Did Gov. Tim Walz make ‘weird’ happen?
By Minnesota Nice standards, calling someone “weird” is just about as derogatory as it can get.
He knows about Brat Summer (sort of) and loves a good state fair. Did he also coin Democrats’ hottest diss phrase of the summer?
Tim Walz — Kamala Harris’ freshly announced vice presidential candidate — has been characterizing former President Donald Trump and, subsequently, his running mate, JD Vance, as “weird” long before Harris’ campaign and other Democratic operatives started doing the same.
Supporters say it’s just his Midwestern dad-core kicking in. But others are taking notice.
Walz’s deployment of the ”weird” buzzword while speaking about Trump dates back months, according to Politico, though an exact date of first usage is unclear. But it first went viral last month during a TV appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, on July 23, just days after President Joe Biden announced he wouldn’t run for a second term.
“We do not like what has happened, where we can’t even go to Thanksgiving dinner because you end up in some weird fight that is unnecessary,” Walz said. “Well, it’s true. These guys are just weird.”
He said it again during a July 25 interview for Inside with Jen Psaki, also on MSNBC.
It’s worth noting that by Minnesota Nice standards, calling someone “weird” is just about as derogatory as it can get.
The phrase stuck, with the Democratic Governors Association (which is led by Walz) quoting it on social media in July, and other Democratic leaders — including fellow Harris ticket short-lister Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — also using the term.
Soon after, Harris’ campaign began incorporating the word “weird” into official press releases and videos.
One news release from July 25 described Trump as “old and quite weird.” Another a day later started simply: “JD Vance is weird.”
As for the origins of Walz’s catchphrase, Brian McClung — a former top aide to ex-GOP presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty — told Axios that the phrase’s staying power had to do with being at the right place at the right time.
“Walz was able to seize that moment and find a way to message for Democrats when they’re so desperately seeking a newer and clearer way to push back on Trump-Vance,” he said. “[To] get out there and talk like a Minnesota dad … To have something like that take off in that way … kudos to Gov. Walz.”