Tim Walz Calls for an End to Israel-Hamas Crisis in ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Late Night Debut
Tim Walz began his late night debut on Monday night with a call to end the Israel-Hamas crisis. The vice presidential nominee’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! fell on the one year anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
“Little heavy today,” the veep candidate said. “1,200 folks dead, 46 Americans. The vice president and I talk about making sure that it never happens again, that Israel’s secure and the hostages are brought home and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza ends.”
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The Oct. 7 attacks led to an ongoing conflict which has left over 40,000 Palestinians dead as well.
Walz also said he had spent the day visiting the Nova Exhibit in Los Angeles, a remembrance of those killed in the attacks last year. While there, he spoke to a recently released Hamas hostage named Noa. “Like Noa said, ‘We just want to dance again.’ That’s what we want to do,” Walz said.
Elsewhere in his late night debut, Walz spoke about his time as a social studies teacher. “Social studies teachers talk to you about this idea… that we could have different ideas, but we have unity, love the democracy, have an election and then shake hands and admit the person who won, won,” he said.
At last week’s vice presidential debate, Walz asked republican vp candidate J.D. Vance if he thought Donald Trump won the 2020 election. In one of the more talked-about moments of the event, Vance did not respond.
Walz also reflected on Kamala Harris choosing him as her running mate. “I certainly… never planned my life to be here, but I think my life prepared me well,” he said. “I’m very proud of what we’ve done in Minnesota. I ran and won a congressional seat in a very red district for 12 years, and then [I became] Governor of Minnesota. I think people watched, and we were doing things — I know the Republicans say, ‘They’re super radical!’ Yeah, we feed our kids breakfast and lunch at school. It’s a radical idea.”
Later, he confirmed the story that he indeed missed Harris’ initial phone call asking him to be her running mate, and shared that he now has her number saved in his phone as his dry cleaner.
“What happens if your dry cleaner needs to get in touch with you” Kimmel asked.
“I didn’t think that far ahead,” Walz said.
Walz also touched on his respect of Harris, and his belief in her ability to lead the country. “We get along really well. She’s amazing. She makes me laugh. And I think it’s a good thing, by the way, I think a president should know how to laugh, not at someone, but laugh with things.”
After the commercial break, Walz spoke about the trend of calling Republican politicians “weird,” which he unofficially started several months ago. Kimmel played a montage of clips showing Trump refuting the idea that he is weird.
“If you have to tell people numerous times you’re not weird, you might be weird,” Walz said.
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