Walz disses Trump, mulls Vance debate in first appearance with Harris
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Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appear on stage together during a campaign event on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Vice President Kamala Harris was joined by her newly announced running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on the campaign trail in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The big picture: In their first campaign appearance together, the pair visited Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the 2024 presidential race.
- The Trump and Harris campaigns are turning a great deal of their attention to the state. They're set to spend more than twice as much on advertising in Pennsylvania than their budgets in any of the other six swing states, according to an Axios analysis of AdImpact data.
What he's saying: "I couldn't be prouder to be on this ticket, and to help Vice President Harris become … [the] next President of the United States of America," Walz said in their debut event together.
- The Minnesota governor took aim at Trump, saying the former president "sees the world a little differently than us" and "doesn't know the first thing about service ... he's too busy serving himself."
- Walz said Vance shares Trump's "dangerous and backward agenda for this country," adding, "These guys are creepy. And yes, just weird as hell."
- "I can't wait to debate the guy," he said of Vance. "That is, if he's willing to get off the couch and show up."
Zoom in: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a contender to be Harris' VP pick, delivered opening remarks, calling Walz "a great patriot" and a friend.
- Harris took the stage alongside Walz, saying she had set out to find a running mate who's a leader who will help unite the nation, a fighter for the middle class and a patriot who believes in the promise of America.
- "I found such a leader," she said when introducing Walz.
What she's saying: "Coach Walz and I may hail from different corners of our great country but our values are the same," she said. "We both believe in lifting people up, not knocking them down."
- Highlighting his early career credentials as a teacher and a high school football coach, Harris called him "the kind of teacher and mentor that every child in America dreams of having and that every kid deserves."
- She went on to say that the matchup between Walz and Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), is "like a matchup between the varsity team and the JV squad."
Zoom out: Both Harris and Walz emphasized a message of unity across the aisle, positioning themselves to be the ticket that can represent all Americans.
- "My promise to you is this: our campaign will reach out to everyone," Harris said.
- "From red states to blue states. From the heartland to the coasts. In rural, urban, suburban and tribal communities. We are running a campaign on behalf of all Americans, and when elected, we will govern on behalf of all Americans."
- Walz praised his running mate, saying, "She took on predators, she took took on the fraudsters, took down transnational gangs, stood up against powerful corporate interests and she never hesitated to reach across the aisle if it meant improving people's lives."
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