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J.D. Vance reveals the moment he knew Tim Walz was the ‘weird’ one – after Kamala Harris’ VP pick made bizarre gesture to his wife
- Sen. Vance thinks Gov. Walz is ‘projecting’ in his ‘Republicans are weird’ attacks
By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter In Washington, D.C.
Published: | Updated:
As Democrats continue their ‘Republicans are weird’ rhetoric, GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance insists the attack line is likely just ‘projection.’
Vance said Sunday morning that Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ‘aren’t comfortable in their own skin’ and are trying to convince Americans that Republicans are the weird ones.
‘They’re trying to distract from their own policy failures. I mean look, this is fundamentally schoolyard bully stuff,’ Vance told CNN‘s Dana Bash in an interview aired on State of the Union. ‘They can accuse me or whatever they want to accuse me of.’
‘I accept their attacks but I think that it is a little bit of projection.’
The Ohio Senator then specifically pointed to the awkward moment where Gov. Walz gave his wife Gwen a handshake on stage and tried to segue it into a half hug.
Sen. J.D. Vance said Democrats are ‘projecting’ with their ‘Republicans are weird’ rhetoric
Donald Trump Jr. made note of the moment on X with a clip of the interaction along with: ‘Totally normal to greet your wife with a firm handshake and a bro hug/back slap. Tim Walz isn’t weird at all, guys.’
And Vance also thinks the handshake was an example of how Walz is trying to deflect from his awkwardness by repeatedly calling him weird.
‘When I had just been announced as the VP nominee, I gave my big speech and I saw my wife and I gave her a big hug and a kiss because I love my wife and I think that’s what a normal person does,’ Vance recalled.
‘Tim Walz gave his wife a name, firm midwestern handshake and then tried to sort of awkwardly correct for it.’
‘I think what it is, is two people, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, who aren’t comfortable in their own skin, because they’re uncomfortable with their policy positions for the American people,’ Vance told Bash.
‘And so they’re name-calling instead of actually telling the American people how they’re going to make their lives better,’ he said. ‘I think that’s weird, Dana. But look, they can call me whatever they want to.’
He pointed to the moment when Democratic VP candidate Gov. Tim Walz shook his wife’s hand on stage at the first rally where he appeared alongside VP Kamala Harris last week
Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz appear at a rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the day Harris announced Walz as her running mate
Walz appears to be the first to call the 2024 Republican ticket weird – mostly leveling the attacks towards Vance – and the line has now caught on as a popular attack for other Democrats to use.
Both Vance and Walz are midwesterners and have touted their roots and upbringings as proof they know they are in step with what matters to middle Americans.
Trump insisted that the line is mostly about Vance, which the VP candidate accepted.
But the Republican senator brushed off the attacks in a round of show appearances on Sunday morning.
Donald Trump Jr. posted video of the awkward on-stage handshake between Tim and Gwen Walz that turned into a side hug
Bash asked Vance about Trump’s response to the ‘weird’ attacks, to which the former president said: ‘Not me, they’re talking about JD.’
Vance chuckled and replied: ‘Certainly they’ve levied that charge at me more than anyone else.’
‘But I think that drives home how they’re trying to distract from their own policy failures,’ Vance added. ‘This is fundamentally schoolyard stuff.’
Harris announced on Tuesday that chose Walz as her running mate.
The VP and Walz appeared at their first rally together later that evening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – where the Walz’s awkward handshake-turned-kiss took place.
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