Reportedly, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — recently promoted to Vice Presidential Candidate — is an old white guy. According to the media. And that he was chosen because he appeals to old white guys.
Old white guys recognize other old white guys. Like on Tuesday, at a rally in Philadelphia, when VP candidate Walz pointed to a couple of old white guys in the front row.
“I see you down there. I see those old, white guys,” he said, smiling.
The two old white guys were easy to recognize, because they were wearing t-shirts that said “Old White Men for Harris.”
So probably not the very best example of how old white guys recognize each other. I’ve been white my whole life and have never once worn a shirt like that. Or wanted to. But people recognize me anyway.
This wasn’t the only time Governor Walz — now candidate Walz — had talked about old white guys. Back in March, when he was still only a Governor, he told CNN that abortion rights and reproductive health care access are “winning issues for Democrats.” He suggested that “old white men,” in particular, should get comfortable with conversations on the topic.
“I think old white men need to learn how to talk about this a little more,” Walz told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. “And I think the big thing is: Listen to women. Listen to what they’re saying. We’ve seen that when we listen to them, they’re speaking loudly… and they’re speaking at the ballot box.”
Although it didn’t involve a ballot box per se, I listened to women a lot more, back when I was married. Especially to my wife, Darlene. And I confess, I didn’t especially like it when she was speaking loudly. But Governor Walz means that women speak loudly when a large group of them is standing on the Capitol steps, demanding reproductive rights.
But honestly, I cringe when I hear VP Candidate Walz referred to as a old white guy, because I’m 60 years old — the same age as Tim Walz. Yes, we’re both white, but we’re not old. There’s got to be a more precise term for us than, “old white guys”.
I sort of like the word “ripe”, for example.
When something is “old”, that means it’s destined for the thrift store, whenever you get around to it. Or the trash heap. But when something has become “ripe”, that’s completely different. It’s at the peak of its flavor and texture. I prefer to think of myself as “a white guy at his peak”.
Some other terms that work:
“Seasoned white guys”
“Polished white guys”
“Mature white guys”
According to Google, it was Bette Davis who said, “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.” She said other things as well, of course. Like: “I’d luv to kiss ya, but I just washed my hair.” But the “sissies” comment is better known.
Ms, Davis was also white, but she was not a man, so she couldn’t fully understand what it’s like to be an old white guy. Which, as stated, Tim Walz is not. Mature maybe. Seasoned maybe. Maybe even polished.
If we consider Candidate Donald Trump, meanwhile, he’s more likely to qualify as an old white guy. Almost like, the epitome of old white guys. But once again, we could use other terms, like “ripe”. A Democrat would be tempted to use the word “overripe”. That’s why the former President doesn’t like Democrats. It’s not their policies or the fact that they’ve nearly destroyed America; it’s simply that Democrats are nasty. If anyone can recognize “nasty” when he sees it, Donald Trump can.
The Republican VP Candidate, J.D. Vance, is securely white, but not even close to being “old”. In fact, he’s barely out of diapers.
By that I mean, his three children are barely out of diapers. Not he himself.
They ought to make some t-shirts. “Babies Barely Out of Diapers, for Vance”.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all.