Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz is being accused of being “a fake” after a new campaign ad shows him working under the hood of his car with his hands inexplicably clean.
In a video that lasts almost three minutes, the 60-year-old governor of Minnesota can be seen working on his pale blue 1979 International Harvester Scout.
But while Walz attempts to appear like a relatable, down-to-earth member of the middle class, that notion fades when viewers see Walz’s immaculate hands, even as he tinkers with various gadgets on the dirty engine. of the vehicle.
The clip is part of a carefully choreographed video for the Harris/Walz campaign as they attempt to portray the former six-term congressman and two-term governor as someone who enjoys the outdoors and is handy with tools.
Democratic vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz is being accused of appearing disingenuous after a new campaign ad shows him working under the hood of his car with his hands inexplicably clean.
The clip is part of a carefully choreographed video for the Harris/Walz campaign as they attempt to portray him as someone who knows the outdoors and is handy with tools.
Campaign strategists can see through the “sincere” intent with carefully orchestrated campaign videos to the foundation of the Democratic campaign.
“Having a good gimmick is part of being a good politician,” said Republican communications strategist Brendan Buck, who was an aide to Republican speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan. The Atlantic.
“Walz always seemed like a bit of a charlatan to me, he was one of those guys on Capitol Hill who maybe seems like he’s trying too hard,” Buck said.
‘While “This doesn’t make Walz a bad person or especially unique among politicians, but it also doesn’t give him special status like the Real One,” he added.
Another political commentator suggests that Walz also benefits from the fact that many people no longer pay much attention to anything in depth and voters accept Walz’s persona as a high school football coach and dad joke teller.
Blois Olson, a veteran political commentator, says he believes Walz has proven himself to be a talented political actor, but that pretending to be uneducated and unsophisticated is simply an act.
Viewers see Walz’s immaculately clean hands, even though he tinkered with various gadgets on the vehicle’s engine.
In a video that lasts almost three minutes, the 60-year-old governor of Minnesota can be seen working on his pale blue 1979 International Harvester Scout.
“Oh, he’s totally full of shit,” Olson said of Walz. “And he’s also very good at being full of shit.” Olson said in a backhanded compliment.
Walz will have a chance to introduce himself to millions more potential voters when he and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio meet Tuesday for their first and only scheduled vice presidential debate.
Their meeting comes five weeks before Election Day and the pair crisscross the country to introduce themselves to the electorate, paying special attention to the handful of battleground states that will determine the winner.
Since Harris chose her as her running mate, Walz has stayed away from the national media despite having a vocal presence earlier this summer.
Polls suggest Walz is much more likable than his Republican counterpart and that his voter base is a broader cross-section of the population.
Harris has also been protected and is on track to give the fewest interviews ever to a major party presidential candidate.
Since President Biden ended his reelection bid on July 21, his 59-year-old vice president has held just seven sit-ins, leaving both her allies and critics wanting more.
Vance, on the other hand, has been a media presence throughout, although he often appears on GOP-friendly outlets such as Fox News.
Polls suggest Walz is much more likable than his Republican counterpart, as his voter base makes up a broader cross-section of the population.