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Tim Walz’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention wowed the audience, and social media was moved by his speech & the crowd’s reaction.
On Wednesday night (August 21), the third night of the Democratic National Convention closed with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz accepting the nomination to be vice president and the running mate to presidential candidate Kamala Harris. His speech would captivate the audience at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, and move those watching at home and on social media. Before taking the stage, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and his wife, Gwen Walz, spoke to the crowd. They were then followed by players from the Mankato West football team whom Walz coached to the state championship in 1999.
Walz would then take the stage to a massive round of applause from the crowd, with many of them holding “Coach Walz” signs aloft. He spoke about supporting Vice President Harris because they share the same values. “That family down the road, they may not think like you do,”, he said, “they may not pray like you do. They may not love like you do. But they’re your neighbors. And you look out for them. And they look out for you. Everybody belongs.”
Walz would also fire back at Republican critics who criticized his background as a teacher and coach, stating: “Never underestimate a public schoolteacher. Never.” He expounded on that experience which led him to create programs that provided free meals to students, and tied it into the present day with a quote that drew heavy applause: “So while other states were banning books from their schools, we were banishing hunger from ours.”
The key moment of the night came when he shared the journey that he and his wife went on to try to have children, and said that was why he championed reproductive rights. “Hope, Gus, and Gwen you are my entire world. And I love you,” Walz said, prompting his son Gus to stand, teary-eyed and yell “That’s my dad!!” as the crowd gave the governor a standing ovation. The speech by Walz moved many online who had a chance to watch it. Some remarked on how he reminded them of their own fathers. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Crooked Media podcast host Tommy Vietor wrote, “I would run through a brick wall for Tim Walz.”
Check out the reactions to Walz’s acceptance speech below.