Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing a wave of ridicule and criticism after publicly stating that former Vice President Kamala Harris picked him as her 2024 running mate because he could “code-talk to white guys watching football” and fixing their trucks.
Speaking during an event at Harvard University’s Kennedy School Institute of Politics, Walz tried to explain his role on the ticket, telling moderator Brittany Shepherd that he was selected not just for his progressive track record, but because he could make certain demographics feel “at ease.”
“I knew I was on the ticket — I would argue because we did a lot of amazing, progressive things in Minnesota to improve people’s lives,” Walz said. “But, I also was on the ticket — quite honestly, you know, cause I could code-talk to white guys watching football, fixing their truck — doing that, that I could put them at ease. I was the permission structure to say, ‘Look, you can do this and vote for this.’”
He also acknowledged that he might be “ten percent problematic,” referencing his own style of messaging and delivery. “I think I’ll give you pretty good stuff, but I’ll also give you ten percent problematic,” he said. “And, so somebody’s got to make the decision here to handle some of this stuff.”
Walz’s comments quickly sparked backlash online, with many questioning what exactly “code-talking to white guys” even means — and whether such a phrase would have been accepted if aimed at any other demographic group.
“I’m a white guy—and have been for 53 years,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) posted on X. “I have no idea what it means to ‘code talk’ to white guys. Please enlighten me.”
Maryland State Delegate Matt Morgan echoed the sentiment, calling Walz’s language “demeaning.” Others mocked the absurdity of trying to win voters over through stereotypes about watching football and working on trucks.
“Imagine thinking voters are so dumb, they simply need ‘code-talk’ from Walz to persuade them to vote for the Dems’ preferred candidate,” one user wrote. “Walz/Dems fail to grasp that Harris never offered Americans any substance and never distinguished herself from Biden’s terrible record.”
Riley Gaines, the women’s sports advocate, added her own jab: “Notice he didn’t mention he could code-talk how to load a shotgun hahahaha,” referencing a viral campaign video in which Walz struggled to operate a firearm during a hunting-themed pitch to rural voters.
The comment has reignited questions about the Democratic Party’s reliance on identity politics and performative outreach to blue-collar Americans — especially after a 2024 election that saw working-class voters continue trending Republican, including in Walz’s own state of Minnesota.
Critics say the messaging is a symptom of a party out of touch, trying to manufacture cultural connection through cringe-worthy gimmicks rather than policy substance.
Last October, Harris’s campaign was also mocked for a bizarre Vote Save America ad that said male voters were “man enough to fight a bear, eat a carburetor, and elect a woman.” That ad, along with Walz’s shotgun video, was widely seen as an embarrassing attempt to pander to male voters.
During the campaign, Walz also told male voters to support abortion rights by “thinking about the women” in their lives and claiming their “lives are at stake.”
Now, with Harris’s campaign firmly in the rearview mirror and her poll numbers still floundering, Walz’s remarks have only reignited criticism of the failed ticket’s tone-deaf outreach.
If “code-talking” was part of the Democrats’ strategy for winning over swing-state voters, critics say the results speak for themselves.
