Taking It to the House

Tim Walz Nomination Acceptance Speech

Chicago IL August 21, 2024

This week the Democratic Convention speeches seek to cement the astounding reversals in public opinion and party morale that followed President Biden’s July 24 announcement that he would not seek another four years in office. Last night the main job fell to vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, unknown to most voters in the rest of the nation.

Much of the heavy rhetorical work for Walz –self-definition, articulation of the campaign’s central messages, generating enthusiasm– was well underway by the time he took the stage. Delegates in the arena, on their third straight night of euphoria, hoisted “Coach Walz” signs to greet him. A neighbor and former student introduced him by recalling how he once pulled his car out of a snow drift. About a dozen members of the 1999 state champion football team Walz helped guide and motivate paraded their dad bods on stage wearing their old jerseys. During the speech emotions crested when Walz’s 17-year old son Gus leapt to his feet in tears when the nominee mentioned his family. Gus could be seen exulting “That’s my dad!”

The most important task had been consummated at the August 6 rally where Walz made his debut. With a namaste gesture he immediately signified deference to Harris, enhancing her leadership aura. His bio coded masculine: football coach, fix-it guy, veteran. Happy memes bearing the code flew around social media, at which Walz is adept. 

This combination of displayed traits, deference and masculinity, constitutes Tim Walz’s greatest asset to the Democratic ticket. No woman has ever ascended to the position of Commander in Chief, let alone a woman of mixed and non-white racial descent. Walz represents a portal for those uncomfortable with accepting that possibility. Real men can play second banana to strong capable women.

In his address Walz elaborated on the meaning of freedom, the designated theme word of the night:

When Republicans use the word freedom, they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office. Corporations — free to pollute your air and water. And banks — free to take advantage of customers.

But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love. Freedom to make your own health care decisions. And yeah, your kids’ freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in the hall. 

Walz also enunciated the other key words of the rapidly emerging campaign: joy, neighbor, community, the future. He strewed football references into his remarks, calling Project 2025, the GOP think-tank tome Democrats are literally waving around as incriminating exhibit A, their “playbook.” And just before he led the crowd in a call and response of the campaign battle-cry (“When we fight, we win.”) he said:

I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this. But I have given a lot of pep talks. So let me finish with this, team. It’s the fourth quarter. We’re down a field goal. But we’re on offense and we’ve got the ball. We’re driving down the field. And boy, do we have the right team. Kamala Harris is tough. Kamala Harris is experienced. And Kamala Harris is ready. Our job, our job, our job, our job for everyone watching, is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling. One inch at a time. One yard at a time. One phone call at a time. One door knock at a time. One $5 donation at a time.

Football is the most popular sport in America. It accounts for the lion’s share of the most watched television programs in the United States. Ronald Reagan inhabited the role of Notre Dame football hero George Gipp throughout his public life; FDR and George W. Bush were cheerleaders for their Harvard and Yale football teams during college. (Gerald R. Ford, never elected, played for Michigan.) 

Coach Walz is now leveraging football culture for Kamala Harris.