A statement Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz made at a Pennsylvania rally was interpreted as a possible gaffe, and became an internet punching bag. And so did political action committees for Democratic Super PAC American Bridge 21st Century talking point round-ups on only the third day of Joe Biden being president, and conservative figures who speculated that the scenario might have been an accidental admission against interest from Walz.
Walz, who is running with Vice President Kamala Harris, spoke at the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania rally about gun violence.
“Things like we did in Minnesota, to have enhanced background checks and red flag laws, to get guns out of there, to make a difference,” Walz described.
“And I still got my guns to go shoot pheasants in a couple weeks….We need some water, can we get [a] check on him?” the candidate added, while pointing at the attendee.
Walz then turned his attention back to the presidential election, bringing up former President Donald Trump and his running-mate, JD Vance.
“I’ll bring her home here quick, folks: Look, Kamala Harris made it clear these guys want to instill fear,” Walz began. “They want to tell you that [you should] just get over it, it’s a fact of life. This is the way it is.”
“[Harris] simply has said it doesn’t have to be this way,” he added. “It doesn’t have to be this way. We can’t afford four more years of this.”
Walz’s comment was presumably a reference to gun violence or the tone of Trump, but — as is often the case on Twitter — that lack of context prompted ridicule. Right-wing commentators swooped in, suggesting all sorts of things — he was attacking the incumbent!
“Dude is campaigning for Trump now?” commentator Rita Panahi wrote on X.
“I’m with Him/Tim,” Donald Trump Jr. jokingly replied.
Trump War Room, an X account run by Trump’s presidential campaign, wrote, “WALZ FINALLY TELLS THE TRUTH: ‘We can’t afford four more years’ of Kamala Harris.”
Though it is unclear from the statement of Walz’s campaign whether or not this was a purposeful comment, his language revved up conversation across parties.