Tim Walz accepted the nomination for vice president at the Democratic Party convention on Wednesday evening and declared that it was time to leave Donald Trump behind.
“I’m ready to break up with these guys,” Walz said. “We’re not going back.”
The Governor of Minnesota was introduced by a former Mankato West High School student who was joined on stage by members of the football team.
In his speech, Walz outlined his biography, including his time as a high school teacher and coach. He mentioned his two children, Hope and Gus, who were born with the help of fertility treatments and were watching in the audience.
And he relied heavily on metaphors from sports, for example when he warned about the Project 2025 agenda.
“I’ve been a high school football coach long enough to know this – and trust me,” Walz said. “If someone takes the time to create a playbook, they’re going to use it.”
Finally, he called on Democrats to campaign for him and Kamala Harris as if they were the outsiders.
“We are one field goal behind, but we are on offense and have the ball,” Walz said.
In honor of Minnesota, John Legend sang a duet with Sheila E. on Prince’s song “Let’s Go Crazy.” The pop star lived and recorded music in the state Walz governs and is a favorite of the new Democratic vice presidential candidate.
Oprah Winfrey also made a surprise appearance, discussing the history of school desegregation and urging voters to “choose common sense over nonsense.”
“Values and character are most important in leadership and in life,” she said. “Decency and respect are on the ballot in 2024.”
Former President Bill Clinton had previously described Harris as a “breath of fresh air” compared to Trump.
“He talks mostly about himself,” he said. “So next time you hear him, don’t count the lies. Count the ‘I’s.'”
Clinton enhanced her folksy charm with lines like, “She’s going to break my record as the president who spends the most time at McDonald’s.”
Finally, Clinton touched on the prospect of Harris’ historic election and his own advanced age, telling the crowd that he hadn’t missed a DNC since his first in 1976 – which he quickly corrected to 1972. “I have no idea how many more I can get to,” Clinton said, her voice breaking.
Mindy Kaling served as the evening’s celebrity host and joked that she “outed” Harris as Indian in 2019 by filming an Instagram cooking video.
“I truly believe that as a woman of color and a single mother of three, to be appointed ambassador to Italy is incredible,” Kaling said. “That’s how it works, right?”
A day after Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce, she also praised fellow Massachusetts native Ben Affleck, saying, “Hang in there.” Kaling also introduced former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the “Mother of Dragons,” saying she was “a brat before a brat was a brat.”
Kenan Thompson of SNL also did a comedy segment on Project 2025, discussing conservatives’ plans to shut down the Department of Education and ban abortion and comparing it to the conditions of service in a new administration under Donald Trump.
“You can stop it by electing Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States,” Thompson said.
Stevie Wonder also took the stage and sang “Higher Ground”.
“We must continue until we are truly a united people of these United States,” he said.
A video of the January 6 attack was also shown at the convention. At the end, it was said that Trump was facing charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice: “If he is re-elected, he will never be held accountable.”
Some delegates chanted “Lock him up.”
“He betrayed us,” said Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, a retired Capitol Police officer. “On January 6, I almost died protecting our Capitol. And I would do it again to protect our democracy.”
The congress also heard a heartbreaking plea from Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who is being held hostage in Gaza. Delegates chanted “Bring her home.”
Cynthia Littleton contributed to this story.
