Intro

This week, Matt and Brian delve into the new discourse, ignited by vice-presidential shortlister Tim Walz, about the inherent weirdness of MAGA leaders.

* What do Democrats mean when they say Republicans like Donald Trump and JD Vance are “weird”?

* How normal are Democrats, actually?

* Having drawn this line, can Democrats now concede anything to “weird” Republicans as they appeal to swing voters?

Then, behind the paywall, a wide-ranging discussion about whether this salvo, which has put Republicans back on their heels, entitles Walz to special consideration as Kamala Harris considers her running mate. Would Walz’s gruff, non-nonsense vibe more effectively balance the ticket than other, more moderate contenders? Does he offer lasting coalition unity, or just a bandaid on factional rifts that are bound to burst back open? Do data-rooted, Pennsylvania-centric considerations dwarf hazier ideas about which ticket makes the best avatar for the Democratic Party?

All that, plus the full Politix archive are available to paid subscribers—just upgrade your subscription and pipe full episodes directly to your favorite podcast app via your own private feed.

Further reading:

* Greg Sargent on how the politics of immigration don’t all work to Republicans’ advantage.

* Brian on the downward (and likely very weird) spiral Republicans will enter if Harris claims a meaningful lead.

* Matt on how Harris can and should position herself as more moderate than Biden.