NBC chief political analyst Chuck Todd is uneasy about Vice President Kamala Harris' choice of Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., as her running mate.
During MSNBC’s "Andrea Mitchell Reports," Todd praised Walz’s relatable, folksy appeal. But he worried Harris might be swayed by the far left.
"I have a yellow flag in my head going, ‘Huh, if you squeal loud enough, she hears and responds,’" Todd said.
Todd started by highlighting the positives of picking Walz. "Tim Walz speaks American," he said. "He won’t talk about his subcommittee chair, he’ll talk about helping veterans."
"So, in that sense, it strikes me that's what Harris is looking for," Todd continued.
Yet, Todd voiced concerns that the far left pressured Harris to pick Walz over moderates like Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., or Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa.
"Some will think, ‘huh, the progressive backlash got her off of Shapiro or Kelly,’" Todd noted, adding other reasons might have factored in.
Harris announced her pick on Tuesday. She chose Walz, known for his progressive record, over more moderate candidates.
Walz supports unlimited abortion access and gender medical procedures for minors. Critics slammed him for his response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots in Minneapolis.
Speculation arose if Shapiro’s Jewish faith was a reason Harris passed over him. An old pro-Israel op-ed by Shapiro resurfaced, upsetting some in the Democratic base.
CNN’s Van Jones questioned if Shapiro was passed up due to "anti-Jewish bigots" in the party.
"Is there some anti-Jewish bias here?" he asked. "There’s antisemitism marbled into this party. You can support Palestinians without being an anti-Jewish bigot. But some anti-Jewish bigots exist. How much of this decision caved to these darker elements?"