselve into a tither

stick it too them every turn.

[DownriverDem]

22. I like Tim, but

I'm not sick of the Dems.

[Snackshack]

23. 100%

I would add we are also tired of being told 'we need to look forward not backward'.... that will not suffice this time.

[dalton99a]

29. +1. "We must move on. It's all good. Nothing happened."

Best way to make sure the zombies will reemerge

[Six117]

24. Well far and beyond time to fight back by any means necessary.

Waiting for permission to defend ourselves is paving the way to disaster.

[QueerDuck]

38. What would you have our Democrats do? I'm guessing you must have some PLAN of action...

... that our elected leaders have not yet thought of. Share it with us. What is it that a minority party can do to bully our way to success? I'm all ears!

[LiberalArkie]

25. Even in the YouTube HFY stories on space adventures, the politician sending "Sternly Worded Letter" is present

usually with the government executive like Neville Chamberlain. It is present a lot, really.

[JBTaurus83]

26. Thank you, Walz.

I’ve had it up to my ears with that useless shit.

[twodogsbarking]

27. Directive, organization, humanpower and follow-through. More is definitely needed.

He has been through so much and knows the dangers from Trump as well as anyone.
Speak up and encourage conversation. Sitting in silence does little.

[summer_in_TX]

30. Dems are "prisoners of the norms, prisoners of the institutions."

Great insight, Coach.

The habit of courteous behavior without the courage to confront and hold the line, and the principled conviction as to when and where to do that, are main reasons the Dem Congressional leadership is as ineffective as their strongly worded letters.

[OldBaldy1701E]

48. That, and Dems need to understand that they are using a broken system to fix a broken system.

It won't work.

The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can change things.

[SunImp]

31. He's right

We give in too easily to their talking points on issues like immigration, trans rights, policing, etc instead of holding strong to what we believe is right. We throw them a bone by hiring or saying we'll keep a few Conservative judges to look impartial to the general public. We should forget trying to please them or put food on their plate. They need to get up and get it their selves from now on.

[J_William_Ryan]

32. "he says well why can't Democrats can "break the norms" for things like national healthcare"

Because Republicans will always oppose national healthcare; and even if enacted, it will be struck down by the Trump Court.

Walz’s frustration is understandable, but it’s fundamentally nonsense.

[iemanja]

35. It's spot on.

If we do MAGA's job for them, we have no place in the political system.

[hadEnuf]

34. We've been furiously reading through The Marquess of Queensberry Rules of boxing

while the Republicans have been repeatedly kicking us in the groin.

That's the problem.

[Kid Berwyn]

36. "Weird." -- Walz on Trump, Couchhumper, MAGA and Project 2025

Polls showed it worked, cutting through the Corporate McPravda Trump Sound Machine. Then some suit told him to shut up and stick to the script.

[ihaveaquestion]

50. The same thing happened to Sarah Palin.

Not that I don't think she should have shut up...I do, she was unhinged and driven crazy by her extreme dieting, etc. But, if she had told all the 'sane' republicans to pound sand and if McCain had joined in, they might have actually won against Obama.

[bigtree]

39. that meme is bullshit

...sometime they send letters.

They have NEVER BEEN INTENDED AS THE TOTALITY OF DEMOCRAT'S RESPONSE OR ACTION.

It's all some people focus on, to the exclusion of what Democrats are actually saying and doing,

It's a fucking canard, and people need to think before they play into this 'Dem wrong' bullshit as if doing this in public is some genius messaging.

Walz should keep do what he's doing, whatever that still is while he's still in office. Imagine that. The guy that's quitting lecturing the people who are staying in the fight.

[betsuni]

44. Yes. Yelling "NERDS!" at Democrats.

[Initech]

40. Fuck this shit, we need real opposition to the thug regime and their propaganda and we need it yesterday!

[betsuni]

42. Oh, but strongly worded scolding of Democrats is really doing something. Everybody loves to be angry at Democrats.

Last edited Tue Mar 10, 2026, 04:37 PM - Edit history (1)

[QueerDuck]

45. True. This performative "blame the Dems" reflex is a gift to the GOP.

It’s the ultimate "circular firing squad" strategy. No matter what Democrats actually "do" in the face of a GOP majority, the goalposts move so fast it’s a wonder anyone can keep up. If they don’t perform a literal miracle on the Senate floor every week, they’re branded as "weak" or "complicit."

It would be helpful if some folks took a quick Civics 101 refresher to remember how a minority party actually functions in government. Demanding an expletive-laced temper tantrum might feel cathartic, but fist-banging doesn't magically override a majority vote. And when this tactic fails, it suppresses our own side's enthusiasm.

Honestly, if I were a GOP strategist, I couldn’t dream up a better way to maintain control than by convincing Democratic voters that their own party is the enemy.

It’s short-sighted, it suppresses the vote, and I’m sure this latest round of finger-wagging will finally be the thing that magically flips the House.

[betsuni]

46. It's perfect. Convince your enemy to spend its time attacking itself as the enemy.

Somehow offensive to ask that one understands how government works and the reality of majorities and to vote Democratic.

[OldBaldy1701E]

53. I agree with you.

However, there is a big difference between 'circular firing squad' and 'debate'.

There have been too many times that I have seen 'debate' quashed because it questions the basis for things we have. Well, that is why the debate has to happen. Otherwise, we are just an 'echo chamber' that accomplishes nothing.

Blind conformity is one the things that put us here. I will not participate in such a thing.

I will question anything that does not make sense to me. If the others don't want to explain it, then I will see about finding out.

But, I will not participate in an 'echo chamber'. Just because it has a 'D' beside it does not automatically mean it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. And, I will not act like that for any reason (other than getting something that meets that criteria). The Democratic Ideal is a great thing. But it is still an abstract ideal because of our society and how it operates. It can never be implemented because our very way of life is not analogous with that ideal. And, because of that same way of life, we cannot question why we cannot fix these things.

This is one of the main reasons why this nation is so screwed up. Blindly following something without discourse or examination. We have done it for too long.

I would add that it is also offensive to suggest that we just blindly follow the current situation as it is without discussing how to break free of the programming and stop these animals from ruining everything. Stopping them is going to include some 'rules breaking'. It will require doing more than maintaining the status quo in Congress.

Stopping the entire thing from ever happening again is going to take some serious consideration and examination for the very foundations of this nation. It will require debate on things that may not have been considered in the past. But, we have little choice. We have to do something. Now.

Will we?

[Thew]

54. It's amazing Dems every win anything

It's genuinely shocking a Democrat ever gets any votes when facing:
attacks from Republicans and conservatives with their huge media advantages
attacks from Moderates and "independents" as "both sides" nonsense that still seems to punish Democrats and excuses Republicans (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murc%27s_law )
attacks from the left for not being pure enough
and... attacks from fellow Democrats in an effort to build some sort of credibility.

I don't believe Democrats are above reproach or criticism, but there is one vector out of this mess and it's through the Democratic party. Reflexive blaming Democrats is getting really old.

[Deminpenn]

43. Understandable why this criticism resonates

but Dems do need to document the facts. This is important to any future legal proceedings.

[orangecrush]

47. YES

YES WE ARE

[republianmushroom]

49. AMEN, Tim.