Attempt to compare Walz, Vance actions gets half the story wrong | Fact check
The claim: Tim Walz flipped ‘the bird’ toward football crowd, while JD Vance wished restaurant ‘continued success’ after being denied entry
An Oct. 1 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows Ohio Sen. JD Vance, former President Donald Trump’s running mate.
“VANCE vs. WALZ" reads on-screen text included in the post. "Vance denied entry at a restaurant. He wishes them continued success and pays everyone’s tab anyway. Walz booed at a football game. He flips the crowd the bird.”
It was shared more than 1,000 times in about two weeks. A version of the post on Instagram was liked more than 600 times in that same time.
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Our rating: Partly false
An image of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz posted on social media shows he was pointing to the crowd at a college football game in Michigan, not raising his middle finger. A video shows Vance encouraged his supporters to continue supporting a Pennsylvania restaurant after he was not immediately allowed in.
Walz waved and pointed at college football crowd in Michigan
Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, watched as his home state’s Minnesota Golden Gophers took on the Michigan Wolverines in a football game on Sept. 28 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, The Associated Press reported.
A video posted on social media shows Walz walking out of the stadium, waving at fans and raising a finger – but it’s not his middle finger, as the post claims. The day after the game, Walz posted an image on Instagram that shows the same moment from a different perspective, and it’s clear he is pointing toward the crowd with his index finger.
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In the video, someone can be heard yelling, “Trump 2024, baby,” and in a different video posted that same day on TikTok, some people in a crowd outside the stadium can be heard booing as police blocked traffic.
Walz is a former high school football coach, and it’s a part of his background that he has touted throughout the campaign. In August, before Walz spoke at the Democratic National Convention, he was introduced by some of his former players while the crowd waved “Coach Walz” signs.
Vance says ‘keep supporting’ restaurant after campaign stop confusion
That same day, while Walz watched college football in Michigan, Vance stopped at a Primanti Bros. restaurant in Pennsylvania.
In a statement posted on social media, Primanti Bros. said it wasn’t told Vance was planning to visit and that his arrival “caused some momentary confusion,” but eventually Vance was “welcomed into our restaurant shortly after and engaged with our guests inside and on the property.”
However, some local Republican officials described it differently. Sean Logue, the Republican Party chair in Washington County, and Sam DeMarco, a councilman in Allegheny County, both claimed a manager told Vance he wouldn’t be allowed to make a campaign stop at the restaurant.
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A video from KDKA-TV shows Vance talking with his supporters outside the restaurant. He explained that the manager “didn't want to make her restaurant part of a campaign stop.”
"It's alright, don't hold it against her, she just got a little nervous, but it's a great local business, let's keep supporting it," Vance said.
USA TODAY previously debunked the false claim that Primanti Bros. closed 10 locations after Vance's visit.
The social media user who shared the post could not be reached for comment.
PolitiFact also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
The Associated Press, Sept. 28, Walz attends Michigan-Minnesota college football game before final prep for Tuesday’s debate
Tim Walz, Sept. 29, Instagram post
Primanti Bros., Sept. 28, X post
Sam DeMarco, Sept. 28, X post
CBS Pittsburgh (YouTube), Sept. 29, Sen. JD Vance visits Primanti Brothers in North Versailles
Triblive.com, Sept. 28, JD Vance initially turned away from Primanti Bros. in North Versailles
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Walz pointed at football fans, didn’t flip ‘the bird’ | Fact check
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