Tim Walz, reportedly in the running to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, elaborated on why he refers to former President Donald Trump as “weird” during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday.
Following weeks of infighting among Democrats, President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and threw his support behind Harris. This decision came after a tumultuous debate against Trump, who is now the confirmed GOP presidential nominee.
The Trump campaign has criticized Harris for her perceived leniency on crime prior to joining Biden’s team and for her role regarding border security, even though she was focused on addressing the root causes of migration rather than border enforcement. Harris has also faced racist and sexist attacks. In contrast, Harris’s campaign emphasizes her background as a former prosecutor advocating for gun reform and women’s reproductive rights, painting a stark contrast to Trump’s criminal history.
Democrats have drawn attention to Trump’s four criminal indictments, two of which have led to felony convictions for falsifying records and mishandling classified documents. Trump maintains his innocence, attributing the charges to political motivations.
On CNN’s State of the Union, Tapper brought up Walz’s characterization of Trump as “weird” and questioned the effectiveness of this label compared to portraying Trump as a threat to democracy. Walz responded by expressing the belief that such extreme criticisms might give Trump undue influence, highlighting instead Trump’s erratic behavior, like bizarre statements and lack of genuine laughter, as evidence of his peculiarity.
Trump has made outlandish statements at his rallies, including references to Hannibal Lecter and improbable scenarios involving sinking boats and sharks. His approach to campaign rhetoric has been characterized by surreal and irrational remarks.
During her campaign fundraiser in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Harris addressed Trump’s false accusations against her, labeling them as “weird.” Additionally, after Trump’s appearance on Fox News’ Fox & Friends, the Harris campaign issued a statement critiquing his behavior and statements during the interview.