These viral videos shone a light on Kamala Harris' pick for VP. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at videos where the Minnesota governor turned Vice Presidential candidate brought political energy and dad energy.
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00:00That is weird behavior, and I don't think you call it anything else.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at viral videos
00:08where Minnesota Governor Tim Walz brought the political energy and dad energy.
00:12Welcome the next Vice President of the United States, Tim Walz!
00:19Number 10, missing an important call from Kamala Harris.
00:23When the Vice President is on the other line, you answer the call,
00:26assuming you recognize the caller ID.
00:29Hey everybody, Tim Walz here.
00:30Well, not a normal week, which is a good thing.
00:34I started out missing a call from the Vice President.
00:36In one of his many relatable video messages,
00:39Tim Walz confesses that when Kamala Harris initially called,
00:42asking him to be her running mate on the Democratic ticket, he missed it.
00:46Once they got in contact, Walz didn't hesitate to accept.
00:50The next thing Walz knew, he was on a plane to Philadelphia
00:53and speaking in front of a teleprompter for the first time.
00:56And they told me that in an hour I'd be giving a speech
00:58and there'd be a teleprompter, something I had never used in my life.
01:01So I'm certainly terrified.
01:03This casual video sets a tone for Walz's candidacy.
01:06He's a politician, but he's also a regular guy
01:09who understands everyday struggles like mistaking an unknown number for spam.
01:13While it's been a whirlwind so far, Walz still comes off as down to earth.
01:18We're just getting this thing started, but it is off and running.
01:21Number 9, a conversation with Kamala.
01:23The Harris-Walz campaign has presented the candidates
01:26as people you can have a casual conversation with.
01:29I talk about it being halftime in America.
01:31We're touchdown down.
01:32And I kind of like the idea of being a little bit behind.
01:35About a week after Walz was announced as Harris' running mate,
01:38the two sat down for a chat at Aretha's Jazz Cafe in Detroit.
01:42They kicked things off discussing, quote,
01:44white guy tacos before addressing the infamous missed call.
01:48Given the setting, the running mates naturally landed on the subject of music.
01:52So Tim, what's your relationship to music?
01:55Yeah, for me, the transformational piece of music was Bruce Springsteen's The River.
02:01Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger shaped Walz,
02:03while Aretha Franklin and Prince hold a special place in Harris' heart.
02:07As lighthearted as the conversation starts,
02:09the two eventually get into serious territory regarding social security,
02:13division, and what led to their career paths.
02:16Did you always know you wanted to be an attorney?
02:20My parents met when they were active in the civil rights movement.
02:23I grew up around a bunch of people that were, you know,
02:26marching and shouting for justice.
02:28Some called this, quote,
02:29scripted and fake.
02:31For others, it was as real as politicians get.
02:34Number eight, getting water for a crowd member.
02:37Politicians always say they'll look out for you.
02:39If they noticed somebody in need, though,
02:42would they suddenly drop everything to help?
02:46Can we get somebody to help?
02:47Somebody's hot.
02:49Somebody's hot.
02:50Can we get somebody to help?
02:51We can't speak for some other politicians,
02:53but based on this video, Tim Walz would.
02:56At a rally in Wisconsin,
02:58Walz put his speech on hold when he saw the heat getting to an attendee.
03:02He called out for somebody to bring the supporter water,
03:05encouraging everyone in the crowd to drink up.
03:08Drink some water, folks.
03:09It is hot out.
03:10Walz waited until the audience member was attended to.
03:14He tied this back into his policies,
03:16discussing the importance of helping your neighbors.
03:18While his empathy was on full display,
03:21it was Walz who applauded the other crowd members for assisting.
03:28Thank you all.
03:29He then asked if anyone else needed water.
03:32Number seven, air filters and snack foods.
03:35The same year he became governor of Minnesota,
03:38Walz spoke with Twin Cities PBS anchor David Gillette
03:41to tackle the subjects that matter and the ones that don't.
03:45Thanks for having me, David.
03:45Thank you for being here, sir.
03:46Should we just dig in?
03:47Absolutely.
03:48The Q&A session reached a wider audience five years later
03:51after Walz entered the race for the White House.
03:53The question that arguably made the video go viral
03:56concerns the last thing Walz did in public without any help from staffers.
04:00I went to Menard's and bought an air filter for my furnace.
04:04He gave the most Midwestern dad answer imaginable,
04:07mentioning the air filter he got from Menard's for his furnace.
04:10Walz also provided his stance on several pressing matters,
04:14namely whether he preferred muffins or donuts.
04:17He's a muffin man, and he will not hesitate to go for the top.
04:21Do you cut the muffin in half or do you take the dang muffin?
04:25Muffin top.
04:26Just the top?
04:27I didn't anticipate that answer.
04:29Number six, hands-free law.
04:31Tim Walz is gaining a reputation as America's dad,
04:34although he only has two biological children.
04:37In several videos, Walz is accompanied by his daughter, Hope.
04:41Hi, Minnesota. Governor Walz here, along with...
04:44Hope.
04:45This is where his dad energy is at its peak.
04:48In 2019, Walz signed the hands-free bill to help decrease road accidents.
04:53To commemorate this, the father and daughter shot a PSA of sorts,
04:57explaining what the new law entails.
04:59And Minnesotans, we're here making sure millennials are putting down the phone.
05:03I think it's actually adults, dad, like older people like you.
05:07Cut.
05:08Of course, the playful video quickly escalates into a debate about who's more prone to driving
05:13while on the phone, teenagers or the older crowd.
05:16After several takes, they do get to the issue at hand.
05:19Whereas most driving PSAs aim to shock us,
05:23this one is refreshingly humorous while still getting its message across.
05:27It's not worth it, Minnesota. Put the phone down.
05:29It's the law of the land. More importantly, it's going to keep Minnesotans safe.
05:32Number five, his response to stolen valor accusations.
05:36Although he never saw active combat, Walz served in the military for over 20 years.
05:41Likewise, J.D. Vance was a U.S. Marine, serving a non-combative role.
05:46Despite these similarities,
05:47Vance and several other Republicans called Walz's military record into question.
05:52Walz did say on camera that I carried a gun in a war.
05:56Well, which war did you carry a gun in?
05:57Because you apparently never went to a war zone.
05:59That is a totally reasonable question to ask.
06:01And I think the evidence at this point is overwhelming
06:03that he lied about serving in a combat zone.
06:06The most damning accusation is that Walz retired in 2005
06:09to dodge deployment during the Iraq War.
06:12In reality, Walz turned in his retirement papers
06:15months before his unit received official notice that they'd be sent to Iraq.
06:18And I just want to say, I'm proud to serve my country, and I always will be.
06:24During an impassioned speech at a union convention,
06:26Walz proclaimed how proud he was of his service.
06:30Walz might not agree with Vance's policies.
06:33As Walz saluted every American who has worn a uniform, though,
06:37he didn't leave his political opponent out.
06:39And I firmly believe you should never denigrate another person's service record.
06:44Is anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country,
06:47including my opponent?
06:49I just have a few simple words.
06:52Thank you for your service and sacrifice.
06:54Number four, at the Minnesota State Fair.
06:57The Walz family is no stranger to the Minnesota State Fair.
07:00Although this tripped through Tim for a loop.
07:02Hey, Minnesota, Governor Walz here out at the State Fair with my daughter.
07:06Ho.
07:07Every year, we as a family do something old and something new.
07:10We mean that literally.
07:11Recording a video in 2023,
07:13the governor and his daughter talked about their annual traditions.
07:16The family patriarch would get to pick something old,
07:19while Hope got to pick something new.
07:21Following a conversation about whether turkey counts as meat in Minnesota,
07:25Hope took her dad on the slingshot.
07:32Walz claims his daughter tricked him into doing the fair's most extreme ride,
07:36which thankfully came with a reaction cam.
07:39As is often the case with most people who go on the slingshot for the first time,
07:43Walz's expression is one of sheer terror and pure joy.
07:47That was pretty cool, actually.
07:49That is wild.
07:51Number three, free school meals.
07:53Before getting involved in politics,
07:55Walz taught geography and coached football at Mankato West High School.
07:59Even after leaving to focus on Congress,
08:01education remained a top priority for Walz.
08:04No longer are we starting to differentiate have and have not.
08:07Those who had lunch, those who didn't.
08:09Those who got something different than someone else.
08:12We're simply treating them with the respect and dignity that each child should have.
08:16Nowhere is this more evident than in a video where Walz signed a bill
08:20guaranteeing Minnesota students free breakfast and lunch at school.
08:23During the ceremony, Walz was surrounded by schoolchildren.
08:27After one kid came in for a hug,
08:29the good cheer became uncontainable as several others joined.
08:32Much like a free meal, you can't put a price on this wholesome moment.
08:36In March 2024, the Minnesota Department of Education announced that the number of
08:41school meals had increased by 4.3 million breakfasts and 4.5 million lunches.
08:46This is good news, but it also should be a wake-up call.
08:49We've got a lot of folks out there that may be food insecure,
08:52more so than we thought, that are right on that edge.
08:55Number two, weird.
08:57A lot has been said about Donald Trump and his allies over the past several years.
09:00These are weird people on the other side.
09:02They want to take books away.
09:04They want to be in your exam room.
09:05That's what it comes down to.
09:07Don't, you know, get sugarcoating this.
09:09These are weird ideas.
09:10You wouldn't think Walz's assessment that Trump and J.D. Vance are, quote,
09:14weird would catch on,
09:15especially compared to some of the more colorful comments from late-night hosts.
09:19After Walz called them, quote,
09:21weird people in a July 2024 interview, though,
09:24it became Democrats' go-to description for everything MAGA.
09:27Well, it's true.
09:28These guys are just weird.
09:29And, you know, they're running for He-Man Women Haters Club or something.
09:34It's probably an exaggeration to say Harris picked Walz solely based on this viral interview.
09:39Walz's newfound social media popularity certainly didn't hurt, however.
09:44Although weird is arguably one of the more polite insults directed at Trump,
09:48he still considers it a, quote, personal attack.
09:51She actually called me weird.
09:53He's weird.
09:54It was just a soundbite.
09:55And she called J.D. and I weird.
09:57Sometimes the simplest words possess the most power.
10:01Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
10:05Honey the Kitty.
10:06The Walz family gets a new pet in this Animal Humane Society video.
10:10But we wanted to make sure that Honey got a good home.
10:12And I think, as everyone who's listening to this probably knows,
10:17they rescue you as much as you rescue them.
10:19So we're glad she's here.
10:21Pro tip on fixing vehicle parts.
10:23Better service than AAA.
10:25So for $7.99 at Napa Auto Parts here in the city, you can replace this.
10:30Just clip off the back.
10:31Use some shrink wrap connectors on there.
10:32Tape it back together and put it back in.
10:34Eight track players.
10:36Darn kids and their modern music.
10:38Trying to explain to them how this plays music is like explaining alchemy.
10:43What a monster.
10:44Walz's sarcastic remark for being seen as progressive.
10:48What a monster.
10:49Kids are eating and having full bellies so they can go learn.
10:52And women are making their own health care decisions.
10:55His first TikTok featuring Scout the dog.
10:57Everybody, Tim here with Scout at the dog park along the Mississippi
11:01doing our first entry into TikTok.
11:03Or as he and I say, TimTok.
11:06Right, Scout?
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11:23Number one, his first speech as Harris' running mate.
11:26While Walz's weird comment widened his following,
11:29he was still relatively unknown to most Americans when Harris chose him as a running mate.
11:34Thank you, Madam Vice President, for the trust you put in me.
11:37But maybe more so, thank you for bringing back the joy.
11:44For most people, his first speech at a rally with Harris would serve as an introduction.
11:49Adding to the pressure, the rally occurred in Pennsylvania,
11:52where Governor Josh Shapiro was also vying for the VP position.
11:56Walz immediately got on the crowd's good side, praising Shapiro.
12:00And Pennsylvania, I know you know this,
12:03but my God, what a treasure you have in Josh Shapiro.
12:07He went on to champion Harris before discussing his experiences as a soldier,
12:12educator, and politician.
12:13He didn't hold back when it came to the weird competition either,
12:17calling out Trump's legal record and policies.
12:20As for J.D. Vance, Walz just couldn't resist a couch joke.
12:33With this speech, a political star was born.
12:36What's your favorite Tim Walz moment? Let us know in the comments.
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