Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz took the stage at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, where he formally accepted his vice presidential nomination before a raucous crowd at the United Center in Chicago.
“It is a great honor to accept your nomination for vice president of the United States,” Walz announced to loud cheers inside the arena. Speaking in front of a sea of “Coach Walz” signs, Walz used numerous football metaphors throughout his speech, which came shortly after a member of the high school team he coached had given a speech at the convention, supported by several other players from the team.
As has become a common theme in Walz's campaign speeches, he framed his convention speech around the concept of good neighborliness.
“When you grow up in a small town like this, you learn to take care of each other,” he said. “The family members down the road may not think like you, may not pray like you, may not love like you. But they are your neighbors. You have to take care of them. And they take care of you.”
“Everyone belongs to a community, and everyone has a responsibility to contribute,” Walz said.
The speech was uplifting, moving and touching. Walz talked about how it took him and his wife, Gwen, years to get pregnant. They finally did so with the help of fertility treatments. “Hope, Gus, Gwen: you’re my world and I love you,” Walz said, struggling to hold back tears and pointing to his family in the audience, who were also in tears.
But while Walz brought emotion to the stage, he didn't hesitate to discuss the GOP's 2024 platform.
“Some people don’t understand what it takes to be a good neighbor,” Walz said. “Their 2025 plan is going to make things more difficult for people who are just trying to get by.”
“They spend a lot of time pretending they don’t know anything about this, but I’ve taught high school football long enough to know — and trust me on this — that when someone takes the time to write a guide, they’re going to use it,” he added. “It’s an agenda that serves no one but the wealthiest and most extreme among us. It’s an agenda that does nothing for our neighbors in need, and is that weird? Sure. Sure. But it’s also wrong and dangerous.”
Walz contrasted his criticism of Republicans with his and Harris’s vision for the nation. “If you’re a middle-class family or a family trying to get into the middle class, Kamala Harris will lower your taxes,” he said. “If you’re struggling with prescription drug prices, Kamala Harris will take on Big Pharma. If you’re hoping to buy a home, she will help make it more affordable. No matter who you are, Kamala Harris will stand up and fight for your freedom to live the life you want to live.”
Walz, a relatively unknown governor just weeks ago, has emerged into the public consciousness as the front-runner to be Harris’s running mate. A former high school teacher who served 24 years in the National Guard, Walz entered politics much later than issue politicians. His working-class credentials, down-to-earth attitude and Midwestern dad charm have made him a viral phenomenon among Democrats.
“You know, I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this in my life, but I’ve given a lot of pep talks,” Walz said Wednesday. “So let me end with this: Team, it’s the fourth quarter. We lost a field goal. But we’re on offense. We’re driving down the field. Oh my God, we have the team to win this. Kamala Harris is tough. She’s experienced. She’s ready.”
Neil Young's “Rockin' in the Free World” played as Walz finished speaking, and his family greeted him on stage. CNN reported that Young personally gave the Democratic National Committee permission to use the song. He had previously sued the Trump campaign for using it.
Walz is an inspiring force, but he is also an effective and ruthless messenger against the GOP’s political agenda, and he knows how to deliver progressive policies to centrist voters. He first entered politics by defeating six Republican incumbents for a House seat, and he held that seat for six terms even as his district voted for Trump in the general election. Walz is credited with calling Trump, his running mate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and the Republican Party in general “weird.” That’s a line that drives conservatives crazy.
As I mentioned before Rolling Stone, The Harris campaign plans to use Walz as a “sledgehammer against Vance and Trump” between now and Election Day.
“We are campaigning against a bizarre and dangerous agenda of taking away people’s rights, controlling women’s pregnancies, and other crazy, harmful nonsense like making Trump a dictator,” a source close to the campaign previously said. Rolling Stone. “The antidote to that is an ordinary guy named Tim Walz—a veteran football coach, a friendly neighbor who helps you fix your car, and a really successful governor.”
