Gov. Tim Walz’s first speech as vice presidential candidate video and transcript – New York Theater

“A few of us are sufficiently old to recollect when it was Republicans who have been speaking about freedom. It seems now, what they meant is the federal government must be free to invade your physician’s workplace,” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stated in his first speech as Kamala Harris’ operating mate, at a rally tonight in Philadelphia. “When the vp and I speak about freedom, we imply the liberty to make your personal well being care choices! And for our kids to be free to go to highschool with out worrying they are going to be shot useless of their school rooms…”

Watch a video of the speech, and under that, a transcript of it. (And under {that a} video of your complete two-hour rally)

Thanks. Wow. Thanks, Philadelphia. Thanks, Madam Vice President, for the belief you’ve got put in me. However perhaps extra, thanks for bringing again the enjoyment.
I’m thrilled to be on this journey with you and Doug, this unimaginable journey. And Pennsylvania, i do know you understand this, however my god, what a treasure you’ve got in Josh Shapiro. Holy cow, can this man convey the fireplace? He can convey the fireplace. This can be a visionary chief. Additionally I’ve to let you know, all people in America is aware of, whenever you want a bridge mounted, name that man. Typically we neglect you see folks somewhat one-dimensional. However seeing a man who cares so deeply about his household, a person with compassion, imaginative and prescient, and I do know this from expertise, there is no such thing as a one you’ll fairly go to a Springsteen live performance in Jersey with than him!
And I can’t watch for all of you in America to get to know my unimaginable spouse, gwen, a 29-year public college educator! Don’t ever underestimate lecturers. And our two lovely youngsters, Hope and Gus.
I couldn’t be prouder to be on this ticket and to assist Vice President Harris turn out to be what everyone knows is excellent for us to consider, subsequent President of america of America! From her first day as a prosecutor, because the district legal professional, legal professional normal of the nice state of California, a United States senator, and vp of america, Vice President Harris has fought on the aspect of the American folks. She took on the predators. She took on the fraudsters. She took down the transnational gangs. She went up towards highly effective company pursuits. And he or she by no means hesitated to achieve throughout the aisle if it meant enhancing folks’s lives. And i would like all of you to carry this and don’t ever underestimate the ability of this — she does all of it with a way of pleasure!
I do know somewhat one thing about that dedication to folks. I used to be born in West Level, Nebraska. I lived in Butte, a small city of 400 the place neighborhood was a lifestyle. I spent summers engaged on the household farm. My mother and father taught us, present generosity in the direction of your neighbors and work for the frequent good. My dad served within the military throughout the Korean Battle and along with his encouragement, at 17, i joined the Military NAtional Guard. For twenty-four years, i proudly wore the uniform of this nation. The Nationwide Guard gave me function. It gave me the power of a shared dedication to one thing higher than ourselves. And simply because it did for my dad and thousands and thousands of others, the G.l. Invoice gave me a shot at a university training.
My dad was a instructor. My brothers and sisters and that i adopted of their footsteps. Three out of 4 of us married lecturers. It’s what we do. For almost 20 years,I had the privilege of educating highschool social research and training soccer, together with profitable the state championship. Don’t ever shut the yearbook. Don’t ever.
However it was my college students. They inspired me to run for workplace. They noticed in me what i hoped to instill in them. A dedication to the frequent good. A perception that one individual could make a distinction. So in 2006 I took a leap and I ran for congress. And since highschool lecturers are tremendous optimistic, I used to be operating in a district that had one Democrat since 1892. Effectively, my neighbors graced me with a chance to symbolize them in america Home of Representatives.  I’m happy with the work that we did. I labored throughout the aisle on veterans points, on agriculture, and on methods to develop the agricultural economies. I discovered the artwork of compromise with out compromising my values. And now as governor of the nice state of Minnesota, I convey these experiences to bear in tackling the challenges which are going through our nice state. Minnesota’s power comes from our values. Our dedication to working collectively. To see previous our variations. At all times being prepared to lend a serving to hand. The identical values I discovered on the household farm, and tried to instill in my college students. I took it to the Congress and to the State Capitol and now, Vice President Harris and I are operating to take the identical values to the White Home.
Now, Donald Trump sees the world somewhat in a different way than us. fFrst of all, he doesn’t know the very first thing about service. He doesn’t have time for it as a result of he’s too busy serving himself. Once more and time and again, Trump weakened our financial system to strengthen his personal hand. He mocks our legal guidelines. He sows chaos and division. That’s to say nothing of his report as president. He froze within the face of the Covid disaster. You drove our financial system to the bottom. And make no mistake. Violent crime was up underneath Donald Trump. That isn’t even counting the crimes he dedicated!
A few of us in listed here are sufficiently old to recollect –I see you down there, I see these outdated white guys — a few of us are sufficiently old to recollect when it was Republicans who have been speaking about freedom. It seems now, what they meant is the federal government must be free to invade your physician’s workplace. In Minnesota, we respect our neighbors and the private decisions that they make, even when we wouldn’t make the identical selection for ourselves.There’s a golden rule: Thoughts your personal rattling enterprise!
…This consists of IVF. It’s private for me and my household. When my spouse and I made a decision to have youngsters, we spent years going by infertility therapies. And I bear in mind praying each evening for a name for excellent news. The pit in my abdomen when the telephone rang, and the agony after we heard the therapies had not labored. It wasn’t by probability that after we welcomed our daughter into the world, we named her Hope. When the vp and I speak about freedom, we imply the liberty to make your personal well being care choices! And for our kids to be free to go to highschool with out worrying they are going to be shot useless of their school rooms. By the way in which, as you heard, I used to be one of the best shot in Congress. In Minnesota, we consider within the Second Modification. However we additionally consider in frequent sense gun legal guidelines!
Vice President Harris’ concept of freedom is training to be the ticket to the center class. Not crippling debt. Air that’s clear. Water that’s pure. Communities which are protected! A spot the place we settle our political variations not by violence, however with our votes. And that’s what this election is about. What path will this nation go in? Effectively, Donald Trump will rattling certain take us backwards, let’s agree with that. And don’t consider him when he performs dumb. He is aware of precisely what venture 2025 will do to limit our freedoms, to rig the financial system to assist the superrich.
If Trump will get the possibility to return, he’s going to select up precisely the place he left off 5 years in the past. Solely this time will probably be a lot, a lot worse. Elevating prices on middle-class household. He’ll repeal the inexpensive care act. Little doubt about it. He’ll intestine Social Safety and Medicare. And when someone tells you who they’re, consider them. He stated he’ll ban abortion all through this nation and he’ll do it. Donald Trump just isn’t preventing for you or your loved ones. He by no means sat on the kitchen desk just like the one I grew up at, questioned how we have been going to pay the payments. He sat at his nation membership in Mar-a-Lago questioned how he may lower taxes for his wealthy mates.
And I bought to let you know, his operating mate shares his harmful and backwards agenda for this nation. J.D Vance actually wrote the ahead for the architect of the Mission 2025 agenda. Like all common folks I grew up with within the heartland, JD studied at Yale, had his profession funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, and wrote a bestseller trashing that neighborhood. Come on! That isn’t what Center America is. And I can’t wait to debate the man. That’s, if he’s prepared to get off the sofa and present up. So, you see what i did there?*  I bought to let you know — simply an statement of mine that I made, I simply need to say it. it. You’re feeling it. These guys are creepy, and, sure, simply bizarre as hell. That’s what you see. That’s what you see!
So you understand what’s on the market. Say it with me “we aren’t going again!” we aren’t going again. We’re not going again.
So we’ve bought 91 days. My god, that’s simple. We’ll sleep after we are useless. Over these subsequent 91 days, and each day within the White Home, I’ll have Vice President Harris’s again. Each single day! And we may have yours!
You understand how this works. We will’t do it alone. We have to use every and everybody of you. Go over to kamala harris.com. Get on board, as a result of we’d like you. Freedom to make your personal decisions. This chief. This compassionate, cautious, joyous chief believes in each one in all you! My god, you got here right here tonight since you love this nation and you aren’t going again!
She believes within the alternative for each single individual to hitch the center class. She believes within the promise of America. We simply bought to battle. We’ve simply bought to battle. As a result of, as soon-to-be President Harris says, “after we battle, we win!”

*Walz was making a sly allusion to a bawdy meme going round about JD Vance.