Governor Tim Walz has made quite the splash since being chosen as Kamala Harris’ running mate, but let’s be real—this “cool dad” act the media’s hyping up isn’t exactly how Minnesotans know him.
Walz has been a fixture in Minnesota politics for over twenty years, yet his recent transformation has people scratching their heads. Instead of the reserved, buttoned-up politician locals are used to seeing, Walz is now out on the campaign trail in full-on hype mode: rushing onto stages, flailing his arms, and trying to project this eager energy that just feels off. It’s a new face of Walz, and it’s so obviously crafted for the national spotlight that even local reporters aren’t buying it.
LMAO: Tim Walz pretends to wave to nonexistent supporters as the crowd screams “TRUMP 2024”
Perfect 🤣
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 29, 2024
On a recent episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, longtime Minnesota journalist Liz Collin broke down how Walz has morphed into this over-the-top version of himself. “It’s amazing to me to see how he has so drastically changed just in the last couple of weeks,” Collin noted. She described him as “animated” and “jazzed up” to a level that’s almost unrecognizable. And Collin would know—she’s followed Walz’s career closely, from his early days as a congressman to his time as governor. To her and many other Minnesotans, this high-energy routine doesn’t match up with the steady, reserved figure they’re used to seeing.
The more Tampon Tim humiliates himself on the national stage, the more awkward his gesticulations become. Freak! pic.twitter.com/rshSs1dwag
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 2, 2024
Collin didn’t hold back, calling Walz’s newfound persona “wild” and pointing out how national media is trying to sell him as the quintessential “Midwestern guy,” a stereotype that’s clearly been concocted for the campaign trail.
What the actual hell is with these people? The Walz’ are just eight shades of bizarre. It’s like they’re aliens in human suits who’ve studied human behavior and are trying to blend in but can’t quite sell it. pic.twitter.com/7GopBW8q0E
— Chris Stigall (@ChrisStigall) September 14, 2024
And it’s not just the new image that’s irking folks; it’s how the Minnesota media has handled his record. According to Collin, local outlets like the Star Tribune have spent years running cover for Walz and his administration, burying controversies and avoiding hard questions. That’s one of the reasons she left mainstream media and joined Alpha News, an independent outlet that’s taken a different approach to covering the Minnesota political scene.
Collin brought up a few choice examples of Walz’s questionable past claims and inconsistencies that haven’t exactly made the front page. Take his military rank, for instance. Walz has faced questions about why he claimed to hold a higher rank than he actually did, not to mention some questionable stories about speeding incidents and DUIs that somehow never stuck in the public consciousness. Collin argues that Walz has gotten away with these inconsistencies because local media has refused to dig into his background the way they would if he had an “R” next to his name. In fact, these stories were pretty much kept under wraps until independent media got hold of them and brought them to light.
This time, even Kamala was like, “We are done!”
Even Kamala is like “bro, stop” at the end of this. pic.twitter.com/kbgCJCC3dP
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) October 30, 2024
So, while national media might be busy painting Walz as this down-to-earth, Midwestern dad, people in Minnesota know better. He’s a career politician who’s playing a part, leaning hard into the persona that suits him now that he’s been tapped for a VP role. But with so many questions piling up about his honesty and the local media’s complicity in keeping his record under wraps, he may find that this shiny new image is more fragile than it appears. And with the spotlight now squarely on him, those hidden stories and inconsistencies might just start catching up.
