![\"PHILADELPHIA,](\"https:\/\/hollywoodlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/GettyImages-2165129940_129fca-e1723035681441.jpg?quality=100&w=384&h=216&crop=1\")
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Tim Walz<\/strong> <\/a>is bringing the energy to the campaign to defeat former President Donald Trump<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n In his debut as a vice presidential candidate on Tuesday, Minnesota Gov. Walz positioned himself as a folksy former schoolteacher who served in the military, a football coach who had inspired his students, and an overall fierce defender of the Democratic ticket.<\/p>\n Before his speech, there was a half-hour of cheering for Vice President Kamala Harris<\/strong><\/a>, and Walz, aligned with the applause, showed his gratitude for the Democratic presidential candidate.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Walz, 60, said, directly addressing Harris in the opening moment of his speech, \u201cfor bringing back the joy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am thrilled to be on this journey with you [\u2026] I couldn\u2019t be prouder to be on this ticket and to help Vice President Harris become what we all know is very, very good for us to think about, the next president of the United States of America.\u201d<\/p>\n The enthusiastic governor went on to commend his running mate and her accomplishments throughout her career \u201cimproving people\u2019s lives\u201d before giving more details about himself\u2014a person who knows \u201ca little something about that commitment to people.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI lived in Butte, a small town of 400 where community was a way of life,\u201d he began. \u201cMy mum and dad taught us: show generosity towards your neighbors and work for the common good.\u201d<\/p>\n He explained that his father was a teacher and most of his siblings, including himself, followed the same pathway, which was a good segue to the details of his career in politics as he cited his students as the reason he ran for Congress in 2006 in a district that only had one Democrat since 1892.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my students. They encouraged me to run for office. They saw in me what I was hoping to instill in them. A commitment to the common good. A belief that one person can make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n When my wife and I decided to have children, we spent years going through fertility treatments. <\/p>\n I remember praying each night for a call with good news, or the agony when we heard the treatments hadn’t worked. <\/p>\n When we welcomed our daughter into the world, we named her Hope. pic.twitter.com\/3qyFeVTC8F<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 6, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n But it was Walz\u2019s ability to deliver searing yet accessible attacks against the Republican opponents that won him a place on the national ticket, and during his first rally, he didn\u2019t miss the chance to showcase his skill. He argued that the former president and his running mate, JD Vance<\/strong><\/a>, are \u201cweird\u201d and \u201ccreepy as hell\u201d in his remarks while also touching on a viral yet unsubstantiated claim that Trump\u2019s running mate admitted to having sex with a couch in his memoir<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t wait to debate the guy,\u201d Walz said. \u201cThat is, if he\u2019s willing to get off the couch and show up.\u201d<\/p>\n He criticized the Republicans, saying they have twisted the idea of freedom by intruding into decisions about abortion and fertility.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Minnesota, we respect our neighbors and the personal choices they make, even if we wouldn\u2019t make the same choice for ourselves,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a golden rule. Mind your own damn business.\u201d<\/p>\n Walz made a direct hit at Project 2025, the conservative manifesto created by Trump allies and advisers. \u201cDon\u2019t believe him when he plays dumb,\u201d he said of the former president. \u201cHe knows exactly what Project 2025 will do to restrict our freedoms.\u201d<\/p>\n He also alluded to his experience in the Army National Guard to draw a contrast with Trump.<\/p>\n \u201cHe doesn\u2019t know the first thing about service,\u201d Walz said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t have time for it because he\u2019s too busy serving himself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo, we\u2019ve got 91 days. My God, that\u2019s easy,\u201d Walz said regarding the time left until the presidential election in the U.S.<\/p>\n \u201cOver those next 91 days, and every day in the White House, I will have Vice President Harris\u2019s back. Every single day. And we will have yours,\u201d Walz assured before encouraging people to keep on engaging and supporting their fight to the White House.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n