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Harris Picks Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to Be Her VP Running Mate. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired August 06, 2024 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[10:30:00]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Welcome back to the Breaking News. We're continuing to follow the all of the breaking news this morning. Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. She has made it official on social media. We can show this tweet from Kamala Harris just a few moments ago. I am proud to announce that I've asked Tim Walz to be my running mate, as a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran. He's delivered for working families like his. It's great to have him on the team. Now, let's get to work.

That's a fundraising appeal to Democrats to raise money for this campaign. Let's talk about this further. Now, we've got -- I believe we have Bakari Sellers joining us now. Bakari, I know you're very close to Kamala Harris. And, you know, I have to think this was a difficult selection process because inside the Democratic Party, people like Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, and Tim Walz, not to mention Pete Buttigieg and others were all very strong contenders. And you had -- I would have to think yet a lot of people in each of their corners throughout this process. But how do you think it all shaked out? You like to pick? I'm sure.

[10:35:00]

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Yes, and Gretchen Whitmer and Andy Beshear and Roy Cooper. I mean, there was a -- there were a plethora of good choices for Kamala Harris to choose from, and she made a solid choice. I think she made the choice that fit best for her. And I think people have to remember that this is a governing choice. And Kamala Harris, uniquely enough, understands the role of vice president better than anybody because she's currently serving as vice president to Joe Biden.

And so, I think this was a comfortability pick. I think that one of the things that people see in Governor Walz is that he's genuine, that his concern for working families is palpable. It's not something that feels forced. And one more thing. I mean, this campaign is focused on leaning into the average voter. And there is no left or right to Governor Walz. I mean, he is straight down the middle of America. I think that's the best way to describe him.

And he's going to be able to go to those cities that are in between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. He's going to be able to go to the outskirts of Milwaukee. He's going to -- you know, Minnesota, of course, you get a bump there, but in Michigan, he's going to be able to go outside of Detroit and talk to these rural white voters. Talk to hunters. Talk to disenchanted voters, workers, working class voters. And so, it's a good pick. It's a good day for Democrats. Now, let's get to work.

ACOSTA: Yes, I mean, Bakari, let's talk a little bit and we should note in just the last couple of minutes, we did get confirmation from our Danny Freeman that the Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro, will be at the rally later on this evening. So, you know, let's talk about not picking Josh Shapiro.

I mean, obviously, that might've helped somewhat in locking down Pennsylvania. You have to win Pennsylvania as a Democrat. I mean, Minnesota should be a shoe in. So, Tim Walz doesn't exactly really help there all that much. But I mean, talk about the importance. I suppose it does come down to these blue wall states. And Tim Walz will be effective in those states.

SELLERS: He will be and he does no harm. And look, Josh Shapiro is probably outside of Kamala and Pete Buttigieg, the best political athlete we have in the Democratic Party. He's going to have a great future. And you know what? We're going to win Pennsylvania because of Josh Shapiro. And let me also just repeat this notion because I've seen the Erik Eriksons, I've seen the Glenn Becks, I've seen people try to chastise the Democratic Party as being anti-Semitic because you didn't choose Josh Shapiro. And I'm just going to call that utter BS.

There's no one who has stood with Israel when they were a member of the House of Representatives like Governor Walz. He backs support for their funding. He called the U.S. -- Israel, excuse me, an American value. He's actually gone to Israel and met with Bibi Netanyahu. And so, look, there is no daylight between the Democratic Party in Israel.

And I have to remind people who make these really sad tropes, dangerous remarks about the Democratic Party in Israel and anti- Semitism that Kamala Harris literally sleeps next to a Jewish man every night. And so, I just wanted to put a pin in that and say that this is also -- this was about fit, and people try to make it out to be something else. I believe Kamala Harris was more comfortable with the Governor Walz and, you know, my -- I like Mark Kelly the best, but you know, it's her choice and this is where we are.

ACOSTA: Yes. And, Bakari, I mean, who was in Tim Walz's camp through all of this? I mean, it seemed like it just sort of happens suddenly at the end here that all -- you know, out of nowhere it's Tim Walz. I mean, do you have any sense as to how this bubbled up and became the pick?

SELLERS: You know, I got a text about two or three days ago from a reporter. They said, is the Walz boomlet real? And my response was no. I mean, I didn't think it was something that was as real as it has been. I do know Nancy Pelosi has been someone who has been spending a lot of time in the top of the ticket in the politics of what's happening at the top of the ticket. I'll just characterize it as that. And I do know that she leans in quite heavily around Governor Walz because he's a former member. And they have a great deal of respect, same people like Dean Phillips and Bernie Sanders and people who served with them.

There's no doubt, though, that at the end of the day I believe Kamala Harris to be a better candidate than Donald Trump. And I think anybody watching will tell you that Tim Walz is a better candidate. He flipped the Donald Trump plus 15 district. I mean, he won by one point. Donald Trump won that district by 15 points. He did that. He's done these things before and he's just a better candidate than J. D. Vance. Can't wait for that debate.

ACOSTA: All right. Bakari Sellers, yes. It doesn't hurt to have Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker, in your corner. She's been side --

SELLERS: We got to find Nancy --

ACOSTA: -- Democratic side. Yes.

SELLERS: We got to find Nancy something else to do than just be bothering Kamala Harris all day.

ACOSTA: Well, it may have been effective in this case. All right. Bakari Sellers, thanks very much. Appreciate it.

[10:40:00]

Coming up, we'll take you live outside Governor Tim Walz's house there in Minnesota. As we have learned, Vice President Harris has picked the Minnesota governor to be her vice presidential running mate. More on all this when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: And we're continuing our breaking news coverage. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will be joining the Democratic ticket as Kamala Harris' running mate. Hillary Clinton has now weighed in. She's offering her support. There's a statement saying she's thrilled to see Tim Walz joining the Democratic ticket from providing free meals for school kids to implementing paid family leave in Minnesota. He's about doing good in all the ways you can. He'll be an incredible partner to our first woman president. Let's go win this.

[10:45:00]

That's from Hillary Clinton, who was trying to become president The first woman president back in 2016. And let me go out to a Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar who has some experience of running for president herself. And she joins us now.

Good to see you, Senator. So, another Minnesotan makes it into on a Democratic ticket. Something else. It must be something about Minnesota. Is it in the water? What are your thoughts?

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), HARRIS CAMPAIGN SURROGATE: Well, we've had some pretty successful vice presidents. The joke is Minnesotans bounce their babies on their knees and say, one day you can grow up to be vice president.

But we have given Kamala Harris, who made a fantastic choice here a true leader. You know, Tim Walz is a good friend of mine. We go way back. My mother-in-law actually brought his family a chicken parmesan dinner when their son Gus was born. That is small town, that is Mankato, Minnesota where my husband grew up, and that's where Tim was a -- was described, Burley High School football coach as well as a teacher.

And I think one thing that's getting a little missed in this early coverage is he represented an incredibly rural district. He was one of only two Democrats in a hundred years to get elected to represent that district successfully with the support of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. He united people. He brought people together, and he took on tough things in his incredibly optimistic way, and that's what Kamala Harris is going to be getting in a running mate with Tim Walz.

ACOSTA: And, Senator, I mean, I don't have to tell you, I mean, we were just showing this poll a little while ago, a lot of Americans just don't know who Tim Walz is. I mean, they may be spending the day mispronouncing his name and saying it's Waltz instead of Walz and so on, and that's not a knock on the governor, it's just stating a fact. Who is Tim Walz?

KLOBUCHAR: Sure. So, Tim Walz is the guy that grew up on a farm, worked on the farm. Ended up going to sign up with the Army National Guard at age 17. Something that I think a lot of Americans can relate to. Kids growing up, been in the -- was in the National Guard for years and years and years. Moves to Minnesota, becomes a teacher and a football coach in high school, ends up in 2006, deciding to run for Congress and was just an incredible blast on the scene and that he was like, so, OK, I'll say it normal.

He was so, optimistic and interesting. And he never -- he would speak without a note. He would talk about his military service and what it meant to be an American and what that meant when we were looking at Iraq war and other things at the time. And then, he got elected to Congress. He chose to go on the Agriculture Committee, on Armed Services, on veterans.

So, when people get to know Tim Walz, and they get to know his story, and how he came from nothing, and just decided to serve our country first in the military, then in -- as a high school teacher, and then as a member of Congress, and then finally as a governor, I think they're going to see someone that's really not like most politicians.

And by the way, I don't think there's been many vice presidents that have stood on a deer stand in 10-degree weather in Minnesota, Tim Walz has done that.

ACOSTA: Yes. And I saw just the other day, he was tweeting about turkey in his backyard, making the comment that he'd been unsuccessful in bagging any turkey out on a hunt recently. So, there's --

KLOBUCHAR: Yes. That we have turkey hunts in Minnesota. Yes, there -- ACOSTA: There is that as well. Yes. Senator, if you don't mind, if I

can ask you a favor, standby, we're going to sneak in a quick break. I'll talk to you on the other side and we'll keep this conversation going.

KLOBUCHAR: Excellent.

ACOSTA: All right. Senator.

KLOBUCHAR: That would be great, Jim.

ACOSTA: Thanks so much. We'll be right back.

KLOBUCHAR: Thanks.

ACOSTA: Back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00]

ACOSTA: Welcome back. We are discussing Kamala Harris picking Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her vice-presidential running mate. And Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is back with me.

Senator, I guess one of the things that you pick a running mate for, you've got to be thinking about how they're going to perform in that vice presidential debate. And we, of course, know that he'll be going up against J. D. Vance. How do you think that's going to shake out?

KLOBUCHAR: Oh, I like that matchup. And let me explain why. Tim Walz has debated people in many, many races. He is not afraid of anything like that. He has debated multiple times in governor's debates. I have seen him on the stage as he came into a race as a member of Congress, having to come from behind. No one even knew who he was then.

And he just showed up the district by showing how he believed in the things he believed in. And at that time, it was our policy with Iraq, and he came at that as a veteran and the need to bring our troops home. He came at it with supporting veterans and their health care. Remember, he comes into Congress then with the fiasco with Walter Reed and not having enough of a service for our veterans and was a strong advocate for that.

And so, I like the matchup because what Donald Trump did when he picked J. D. Vance is he doubled down on his own views and his own base of support. What Kamala Harris has done in bringing in Tim Walz, a guy who grew up in rural America, in a small town, joined the service of the National Guard when he's 17 and then ends up as a high school teacher, completely humble beginnings, has no money in his family, and ends up in Congress and as a governor, that is going to be -- she is picking someone that actually is adding something. And J. D. Vance also came, as we all know, from humble beginnings.

[10:55:00] So, I like the fact that Tim Walz is going to say, OK. You know, we both came from some tough times, but I have some different views on what we need to do for America. I think we need to be on the side of the people, and I don't think we need this divisiveness. His whole career has been uniting Democrats, Republicans, independents, and not cutting other people down. That is Tim Walz.

ACOSTA: Yes, and, Senator, I mean, can I ask a little bit of an inside baseball strategy question, and that is, might you have gained more by picking a Josh Shapiro as a running mate because Pennsylvania is so critically important?

KLOBUCHAR: You know, I love Josh Shapiro and I was friends of so many of the other people being considered and I think that what you've got, and I think you'll hear this from Governor Shapiro, I've already seen my friend Pete Buttigieg send out beautiful comments about Tim. Everyone likes Tim. He leads the National Democratic Governors Association. They know him.

And so, all of these people would have been qualified to be vice president. It's just Kamala Harris made a decision that for this moment in time, and with his background and what he brings to America, that Tim Walz was her choice. That isn't to say that anyone else wouldn't have been great.

And what Tim will bring when it comes to Pennsylvania, as he launches his first rally with Vice President Harris there, is that sense of getting that whole state. Because as you know, Jim, Western Pennsylvania is very much like Michigan and Wisconsin and Minnesota and the states in the Midwest. And that is a really -- when you talk to someone like Bob Casey, who knows how to win in those areas, that -- those kinds of roots that Tim has, farming roots, rural roots, understanding what it's like to have weather destroy a farm, or have to deal with the bank on your back when you've got crops and you've got a problem, Tim gets that, and he stands up for rural America. And I think that's going to help in Pennsylvania.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. It's kind of brat summer meets brot (ph) summer, I guess, something like that. Senator Klobuchar --

KLOBUCHAR: There you go.

ACOSTA: -- thanks very much for your time. I appreciate it. We'll be right back.

KLOBUCHAR: All right. Thank you.

ACOSTA: Thank you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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