Tim Walz Pulls No Punches in First Speech Energizing Philadelphia as Harris’s Running Mate

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz launched their Democratic presidential campaign on Tuesday night in front of a vibrant crowd in Philadelphia. The event, held at Temple University’s Licouras Center, marked the debut of their ticket, poised to challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in the upcoming November election.

Governor Walz joined Harris on stage just hours after she announced him as her running mate, with 91 days left until the election. Walz’s selection concluded the intense search for a vice-presidential candidate, resulting in the choice of an experienced Midwestern politician. Walz, a military veteran and former school teacher, is known for his progressive policies and commitment to public service.

Addressing an estimated 12,000 attendees, Harris emphasized the qualities she sought in a running mate. She described Walz as a leader capable of uniting the nation and advancing a vision for a brighter future. Harris highlighted his dedication to the middle class and his patriotic belief in America’s promise of freedom, opportunity, and justice for all.

“I set out to find a partner who can build this brighter future,” Harris said, praising Walz as a fighter for the middle class and a patriot committed to the extraordinary promise of America. She underscored their shared vision of ensuring freedom, opportunity, and justice for every citizen.

She addressed the crowd, sharing that she had “found such a leader” in Tim Walz, a 60-year-old former high school teacher. Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard at 17, serving for 24 years. After his military service, he dedicated more than two decades to teaching and coaching football before transitioning into politics.

The vice president recounted Walz’s commitment during the 1990s, a period when the federal government had enacted a law banning the recognition of same-sex relationships. Despite the social climate, Walz served as a faculty adviser for a high school gay-straight alliance group, understanding the powerful message it would send to have a football coach involved.

She praised Walz for his ability to make people feel included and to inspire them to dream big, asserting that this is the kind of vice president he would be, and the kind of vice president America deserves.

Walz represented Minnesota in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017 and is currently in the middle of his second term as the state’s governor. Recently, he has gained national recognition for his candid and direct critiques of the GOP’s platform and its “weird” agenda.

In the governor’s office, Walz successfully implemented a series of widely-supported progressive policies, including protections for abortion rights and LGBT+ Minnesotans, and a free breakfast and lunch program for public school children.

“Minnesota’s strength comes from our values, our commitment to working together, to seeing past our differences, to always be willing to lend a helping hand,” Walz told the crowd.

Contrasting his approach, Walz criticized Trump, stating, “Trump doesn’t know the first thing about service, because he’s too busy serving himself.” He accused the former president of weakening the economy for personal gain, mocking laws, and fostering chaos and division. Walz also noted Trump’s ineffective response to the Covid-19 crisis, economic mismanagement, and the increase in violent crime during his presidency. “That’s not counting the crimes he committed,” he added.

Walz expressed enthusiasm about debating his GOP counterpart JD Vance. He pointedly remarked, “Like most people who grew up in the heartland, JD studied at Yale, had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, and then wrote a best seller trashing that community,” with evident sarcasm. Walz argued that Vance does not represent Middle America, earning loud cheers from the rallygoers when he quipped, “I can’t wait to debate the guy … if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up.” He also made a playful jab at Vance, referencing an online joke about Vance’s memoir.

Kamala Harris’s announcement came roughly three months before Election Day and two weeks before the Democratic National Convention, where the Harris-Walz ticket will formally receive the party’s nomination. After President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and endorsed Harris as the party’s nominee, she quickly secured endorsements and delegate pledges, achieving record-breaking fundraising numbers that surpassed the Republicans’ multi-million dollar war chest. A campaign spokesperson revealed that the Harris-Walz campaign raised an additional $20 million in the hours following the announcement.

The electric atmosphere at the event was reminiscent of the lively rallies from the Obama-Biden campaigns in 2008 and 2012. It drew a racially diverse crowd, including two gray-haired white men wearing Old White Men for Harris & Freedom Shirt that read “Old White Men for Harris and Freedom.”

Bernie Strain, one of the men, explained to The Independent, “It’s as clear as the Old White Men for Harris & Freedom Shirt says. It’s about two old white men who appreciate our Social Security, our Medicare, our freedom, and our democracy. We’ll lose all of it if Trump gets elected.”

Strain shared that his son, a Marine, had served two tours at the base in Iraq that was recently attacked by Iran-backed militants. “My son is no loser, and he’s no sucker for serving our country. Trump will never get away with calling him that. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever,” he firmly stated.

Harris’s campaign even attracted former Republican members of Congress. James Greenwood, a former congressman from Pennsylvania, told The Independent that he understood why Biden had to step down after his debate with Trump on June 27.

Greenwood described the atmosphere following Biden’s decision as “like an electric charge.” He added, “The excitement, the volunteers, the fundraising — everyone’s pretty excited.”

Joe Walsh, another ex-Republican House member from Illinois, commented that Walz was “a great bet” for Harris because the Minnesotan is “like an everyman,” appealing broadly to the electorate.