"Honour of my life": Tim Walz accepts Democratic Vice Presidential nomination at DNC in Chicago
Aug 22, 2024
Chicago [US], August 22 : Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is also the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris for the US presidential election scheduled for November this year, has accepted the Democrats' nomination for vice president of the United States, calling it an "honour" of his life.
Accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Wednesday, August 21 saying "It's the honor of my life to accept your nomination for vice president of the United States."
In addition, he expressed gratitude to President Joe Biden for "four years of strong, historic leadership" and to Kamala Harris for inviting him to join the ticket. Gwen Walz, the first lady of Minnesota, narrated a film introducing him.
In the video, Gwen Walz narrated her husband's narrative from his birth in Nebraska until he enlisted in the Army National Guard, accompanied by images of him from his military service. As the governor took the stage, Gwen Walz and their children, who were present at the convention, were teary-eyed.
"I had 24 kids in my high school class, and none of them went to Yale," he said in an apparent swipe at his Republican rival JD Vance, who is a Yale alumnus, CNN reported.
Walz claimed that he had a "responsibility to contribute" as a child. "For me, it was serving in the Army National Guard. I joined up two days after my 17th birthday, and I proudly wore our nation's uniform for 24 years," Walz said in his convention speech, as he accepted the Vice Presidential nomination.
Walz revealed that his father, a Korean War veteran, had "a mountain of medical debt" when he passed away from lung cancer.
"Thank God for social security survivor benefits. And thank God for the G.I. Bill that allowed my dad, and me, to go to college, and millions of other Americans," he said.
In his speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, Kamala Harris' running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, laid out what Americans could expect from her presidency, reported CNN. He said, "This is the part -- clip and save it and send it to your undecided relatives so they know."
"If you're are a middle-class family or a family trying to into middle class, Kamala Harris is going to cut your taxes," he said further.
Tim Walz, a former high school football coach and governor of Minnesota, closed his speech with a series of football metaphors.
"You might not know it, but I have not given a lot of big speeches like this," Walz said concluding the third night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
"Team, it is the fourth quarter, we are down a field goal, but we are on offense and we've got the ball...We are driving down the field. And, boy, do we have the right team, Kamala Harris is tough, Kamala Harris is experienced, and Kamala Harris is ready. Our job is to get into the trenches and do the blocking and tackling. One inch at a time, one yard at a time, one phone call at a time, one door knock at a time, one USD 5 donation at a time," he said at the convention.
Harris is the first woman of colour and the first Asian American to lead a major party ticket. Harris won 99 per cent of the vote, according to the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Walz, 60, emerged from a list of probable candidates who had better recognition and came from politically advantageous states.
Harris was nominated as the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden quit the presidential race amid mounting concerns over his age, particularly after his poor show in the debate with Donald Trump in June.
On the other hand, Trump, who is eyeing a comeback to the White House after a bitter exit in 2020, has named JD Vance as his running mate in the race. He is a venture capitalist and acclaimed author of the best-selling memoir 'Hillbilly Elegy.'