An apparent scramble to clarify Governor Tim Walz’s past remarks has swept the camp of Vice President Kamala Harris, of late. These remarks, originating in 2018, seem to imply that the Minnesota Governor saw combat service – a claim that came under scrutiny in the wake of the campaign’s own showcasing of these comments to promote Walz’s responsible gun ownership beliefs.
In the particular event, dated back to 2018, the then House representative of Minnesota, Walz brandished his military career in the Army National Guard extending over 24 years along with his hunting background as he indulged in a discourse about gun control. His rhetoric revolved around championing mindful gun legislation that upheld Second Amendment rights; his propositions ranged from background checks to placing limits on potent firearms.
Comparatively, Mr. Vance, who hailed from the U.S Marine Corps, served through the span of the Iraq war from 2003 to 2007. He was stationed in Iraq across 2005 and 2006 as part of the aircraft wing, although he was devoid of any frontline combat responsibilities. His official designation as a ‘combat correspondent’ was more aligned with playing a rudimentary communication role, like drafting articles about the affairs of his unit.
The conservative-leaning editorial board of The Wall Street Journal vociferously voiced against any attempts to contrast the predicaments of Mr. Kerry with Walz’s military service, emphasizing the apparent differences between the two. The editorial board articulated their stance that Walz was open to critique on plenty of fronts, however, his military record did not deserve to be one of them. They quoted a New York Sun editorial branding the disparagement as ‘thin gruel.’
Typically, Mr. Walz had time and again underscored the fact that his military service did not involve participation in combat actions. For example, during a recent interview on CNN, when the host, Jake Tapper, casually stated that Walz served in Afghanistan, he was quick to rectify that his deployment was actually in Europe, in a capacity that supported those engaged in the war.
While speaking to the Minnesota Public Radio in 2018, amidst his gubernatorial race, Walz made a humble acknowledgement about his military career, confessing that there were many others who performed duties far more rigorous than what he did.
Further touching upon his past service record, during his gubernatorial re-election campaign in 2022, the Minneapolis Star Tribune had given accounts of Walz opting for a more modest narrative about his tenure in the National Guard. He chose to profile himself as an ex-high school teacher and football coach rather than exaggerating episodes from his military stint.
However, not all accounts of his past resonate with such humility. A 2018 recording had Walz remarking that the ‘weapons of war’ that he allegedly used in a war were exclusive to those battlegrounds, a statement that provided ample fodder for Trump’s allies this week.
Another occurrence that drew attention was a 2007 clip of a Capitol Hill press conference, circulating on C-SPAN, where the then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was seen appreciating Walz for his service ‘on the battlefield.’ In this instance, C-SPAN introduced Walz as an ‘Afghanistan war veteran’, which only added fuel to the ongoing debate about his combat responsibilities.
Kamala Harris Camp Sweats Over Walz’s Alleged Combat Claims appeared first on Real News Now.
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