Tim Walz mocked for cringeworthy gaffe at PA rally

When it comes to public speaking, Democratic Party presidential nominee Kamala Harris has never had a particularly stellar reputation, and it now appears that her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, may have a similar weakness.

As Mediaite reports, Walz walked into an embarrassing gaffe over the weekend during a Pennsylvania rally in which he suggested that the United States cannot “afford four more years of this,” something which sounded odd to many, given that Harris has been second in command of the country since 2021.

Governor's goofy gaffe

It was during a campaign event in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, that Walz found himself in a bit of rhetorical quicksand as he broached the topic of gun violence with assembled supporters, as Fox News explained.

Attempting to differentiate the Democratic Party ticket from that of his Republican counterparts, Walz vowed to pursue, “Things like we did in Minnesota, to have enhanced background checks and red flag laws, to get guns out of there, to make a difference.”

The VP hopeful's discussion of the issue was briefly derailed by a rallygoer who appeared to need some assistance, but he soon resumed his remarks about Donald Trump and JD Vance, saying, “I'll bring her home here quick, folks. Look, Kamala Harris made it clear these guys want to instill fear. They want to tell you that [you should] just get over it, it's a fact of life. This is the way it is.”

Walz continued, “[Harris] simply has said it doesn't have to be this way. It doesn't have to be this way.”

He then uttered the fateful words that resulted in a shower of mockery online and elsewhere, opining, “We can't afford four more years of this.”

Reactions pour in

Though Walz was surely referring to Trump's prior administration and its positions on gun control when he unleashed that phrase, many heard something else altogether, prompting conservative commentators to jump at the chance to make a pointed observation.

The Trump War Room X account declared, “WALZ FINALLY TELLS THE TRUTH: 'We can't afford four more years of Kamala Harris.”

Tim Murtaugh, former Trump campaign communications director, posted the footage of Walz's remarks and added the brief caption, “Amen.”

Commentator Rita Panahi rhetorically asked, “Dude is campaigning for Trump now?”

Pointing out the unmistakable irony in Walz's inadvertent slip, the social media user behind the X handle @Travis_4_Trump mused simply and aptly, “Remind me, again, who's in the White House right now?”