Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) argued that the real loser of Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate will be the American people due to the “weird” selection of GOP candidates.
“The minute they all step on the stage, the American people have lost,” Walz told “Meet The Press” host Chuck Todd on Sunday. “Are they going to debate who can ban the most books?”
Walz said earlier this month that if he voted in the Republican primary ― which he has no plans to do ― he’d back long-shot candidate North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
On Sunday, he called Burgum “probably the most normal” of the candidates at the debate, which front-runner and former President Donald Trump plans to skip. But Walz noted major problems with his fellow governor, such as the fact that he signed a six-week abortion ban that Walz called “hugely unpopular and simply wrong.”
A recent poll found that a majority of American adults “believe abortion should be allowed at six weeks of pregnancy,’” the Associated Press reported.
Walz elaborated on his views on Burgum during the “Meet the Press” interview.
“And the sad part is, I do believe that Doug is probably the most normal of these,” the Minnesota governor said, referring to the GOP field. “That’s a pretty weird group of folks that are going to be on the debate stage. Doug’s a pretty good guy, but he’s trapped in a Republican party with no ideas.”
Later in the interview, Walz argued that President Joe Biden is “absolutely” the best candidate for his party to nominate in 2024. Todd questioned why “fewer people” want Biden to seek reelection than want Trump to run.
“What do you make of that, that Joe Biden seems to not have this groundswell of support right now? Do you think it’s all age?” asked Todd.
“No, I think it’s our system,” Walz replied. “I think Donald Trump and the Republican Party have poisoned it to people. No one trusts our institutions, no one trusts Congress, no one trusts any of us because all they do is attack our families, do those types of things.”
He said Biden was the only choice for those who “want decency in the White House,” along with action on climate change and reproductive rights.
“The fact of the matter is, this isn’t about Joe Biden’s age. This is about the democracy,” Walz said. “And they’ll ― as we get closer to the election, they’ll see that. I’m telling you, after Wednesday and whatever transpires, the craziness on that stage, people [will] start to understand this as we get closer.”