PHILADELPHIA: Kamala Harris debuted new White House colleague Tim Walz on Tuesday, unleashing a scathing rebuke of their Republican rival Donald Trump, questioning his commitment to the country and undermining his record in office.
Hours after the announcement on the Democratic ticket, the Minnesota governor took the stage with Vice President Harris in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania and signaled his intention to aggressively build the case against Trump.
“Donald Trump – he sees the world differently. That’s not even counting the crimes he’s committed,” Walz added, earning thunderous laughter and thunderous applause.
With Election Day less than three months away, most Americans don’t know who Walz is — and he gave voters a glimpse into his personal story, describing his military service, his experience as a public school teacher and his track record in politics. .
Harris, a former California attorney general, sought to draw a contrast between her background as a prosecutor and Trump’s criminal record, which includes 34 felonies with more than a dozen other charges.
Walz’s role as Harris’ top cheerleader also began to take center stage as he praised her work and career.
Walz’s recent viral success in distilling Democratic attack lines against Republicans into a one-word characterization — “weird” — landed him on Harris’ shortlist, and he was booed when he repeated it in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was part of the undercover card in Philadelphia and spoke highly of Walz, was the favorite, but Walz, 60, is said to have had a deeper connection with Harris during the talks.
The first joint appearance of the vice president and her new running mate will take place before the Democratic convention in Chicago, which begins on August 19.
The introduction of his candidacy in Pennsylvania was no accident.
The state is a key battleground state and part of the “blue wall,” along with Michigan and Wisconsin, that propelled President Joe Biden to victory in 2020.
The raucous rally provided a stark reminder of how different the race looked a month ago, before the 81-year-old Biden bowed to growing concerns about his age and left the race to endorse Harris.
Philadelphia was the start of a multi-day tour for Harris and Walz of the swing states where the race is likely to be decided, namely Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Nevada.
Republicans are trying to create a narrative about Walz as a “dangerous liberal extremist,” while Trump’s vice presidential nominee, J.D. Vance suggested that Harris — who is married to a Jew — left Shapiro because of anti-Semitism.
