Tim Walz took a break from his debate preparation on Sunday to visit a local farm’s pumpkin patch and told reporters that everything was “going very well.”
But behind the scenes, he is said to be worried about Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate.
Walz and his team have hunkered down in northern Michigan, preparing for the event at a place they’ve dubbed “Camp North Star.”
The name of the camp is about Walz “staying true to who he is, not turning him into a skilled debater like” Republican JD Vance, a source familiar with the preparations told DailyMail.com.
Tim Walz took breaks from debate prep to watch football; above attended the football game between the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota.
Between practice sessions, the Minnesota governor took time to go for a walk and eat pizza in downtown Harbor Springs, a resort community on the protected Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan.
And he and his staff keep up with America’s favorite pastime: football.
Many of the camp’s TVs show professional and college football, a source told DailyMail.com with people wearing their team gear. Bulldogs, Packers, Bills and Chiefs fans were seen.
And when memorizing political positions and jokes becomes too much, they go outside to throw a soccer ball between sessions.
Walz’s team has low expectations for the teacher-turned-politician, noting that Vance honed his debate skills during his time studying at Yale.
But behind the scenes, the Democratic vice presidential nominee is reportedly worried about bombing on the national stage and nervous about disappointing Kamala Harris.
In his interview with her to be his running mate, he warned her that he is a bad debater.
And there are areas where it is vulnerable.
Vance is expected to attack him over his military record, as he has in the past.
Walz’s allies fear that the Republican running mate will undermine Walz’s wisecracking dad persona and make the Democratic running mate look like a jerk or an out-of-touch liberal vouching for another liberal.
JD Vance is immersed in preparations for his own debate.
Walz has been known to throw out a memorable line or two in the past. Before Harris chose him as her running mate, Walz coined the word “weird” to describe Trump.
But adding to the pressure is the fact that the debate is likely to be the last major showdown between the two presidential candidates before the Nov. 5 election. Harris accepted CNN’s offer for another presidential debate, but Donald Trump did not.
So Walz has brought in some help to prepare: Pete Buttigieg, who plays Vance in mock debate sessions.
Buttigieg brought some levity to the practice sessions when he surprised everyone by showing up in a cheap red tie instead of casual camp clothes.
The Transportation Secretary has a polished on-camera personality and is a frequent guest on Fox News, where he spars with conservative hosts.
And he’s helped with debate prep before. In the 2020 election, he prepared Harris to take on Mike Pence by playing Pence in mock sessions with Harris.
CBS News will host the vice presidential debate, which will take place Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET in New York City. It is scheduled to last 90 minutes without an audience in the studio. It will be moderated by Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan.
There will be no opening statements but there will be closing statements. CBS News said it reserves the right to mute the candidates’ microphones, but otherwise they will be hot.
Walz is being trained by two campaign advisers, Rob Friedlander and Zayn Siddique, The New York Times reported. Also helping are Chris Schmitter, a former Walz aide who has worked with the governor for nearly two decades; Liz Allen, Walz’s campaign chief of staff; and Michael Tyler, communications director for the Harris campaign.
Walz, a former football coach, has a game plan: Skip Vance and attack Trump directly.
The Minnesota governor will take advantage of his sympathy to criticize Vance for “Project 2025” and for “selling his soul to Donald Trump.” cnn reported.
You could even borrow Harris’ playbook. When he was preparing for a vice presidential debate, before Joe Biden withdrew, he planned to ask Vance what promises he made to Trump so that the former president wouldn’t send an angry mob after him like Mike Pence experienced on January 6.
And Walz is expected to attack Vance for his ties to Trump, his stance on abortion rights and his controversial statements like eating pets and insulting single women with cats.
Tim Walz chats with cheerleaders at Saturday’s football game
Vance has been immersed in preparations for his own debate.
Republican Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, who is helping Vance prepare for the debate by playing Walz, previewed his line of attack on Sunday.
Walz is “like Gavin Newsom in a flannel shirt,” Emmer told ABC’s This Week.
Emmer also sat down with DailyMail.com last week to talk about debate preparations.
“I’ve spent the last month going over all of their debates,” he said in an exclusive interview. “If I do my job, JD will expose it.”
“I’ve basically spent the last month studying all the things Tim Walz has done, how he tries to present himself as something he’s not.
“When the senator and I talk, that’s exactly what I’m going to show him and he’ll know how to deal with that fraudulent ‘Minnesota Nice’ personality.”
After the vice presidential debate, Harris and Walz will campaign together via a bus tour of central Pennsylvania, according to the campaign.
Wednesday’s visit will be the first time Harris and Walz have campaigned together in central Pennsylvania. They will make multiple stops along the way to meet with voters.
