Kamala Harris’s running-mate Tim Walz was hailed by top Democrats and celebrities after his DNC rally last night.
The party establishment – including former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden – have descended on Chicago to formally nominate Harris and Walz, who won plaudits from the US left for attacking Donald Trump’s stance on abortion and gay marriage in his speech.
Bill Clinton, transport secretary Pete Buttigieg and former speaker Nancy Pelosi joined the Minnesota governor on stage on Wednesday night, and the ex-President jabbed at Trump too, saying: “Next time you hear him, don’t count the lies… Count the I’s!”
The trio’s endorsement followed that of Barack and Michelle Obama, who on Tuesday talked up Walz’s apparent authenticity.
Bill Clinton accused Trump of selfishness in his speech
Reuters
“I love this guy,” Barack Obama said of Walz, adding: “You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some consultant – they come from his closet, and they’ve been through some stuff.”
Speaking the next day, Walz, a former high school American football coach, said he had never addressed such a large crowd before, but joked that as a teacher he had “given a lot of pep talks”.
Delegates were seen hoisting “Coach Walz” placards and card cutouts of the VP nominee’s face in the audience, and chanted “Coach, Coach, Coach!” as he took to the stage.
But alongside the big-name Democrats, there was a surprise inclusion among the speakers on Wednesday: Oprah Winfrey.
MORE ON THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE:
Delegates were seen hoisting “Coach Walz” placards and card cutouts of the VP nominee’s face
Reuters
Barack Obama talked up Tim Walz’s apparent authenticity on Tuesday
Reuters
Audience members sprang to their feet and cheered as the veteran TV host entered the arena.
Oprah, despite describing herself as an independent voter, joined in with the Democratic endorsement of the Harris-Walz ticket, claiming “decency and respect are on the ballot in 2024”.
Though the presenter had written to Donald Trump during his first presidential bid in 2000, telling him: “Too bad we’re not running for office. What a team!”
She wasn’t the only celebrity on stage – singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder performed, as did John Legend – who paid tribute to Walz’s state by singing “Let’s Go Crazy” by the Minnesota-born artist formerly known as Prince.
Oprah was waiting in the wings as she prepared for a surprise DNC address
Reuters
JD Vance lambasted his VP opponent on television
Reuters
However, it was Nancy Pelosi’s anti-Trump remarks which generated the most Republican ire of the night. She told delegates: “Let us not forget who assaulted democracy on January 6: He did. But let us not forget who saved democracy that day: We did.”
In response to the evening’s speeches, Trump’s campaign labelled Tim Walz “freakish” and a “Communist slob” – while JD Vance, speaking to Fox News, accused the Democratic ticket of having too much “rhetoric and generalised promises” and not enough concrete achievements.
The campaign also accused “Border Czar Kamala” of “surrendering control of our border” to transnational criminal gangs.
It continued: “Walz is actually the perfect choice for Kamala’s number two… he’s a fellow radical left lunatic whose dangerous ideology has ravaged everything it has ever touched.”
Source Agencies
