The Harris-Walz ticket is floundering. There may not be any righting this ship.
Because Tim Walz confessed one shocking fact about his past that has Kamala in hysterics
In a revealing moment during the vice presidential vetting process, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz reportedly admitted to Vice President Kamala Harris that debating wasn’t his strong suit.
Despite this, Harris, who later joked about being sleep-deprived at the time, chose the 60-year-old governor as her VP pick, bypassing more seasoned contenders like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Tuesday night, Walz’s self-proclaimed debate weaknesses were on full display during a face-off with Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio).
Pundits across the political spectrum didn’t hold back, criticizing Walz for his nervous demeanor, lack of preparation, and overall fidgety performance.
Harris and Walz had sat down for their running mate interview back on August 4 at the VP’s Washington, DC, residence. Despite Walz’s open concerns about his liabilities, Harris prioritized her rapport with him over the strengths of other candidates.
As the debate approached, Walz’s nerves were palpable. He reportedly expressed to confidants that he was worried about disappointing Harris and making her regret her choice, according to CNN. The Trump-Vance team, however, was quick to downplay the reports of Walz’s jitters.
“Tim Walz is very good in debates. Really good,” said senior Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller, confidently dismissing concerns. He assured reporters that Walz would be “very well prepared” and wouldn’t resemble the “effeminate caricature” seen at rallies with Harris.
But once Walz stepped on stage, his shaky start seemed to confirm the low expectations set by his own party.
Within minutes, Walz bungled a crucial question about a preemptive strike by Israel against Iran, confusing the two nations in a stunning gaffe.
It wasn’t long before he labeled himself a “knucklehead” when addressing his misleading claim about being in China during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Following the debate, Vance reflected on Walz’s struggles with surprising empathy. “I was nervous. I mean hell, I do a lot of these interviews, but I was nervous. It was the biggest stage of my life,” he said to Fox News.
“To be fair to Tim Walz, he had a very tough job—and that is to defend the policies of Kamala Harris.”
Despite the visible missteps, the Harris-Walz camp and their staunchest supporters tried to spin the debate as a success or, at worst, a draw. They pointed to instant polls that suggested a mixed reaction from viewers. But even typically Democrat-friendly pundits weren’t buying it.
CNN anchor Abby Phillip noted a glaring lack of preparation on Walz’s part. “I think there was a clear lack of preparation and execution here,” she said.
Co-moderator Dana Bash took a different angle, suggesting that Walz’s problem was the opposite—too much preparation. “He had so many lines that he was clearly trying to say,” Bash remarked, adding that his lack of experience with national media was painfully obvious.
Even prominent voices critical of Trump and Vance were left unimpressed. Bulwark editor-at-large Bill Kristol didn’t mince words: “You know it wasn’t a good night when the best your allies can say is, ‘Don’t worry, vice presidential debates don’t matter.’” David Frum, a former speechwriter for George W. Bush, was even more blunt, saying, “Vance is going home tonight with Walz’s wallet. Vance didn’t even have to snatch it, Walz just handed it over.”
Perhaps most telling was the half-hearted defense from Walz’s own supporters. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), after chuckling at Jake Tapper’s suggestion that she would have done better, said Walz would be a great vice president because “he’s someone that you can trust” and is “plainspoken.”
Though, in a subtle acknowledgment of his debate performance, she conceded that Walz “may not use the exact right word” every time.
Walz is now set to continue campaigning with a bus tour through Pennsylvania, alongside Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.). As of now, no additional debates between the two tickets have been scheduled, and after Tuesday night’s showing, that might be a blessing for the Harris-Walz camp.
Stay tuned to the Prudent Politics.
