This week, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate for November.

Before this week, Walz was not well-known to many Americans outside of the Midwest. Among other things, we’re learning that he was a long-time National Guard reservist, a respected school teacher, coach, and principal, and that his two children were conceived through infertility treatments.

What we’re also learning is that he seems to be a fairly even-handed type of guy. Walz seems friendly and open and doesn’t seem to have an ax to grind. He seems unlikely to openly attack his opponents. In fact, for now, he appears to be the model of civility.

What a refreshing change! For too long, we’ve had candidates on both side of the aisle who delighted in making personal ad hominem attacks on their political opponents. We’ve seen members of Congress nearly come to blows within the Capitol (sometimes with members of their own party!). We’ve seen university and government buildings destroyed by protesters who somehow think vandalism helps them prove their point.

In short, we’ve been drowning in incivility.

Is Walz the right running mate for Harris? Is he too progressive to attract moderates? Are his values what Americans want in the next administration?

It’s too soon to say. And we certainly can’t expect any one individual will be able to put the incivility genie back in the bottle.

But for just a moment, it’s so nice to meet someone who treats people with respect and a smile. Maybe there’s hope for civilization yet!

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