Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller stated Tuesday that Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance should not “underestimate” Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on the debate stage.
Walz and Vance are set to face-off during Tuesday night’s first and only vice presidential debate ahead of the 2024 election, where Miller expects the Minnesota governor to show his skills in debating. The campaign adviser argued Walz presents himself differently on the campaign trail than he does during debates, where he is instead able to be a skilled politician.
“Two things can be true at the same time here. Again, the Tim Walz that we see on the campaign trail, as he’s bouncing around and dancing and pointing to Kamala Harris and looking kinda goofy, is not the Tim Walz that shows up in debates,” Miller said. “And Kasie, I will tell you, I have watched more debate footage of Tim Walz than anyone should ever be forced to do, but here’s the thing, he’s been in office for two decades. J.D. Vance has been in official office for 2 years. But Tim Walz has been in office for 2 decades, he’s good, he was in Congress, he’s in his second term as governor in the state of Minnesota, when he shows up and hits that stage, he’s disciplined, he’s on point and he lies through his teeth.”
“And that’s the thing that most people who are tuning in tonight, or many of the people I should say, will not have watched Tim Walz bouncing around on the campaign stage. What they will see is tonight they’ll see Tim Walz for the first time,” Miller continued. “And he will come across very much with an awe-shucks Minnesota persona, but where he’s gonna have an issue is how does he will defend his record, how does he defend Kamala Harris’ record, and to be honest, he has to defend Joe Biden’s record as well.”
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Republican nominee Donald Trump referred to Walz as a “moron” and argued he is highly unpopular during a Fox Nation interview on Monday. He further warned the debate will be “rigged” and “stacked” against Vance.
CNN host Kasie Hunt pressed Miller on whether a “moron” can be skilled and talented on the debate stage. Miller said Walz will struggle to defend Vice President Kamala Harris’ policy record, but knows what he is doing on the stage.
“[Walz] is well programmed because this has been his life for the past two decades. So, with all due respect to my boss, trust me. When he gets to the debate stage, Tim Walz is gonna be good, and J.D. Vance I think is gonna do very well also, but do not underestimate Tim Walz, he can be much better than people think,” Miller said.
Hunt then pressed Miller on referring to Walz’s behavior at campaign events as “effeminate,” though the campaign adviser assured this behavior will not show up on the debate stage.
“You look at the way that Tim Walz dances around on the stage. That’s just the way that it struck me and so that was my characterization and that’s Tim Walz, that’s why I said he’s kinda goofy, bounces around … It’s not someone who comes across as this alpha male, someone who’s a killer, that’s gonna come out there and be sharp on the debate stage. But that’s what we’re gonna see tonight with Tim Walz,” Miller said. “Again, not to say that J.D. Vance isn’t gonna show up and do very well, but Tim Walz will be an absolute killer. He’s not gonna be this goofy caricature of himself as we normally see when he’s on stage and doing the weird pointy thing with Kamala Harris. Tim Walz is good.”
Vance will excel at talking about the economy, the migrant crisis and Trump’s record, Miller added.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/CNN)
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