Publish Tim Walz Biography from Birth to 2024 Part 2 last
Publish Tim Walz Biography from Birth to 2024 Part 2 last
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Tim Walz Biography from Birth to 2024
00:07Part 2
00:10During the Obama administration, Walz voted to advance the Affordable Care Act out of
00:14the House.
00:16He also met with the Dalai Lama and served on a commission monitoring human rights in
00:20China.
00:22During the 2013 federal government shutdown, Walz chose not to accept his congressional
00:26pay, instead donating it to hunger relief organizations.
00:31He accused the political Tea Party movement of contributing to the shutdown, calling it
00:35reckless and completely avoidable.
00:37No one should be patting themselves on the back about doing the basic work of government,
00:42Walz said.
00:44In 2016, he voted to condemn UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which called the building
00:50of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories a violation of international law.
00:56Walz was ranked the seventh most bipartisan House member during the 114th Congress and
01:01the most bipartisan member from Minnesota.
01:04In the bipartisan index created by the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy,
01:09which ranks members of Congress by measuring how often their bills attract co-sponsors
01:13from the opposite party and how often they co-sponsor bills by members of the opposite
01:17party.
01:18In 2017, Walz was floated as a possible candidate for the 2018 special election for the U.S.
01:24Senate seat held by Al Franken, who was resigning amid sexual misconduct allegations, even
01:29though Walz had already announced his campaign for governor.
01:33He declined to run and endorsed Lt. Gov. Tina Smith after she launched her campaign for
01:38the seat.
01:39In March 2017, after Mark Dayton, the incumbent governor, chose not to seek another term,
01:45Walz announced he would run for governor.
01:48His main opponent in the Democratic primary was originally State Rep. Aaron Murphy, who
01:52won the state party endorsement at the party's convention in June 2018.
01:58Shortly thereafter, State Attorney General Lori Swanson entered the race late in the
02:02campaign.
02:03Walz defeated Murphy and Swanson in the August primary election.
02:08On Nov. 6, 2018, he was elected governor, defeating the Republican nominee, Hennepin
02:14County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, 53.84 percent to 42.43 percent.
02:20Walz sought re-election in 2022.
02:23He won the August 9 Democratic primary and faced Republican nominee Scott Jensen in the
02:28November general election.
02:30On Nov. 8, 2022, Walz defeated Jensen, 52.3 percent to 44.6 percent.
02:38Walz was sworn in as governor of Minnesota on Jan. 7, 2019, at the Fitzgerald Theater
02:44in St. Paul.
02:46Walz took the oath of office alongside incoming Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota Secretary
02:51of State Steve Simon, Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha, and Minnesota Attorney General
02:56Keith Ellison, all Democrats.
02:59Walz spoke about education and health care reform in his inauguration speech.
03:04Later in 2019, President Donald Trump selected Walz for a spot on the Council of Governors.
03:10In 2021 President Joe Biden appointed Walz as a co-chairman of the Council of Governors.
03:16In 2023, Walz was named chair of the Democratic Governors Association, a high-profile position
03:21that involves supporting other governors in tight races.
03:25He stepped down after being selected as Kamala Harris's running mate.
03:30Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly succeeded him as chair.
03:33On May 26, 2020, the day after the murder of George Floyd, Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan
03:40demanded justice and called the video of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on George
03:44Floyd's neck disturbing.
03:47Walz elaborated,
03:48The lack of humanity in this disturbing video is sickening.
03:52We will get answers and seek justice.
03:55In response to riots in Minnesota, Walz partially activated the Minnesota National Guard on
03:59May 28 and fully activated it on May 30.
04:04President Trump reacted to Walz's actions by saying that he was very happy and that
04:07he did fully agree with the way Walz handled it.
04:11What the Minnesota National Guard did in Minneapolis was incredible.
04:16Trump called Walz an excellent guy.
04:19Trump also publicly claimed credit for deploying the Minnesota National Guard.
04:23Walz's office said Trump had no impact on Walz's deployments of the Minnesota National
04:28Guard.
04:30Political opponents and other groups criticized Walz's initial response to the widespread
04:34protests following Floyd's murder.
04:38He later responded to the murder by ordering the Minnesota legislature to reconvene for
04:41special sessions on legislation for police reform and accountability.
04:46After police reform failed to pass the first special session in June, a second special
04:51session was held in July.
04:53On July 21, the legislature passed significant police reform legislation.
04:59The new compromise law included a limited ban on police from using chokeholds so long
05:03as the officers are not at greater risk.
05:06It banned the old warrior training program, which was regarded as dehumanizing people
05:11and encouraging aggressive conduct.
05:14It required training peace officers to deal with people with autism or in a mental health
05:18crisis and de-escalation training for situations that could turn volatile.
05:23It also created a special independent unit at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for
05:27Investigations of Fatal Police Encounters and a Community Relations Advisory Council
05:31to consult with the police officers' standards and training board on policy changes.
05:37Walz signed the legislation into law on July 23, 2020.
05:42In January 2023, Walz signed the Protect Reproductive Options Act, which protects access to reproductive
05:48health care including abortion, contraception, and fertility treatments in Minnesota.
05:54Abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy in Minnesota.
05:58In April 2023, he signed the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, which bans state agencies
06:03from enforcing out-of-state subpoenas, arrest warrants, and extradition requests for people
06:08who travel to Minnesota for legal abortion, and limits the release of related health records.
06:14Walz advocated for the legalization of recreational cannabis as governor of Minnesota.
06:19As a candidate for governor in 2017, he said, we have an opportunity in Minnesota to replace
06:25the current failed policy with one that creates tax revenue, grows jobs, builds opportunities
06:31for Minnesotans, protects Minnesota kids, and trusts adults to make personal decisions
06:35based on their personal freedoms.
06:38In 2022, he proposed the creation of a Cannabis Management Office to develop and implement
06:43the regulatory framework for adult-use cannabis in Minnesota.
06:48On May 30, 2023, he signed into law House File 100 to legalize recreational cannabis
06:53in Minnesota, which went into effect on August 1, 2023.
06:58In June 2024, Walz signed the Minnesota Debt Fairness Act.
07:03Among other things, the act prevents health care providers from denying medically necessary
07:08treatment because of outstanding medical debt and prevents medical debt from affecting credit
07:12scores.
07:13The 93rd Minnesota Legislature, in session from January to May 2023, was the first legislature
07:19to be fully Minnesota Democratic or Farmer-Labor Party-controlled since the 88th Minnesota
07:24Legislature in 2013-2015.
07:28It passed several major reforms to Minnesota law, including requiring paid leave, banning
07:33non-compete agreements, cannabis legalization, increased spending on infrastructure and environmental
07:38issues, tax modifications, codifying abortion rights, universal free school meals, and universal
07:44gun background checks.
07:46The Star Tribune called the session one of the most consequential ever in Minnesota.
07:52Walz called it the most productive session in Minnesota history.
07:56While Walz signed almost all legislation passed by the legislature, he vetoed a bill intended
08:00to increase pay for rideshare drivers, his first veto as governor, saying that it did
08:04not strike the right balance.
08:07On July 22, 2024, Walz endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after incumbent President Joe
08:13Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race.
08:17After a rapid selection process in which the Harris campaign also vetted Kentucky Gov.
08:22Andy Beshear, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Illinois
08:27Gov. Jay Biapritzker, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Harris announced on Aug. 6 that
08:34she had chosen Walz as her running mate.
08:37The Democratic National Committee certified Walz's candidacy the same day it was announced.
08:43The selection was praised by an ideologically diverse group of politicians, including progressive
08:47Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, centrist independent Sen. Joe Manchin, and
08:53moderate Republican former Gov. of Maryland Larry Hogan.
08:58Walz is credited with first publicly describing Donald Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance
09:02as weird.
09:03The term subsequently became a popular meme, especially with young people, and has been
09:08widely used by Democrats.
09:11No more than a day after Walz was named Harris's running mate, his political opponents nicknamed
09:15him Tampon Tim for his 2023 signing of a Minnesota law that mandates that menstrual pads and
09:20tampons be provided free of charge in public schools to all menstruating students in restrooms
09:25regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12.
09:29Walz's political supporters responded favorably to the nickname and the law, and the editorial
09:33board of the Star Tribune published a defense of the initiative.
09:38Walz has been described as holding both moderate and progressive policy stances.
09:43Walz received a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood in 2012, from the American Civil Liberties
09:48Union in 2011, from the American Immigration Lawyers Association in 2009-2010, from the
09:55AFL-CIO in 2010, from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in 2009-2010, and from the National
10:02Organization for Women in 2007.
10:05He also receives single-digit ratings from the National Taxpayers Union, Citizens Against
10:10Government Waste, Americans for Tax Reform, and FreedomWorks.
10:15The United States Chamber of Commerce gave him a 25% rating in 2010.
10:21Walz supports a legal right to abortion, and has a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood.
10:27The National Right to Life Committee, an anti-abortion organization, gave him a rating of 0.
10:33In a March 2024 interview with CNN's Caitlin Collins, he said,
10:37My neighboring states have tried to criminalize women getting health care, and characterized
10:41their policies as a health care crisis, adding that states need to trust women to make their
10:45own health care decisions and to understand that abortion is health care.
10:49Also during the interview, he said, I think old white men need to learn how to talk about
10:53this a little more.
10:56And I think the biggest thing is, listen to women.
10:59Walz is a gun owner, and supports increased regulations on firearms.
11:04While in Congress, Walz was a strong supporter of gun rights and was endorsed by the NRA
11:08Political Victory Fund, NRAPVF, multiple times, receiving an A grade from the organization.
11:15Following the Parkland High School shooting in 2018, he denounced the NRA in a Star Tribune
11:20opinion piece and announced that he would donate the equivalent of all of the campaign
11:24contributions the NRAPVF had given him, $18,000, to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
11:31As governor, Walz expressed support for gun regulation.
11:35In 2023, he signed into law a public safety bill that establishes universal background
11:40checks and red flag laws in Minnesota.
11:43Walz condemned Hamas's October 7 attacks in Israel.
11:47He ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in the following days.
11:52After the 2024 Minnesota Democratic presidential primary, in which 19 percent of voters cast
11:57uncommitted ballots, Walz took a sympathetic view toward those doing so to protest President
12:02Biden's handling of the war in Gaza, calling them civically engaged.
12:07Of the protests against U.S. funding of the war in Gaza, Walz said, this issue is a humanitarian
12:12crisis.
12:13They have every right to be heard.
12:17These folks are asking for a change in course, they're asking for more pressure to be put
12:20on.
12:22You can hold competing things.
12:25That Israel has the right to defend itself, and the atrocities of October 7 are unacceptable,
12:30but Palestinian civilians being caught in this, has got to end.
12:34Walz also said he supports a ceasefire in Gaza.
12:38In 2023, Walz signed a law banning captive audience meetings and non-compete clauses.
12:44The law also mandates paid sick leave for employees and increases safety inspections
12:48and ergonomics requirements to reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries for warehouse,
12:53meatpacking, and healthcare facility workers.
12:56It also grants workers some of the strongest protections against wage theft.
13:01In October 2023, Walz joined the striking United Auto Workers picket line.
13:07He is a former member of two teachers' unions, the National Education Association and the
13:12American Federation of Teachers.
13:15Walz supports LGBTQ rights, including federal anti-discrimination laws on the basis of sexual
13:20orientation.
13:22In a 2009 speech, he called for an end to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.
13:28Walz voted in favor of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention
13:32Act and the Sexual Orientation Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
13:37In 2007, he received a 90% grade from the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest
13:42LGBT rights organization.
13:45In 2011, Walz announced his support for the Respect for Marriage Act.
13:50As governor, Walz has signed a number of bills that support the LGBTQ community.
13:56In 2023, he signed bills that banned the practice of conversion therapy and protected gender-affirming
14:01care in Minnesota.
14:04Having served 24 years in the Army National Guard, as a freshman in Congress Walz was
14:08given a rare third committee membership when he was assigned to the House Committee on
14:12Veterans Affairs.
14:14Walz was the lead House sponsor of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans
14:18Act, which directs the Veterans Administration to report on veteran mental health care and
14:23suicide prevention programs.
14:26It also gives the VA permission to provide incentives to psychiatrists who agree to join
14:30the VA medical system.
14:33Walz has faced criticism throughout his tenure as governor, particularly for his handling
14:37of major events such as the George Floyd protests and the COVID-19 pandemic.
14:42During the George Floyd protests in May 2020, he was criticized for a delayed response in
14:47deploying the Minnesota National Guard, which some, who argue worsened the violence and
14:52unrest, although fact-checkers have called this argument a wild misconstruing of events.
14:58J.D. Vance and Donald Trump have attacked Walz for comments he made during his 2018
15:02gubernatorial campaign in favor of an assault weapons ban.
15:05�We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war is the only place
15:09where those weapons are at.�
15:11Walz later said he had misspoken, acknowledging he had not experienced combat.
15:17Walz's stance on gun control, including support for an assault weapons ban, has been criticized
15:21by gun rights advocates, earning him an F rating from the NRA in 2018.
15:27Walz and his wife, Quinn, born 1966, married on June 4, 1994.
15:33The couple underwent fertility treatment at the Mayo Clinic for seven years before their
15:37children were born in 2001 and 2006.
15:41They lived in Mankato, Minnesota, for nearly 20 years before moving to St. Paul with their
15:46two children upon Walz's election as governor.
15:50Walz and his wife sold their home when they moved into the Minnesota governor's residence
15:53in 2019.
15:56According to financial disclosures made while he was in Congress, which a spokesperson for
16:00his 2024 campaign confirms, they have owned no stocks or securities.
16:05Their pensions are their only noteworthy asset.
16:09As of 2024, Walz has a modest financial profile.
16:13He owns no businesses and lists no income besides his salary as governor and his wife's
16:18teaching salary.
16:20The Walzes reported income of $166,000 on their 2022 tax returns.
16:27This places Walz among the least wealthy candidates ever to run for vice president.
16:32Raised Catholic, he left the church when he married his wife and is now a member of
16:35the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
16:39Speaking about his faith, Walz has described himself as a Minnesota Lutheran and referred
16:43to Pilgrim Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, as his family's parish.
16:49On September 23, 1995, Walz was arrested on a driving under the influence charge in Dawes
16:54County, Nebraska.
16:57He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving, and his driver's license was suspended
17:01for 90 days.
17:03He stopped drinking alcohol after the incident.
17:07Walz's brother, Craig, died in 2016 after being struck by a falling tree during a storm
17:12while on a camping trip.
17:14Craig's son, who was also hit by the tree, survived but suffered severe injuries.
17:19I stop at this point today.
17:22I hope I added something to you.
17:25You enjoyed the last few minutes.
17:27We will meet with you soon.
17:31For watching.