EXCLUSIVEInsiders say they know Tim Walz is not a slick debater as his low-key preparations for Vance showdown with pizza and hikes are revealed
Tim Walz took a break from his debate prep on Sunday to visit a local farm’s pumpkin patch, telling reporters things were ‘going great.
Tim Walz took a break from his debate prep on Sunday to visit a local farm’s pumpkin patch, telling reporters things were ‘going great.’
But, behind the scenes, he is reported to be worried about Tuesday nights vice presidential debate.
Walz and his team have holed up in Northern Michigan, preparing for the event at a place they’ve dubbed ‘Camp North Star.’
The camps name is about Walz ‘staying true to who he is, not turning him into a slick debater like’ Republican J.D. Vance, a source familiar with the preparations told DailyMail.com.
Tim Walz has taken breaks from debate prep to watch football, above he attended the University of Michigan vs University of Minnesota football game
In between practice sessions, the Minnesota governor has taken time to go for a hike and have pizza in downtown Harbor Springs, a resort community on the sheltered Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan.
And he and his staff are keeping up with the favorite American pastime: Football.
A lot of the camp’s TVs are streaming pro and college football, a source told DailyMail.com with people donning their team gear. Bulldogs, Packers, Bills, and Chiefs fans were spotted.
And when memorizing policy positions and quippy quips gets to be too much, they go outside to toss a football around between sessions.
Walzs team is setting the expectations low for the teacher-turned-politician, pointing out Vance honed his debating skills during his time studying at Yale.
But, behind the scenes, the Democratic vice presidential nominee is reported to worried about bombing on the national stage and nervous about letting down Kamala Harris.
In his interview with her to be her running mate, he warned her that he is a bad debater.
And there are areas where he is vulnerable.
Vance is expected to attack him on his military record, as he has done in the past.
Walz allies worry the Republican running mate will weaken Walzs jokey dad persona and make the Democratic running mate look like moron or an out-of-touch liberal vouching for another liberal.
J.D. Vance is deep in his own debate preparations
Walz has been known to thrown out a memorable line or two in the past. Before Harris picked him as her running mate, Walz notably coined the word weird to describe Trump.
But adding to the pressure is the fact that the debate is likely to be the last marquee showdown between the two presidential tickets before the November 5th election. Harris has accepted CNNs offer for another presidential debate but Donald Trump has not.
So Walz has brought in some help to prepare: Pete Buttigieg, who is playing 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 camp casual attire.
The Transportation Secretary has a polished on-camera persona and is a frequent guest on Fox News where he spars with conservative hosts.
And hes helped out 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 vice presidential debate, taking place Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET in New York City. It is scheduled to last 90 minutes with no audience in the studio. It will be moderated by Norah ODonnell 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 coached by two campaign advisers, Rob Friedlander and Zayn Siddique, The New York Times reported. Also helping out are Chris Schmitter, a longtime Walz aide who has worked with the governor for nearly two decades; Liz Allen, Walz’s campaign chief of staff; and Michael Tyler, the Harris campaign communications director.
Walz, a former football coach, does have a game plan: skip Vance and go straight to attacking Trump.
The Minnesota governor will use likability to hammer Vance over Project 2025 and for selling his soul to Donald Trump, CNN reported.
He may even borrow from Harris playbook. When she was preparing for a vice presidential debate - before Joe Biden dropped out - she planned on asking Vance what promises he made to Trump so the former president wouldnt send an angry mob after him like Mike Pence experienced on January 6.
And Walz is expected to attack Vance on his ties to Trump, his stance on abortion rights and his controversial claims like eating pets and insulting single cat ladies.
Tim Walz chats with cheerleaders at Saturdays football game
Vance has been deep in his own debate preparations.
Republican Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, who is helping Vance prepare for the debate by playing Walz, gave a preview of their attack line on Sunday.
Walz is like Gavin Newsom in a flannel shirt, Emmer told ABCs This Week.
Emmer also sat down with DailyMail.com last week to talk about debate preparations.
Ive spent the last month going through all of his debates, he said in an exclusive interview. If I do my job, J.D. is going to expose him.
I basically have spent the last month studying all the things that Tim Walz has done, how he tries to play himself off as something that hes not.
When the senator and I are talking thats exactly what Im going to show him and he will know how to deal with that "Minnesota Nice" fraud personality.
After the vice presidential debate, Harris and Walz will campaign together via bus tour through central Pennsylvania, per the campaign.
The visit on Wednesday will be the first time that Harris and Walz have campaigned together in central Pennsylvania. They will make multiple stops along the way to meet with voters.
