CHICAGO (TND) — Tim Walzintroduced himself to America as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate as he formally accepted the nomination to be the party’s vice presidential candidate and caps off a night centered around the theme of freedom.
Calling it the honor of his lifetime, Walz formally accepted the vice presidential nomination in a whirlwind turnaround for a Midwestern governor who was largely unknown before being tapped by Harris to be her running mate.
“We're all here tonight for one simple, beautiful reason: We love this country," Walz said.
The Harris campaign has tried to lean into his background as a public school teacher and high school football coach who comes from humble Midwestern roots. Most Americans still had not heard of him after two weeks on top of the ticket with Harris and will get their first exposure to him through tuning into his acceptance speech or coverage of it.
Walz used his primetime address to detail his background of growing up in Nebraska, serving in the National Guard for 24 years, working as a teacher and football coach before heading to Congress and later Minnesota’s governor. Trump’s campaign has tried to paint Walz as a radical liberal along with Harris and accused him of lying about his background through questions about his military service.
The vice presidential nominee returned the favor against Trump's campaign, who he said were trying to take away freedoms with an extreme agenda and are "weird," a description he coined early in the cycle that has stuck in Democratic messaging against Trump and Vance.
“It’s an agenda nobody asked for,” he said. “It’s an agenda that does nothing for our neighbors in need. Is it weird? Absolutely, absolutely. But it’s also wrong. And it’s dangerous.”
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released Tuesday found about 40% of Americans don’t know enough about Walz to form an opinion on him, highlighting his status as a newcomer on the national political stage. Those who have heard of him generally have a favorable view, with 36% approving of him compared to 25% who say they have an unfavorable view of him.
While most of his keynote address was about biographical details as he introduced himself to many voters for the first time, he also spoke about the urgency of the moment Democrats are facing in what has been a whirlwind few weeks in presidential politics. Harris took over as the party's nominee with just a few months left before Election Day after President Joe Biden's stunning decision to drop out of the race after a poor debate performance fueled doubts about his age and ability to beat Trump.
Again leaning into his roots as a former high school football coach, Walz told Democrats that they are in crunch time and that there is "time to sleep when you're dead."
“It’s the fourth quarter, we’re down a field goal, but we’re on offense and we got the ball,” Walz said. “Kamala Harris is ready. Our job is to get in the trenches and to the blocking and tackling one inch at a time, one yard at a time.”
Former President Bill Clinton used his 12th DNC speech to lay into Trump, who he said always puts himself first and is not concerned with what is best for the American people.
“In 2024, we have a clear choice: ‘We The People’ versus ’Me, Myself, and I," he said.
Other high-profile figures who spoke Wednesday night included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Oprah Winfrey also made a surprise appearance to rally voters for Harris and poked fun at Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance for a quip he made about "childless cat ladies" as part of an argument that Americans need to have more children.
Winfrey said that if a burning house belonged to a “childless cat lady,” neighbors would still try to help and “try to get that cat out too.”
She also encouraged people to get out and vote, saying that it represents the best of America.
“You’re looking at a registered independent who’s proud to vote again and again and again, because that’s what Americans do," she said. "Voting is the best of America.”
Wednesday night had a significant a shift in tone from Tuesday, when most of the programming was celebratory filled with music and cheers as speakers pivot to what they see as Trump-led attacks on freedoms like the right to abortion access and IVF. Speakers also framed Trump as a threat to democracy, a message that Democrats have been leaning on since Biden was in the race.
Trump actions on the day of the Jan. 6 riot were in the spotlight for an extended period during primetime as a string of speakers gave testimonials about their experiences that day from lawmakers to a retired U.S. Capitol police officer.
“They did it to rob millions of Americans of their votes. They did it because Donald Trump couldn't help losing,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chaired the Jan. 6 committee. “He would rather subvert democracy than submit to it.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries compared Trump to an old boyfriend who won't go away.
“Donald Trump is like an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away. He has spent the last four years spinning the block, trying to get back into a relationship with the American people," he said. “Bro, we broke up with you for a reason.”
Reproductive rights were a central theme in Wednesday night's program, with multiple speakers arguing that Democrats are the party fighting to defend freedoms while Trump and his GOP allies are working to take them away. Leaders of reproductive health advocacy groups and organizations spoke at the convention, highlighting Trump's role in getting Roe v. Wade overturned by appointing three of the Supreme Court justices who ruled in favor of reversing the landmark abortion ruling.
Many speakers also drew attention to civil rights and voting restrictions that Trump and GOP-led states have tried to or successfully implemented amid his baseless claims of the 2020 election being stolen from him.
“I got a message for the Republicans and the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court: You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand," said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Democratic speakers have tried to strike a balance throughout the week of rallying excitement for the Harris-Walz ticket while issuing warnings of the dangers of a second Trump presidency. That balance was seen on Tuesday night with the keynote addresses of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.
Their appearance drew raucous cheers from the crowd and several memorable moments as they bounced between rallying behind Harris and Walz and trying to bring a sense of hope back to American politics. But they also did not hold back on attacking Trump and creating a sense of urgency on the work that needs to be done over the next two and a half months until Election Day.
“This will still be a tight race in a closely divided country,” Barack Obama said. “As we gather here tonight, the people who will decide this election are asking a very simple question, who will fight for me? Who’s thinking about my future? About my children’s future?
“One thing is for certain, Donald Trump is not losing sleep over that question.”
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