Tim Walz accepts Democratic vice presidential nomination with football 'pep talk'

Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted the vice presidential nomination Wednesday following addresses by former President Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey on night three of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where John Legend and Sheila E. performed Prince 's "Let's Go Crazy" before Walz took the stage.

Gov. Walz, who appeared emotional at the crowd waving "Coach Walz" signs, thanked Kamala Harris and Joe Biden for "four years of strong, historic leadership."

"It's the honor of my life to accept your nomination for vice president of the United States," the former high school football coach said. "Thank you for your determination and thank you for bringing the joy to this fight."

Walz spent much of his speech on his upbringing, his favorite job and winning a state championship.

"Eventually, like the rest of my family, I fell in love with teaching," he said. "I wound up teaching social studies and coaching football."

"It was those players and students who inspired me to run for Congress. They saw in me what I had hoped to instill in them: a commitment to the common good and an understanding that we are all in this together," Walz said, adding, "Never underestimate a public school teacher!"

"I represented my neighbors in Congress for 12 years," Walz went on. "I learned how to work across the aisle on issues like growing the rural economies and taking care of veterans. And I learned how to compromise without compromising my values."

"Then I came back to work as governor," Walz added, as he touted his state's accomplishments including cutting taxes for the middle class, paid family medical leave, fighting crime, while guaranteeing breakfast and lunch for every child in the state.

"While other states were banning books from their schools, we were banishing hunger from ours," Walz shouted to the roaring crowd.

"We also protected reproductive freedom, because in Minnesota we respect our neighbors and the personal choices they make. And even if we wouldn't make those same choices for ourselves, we have a golden rule: 'Mind your own damn business!'" Walz said, adding that includes IVF and fertility treatments, which became a personal choice he and his wife when they decided to have children.

Walz also talked about guns, saying he is a "veteran and a hunter," while claiming "I'm a better shot than any Republican in Congress and I've got the trophies to prove it," as he demanded all children have the "freedom to go to school without the fear of getting shot."

"I believe in the Second Amendment, but I also believe our first responsibility is to keep our kids safe," Walz said.

Walz called former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance "weird" and "dangerous."

"Leaders don't spend all day insulting people and blaming others. Leaders do the work," Walz said. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to turn the page on these guys."

Walz then launched into what Kamala Harris would do as the next president.

"Kamala Harris is going to stand up and fight for freedom to live the life that you want to lead. Because that's what we want for ourselves and what we want for our neighbors," Walz said, as he wrapped up his speech with a "pep talk."

"It's the fourth quarter. We're down a field goal, but we're on offense and we've got the ball. We're driving down the field and boy do we have the right team. Kamala Harris is tough. Kamala Harris is experienced and Kamala Harris is ready," Walz said as he urged the crowd to "get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling."

"They'll be time to sleep when you're dead. We're going to leave it on the field!"

Walz spoke shortly after Oprah Winfrey, who fired up the crowd with a surprise appearance.

"We're so fired up, we can't wait to leave here and do something!" Winfrey said. "And what we're going to do is elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States."

"There are people who want to scare you, who want to rule you, people who have you believe that books are dangerous and assault rifles are safe. That there's a right way to worship and a wrong way to love," Oprah said. "People who seek first to divide and then to conquer."

"Here's the thing, when we stand together, it is impossible to conquer us," she added. "We are not so different from our neighbors.

"When a house is on fire, we don't ask about the homeowner's race or religion. We don't wonder who their partner is or how they voted," she said. "No! We just try to do the best we can to save them. And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady," Winfrey said in reference to a Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance quote, "we try to get that cat out, too."

"Because we are a country of people who work hard for the money, we wish our brothers and sisters well and we pray for peace," Winfrey said as she turned to abortion and reproductive rights.

"If you do not have autonomy over this," she said as she pointed to her body, "If you cannot control how and when you choose to bring your children into this world and how they are raised and supported, there is no American dream."

Winfrey called Kamala Harris and her path to the White House, "the best of America," as she called on independents and undecideds to "vote their values" and "choose common sense over nonsense."

Former President Bill Clinton, who turned 78 two days ago and said "I'm still younger than Donald Trump," started his 13th speech to the Democratic convention Wednesday night by thanking President Joe Biden for his service.

"Remember, he had an improbable turn that made him president and we were in the middle of a pandemic and an economic crisis. He healed our sick and put the rest of us back to work. Then he did something that's very hard for a politician to do. He gave up political power," Clinton added. "It will enhance Joe Biden's legacy."

"Will this president take us backward or forward?" Clinton said he asks himself before every election. "Will the president increase the peace, stability and freedom that we have enjoyed?"

"In 2024, we have a pretty clear choice: Kamala Harris for the people or the other guy who's proved more than the first time around he's about me, myself and I," Clinton added.

"Not a single day goes by, even though I've been gone for well over 23 years from the White House, that I don't thank the Lord for the chance I had to serve and what it meant," Clinton said to loud cheers, before returning to Trump.

"Do you want to build a strong economy from the bottom up and the middle out? Or do you want to spend the next four years talking about crowd size."

Clinton said one "reason President-to-be Harris is doing so well is that we're all so happy," before warning, "We've seen more than one election slip away from us when we thought it couldn't happen," he said. "This is a brutal tough business."

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also thanked Biden and commended Harris for "winning difficult elections."

"Officially, she is a leader of strength and wisdom and eloquence on policy most recently demonstrated with a woman's right to choose," Pelosi said. "Politically, she is astute and strategic in winning difficult elections, quickly securing this nomination with dignity and grace and choosing Tim Walz as our vice president."

"He united Democrats, Republicans and Independents to turn a red district blue. He showed courage when he came to Congress and voted for the Affordable Care Act , meeting the needs of his constituents," Pelosi said, before turning on Trump.

"January 6th was a perilous moment for our democracy. Never before had a president of the United States so brazenly assaulted the bedrock of our democracy, so lethally embraced political violence, so willfully betrayed his oath of office. Let us not forget who assaulted democracy on January 6th. He did!" Pelosi shouted. "But let us not forget who saved democracy that day. We did!"

"We must choose leaders who believe in free and fair elections and who respect the peace transfer of power," Pelosi added. "The choice couldn't be clearer."

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who had been on Harris' short-list of vice presidential running mates, said during his speech that the vice president "has spent her entire career making progress. Donald Trump, a man with no guardrails, wants to take away our rights and our freedoms while he cloaks himself in the blanket of freedom, what he's offering is not freedom at all."

"It's not freedom to tell our children what books they're allowed to read. It's not freedom to tell women what they can do with their bodies. It sure as hell isn't freedom to say you can go vote, but he gets to pick the winner," Shapiro said.

"Democrats, we are the party of real freedom that comes when a child has a great public school, that comes when we invest in the police and the community," Shapiro added. "Kamala's and Tim's names may be on the ballot, but it's your rights, it's our rights, it's our future and freedoms that are on the line."

The convention's third night featured an appearance by singer Stevie Wonder , who called for "joy over anger" and "peace over war" before performing his hit "People."

"This year I prayed very hard for peace to come to our world's nations," Wonder told the crowd. "As we stand between history's pain and tomorrow's promise, we must choose courage. It is time to get up and go vote!"

Sen. Cory Booker , D-N.J., opened the third night of the convention with a tribute to Rep. Bill Pascrell -- a longtime New Jersey Democrat -- who died Wednesday morning at the age of 87. Booker called Pascrell a "Jersey legend" who "fought for the people."

The parents of an Israeli-American, being held hostage in Gaza , took the stage to plead for the release of all 109 hostages.

"You kept us breathing in a world without air," Jon Polin, whose 23-year-old son Hersh Goldberg-Polin is one of the hostages, said as he thanked both Democrats and Republicans for their support.

"Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you. Stay strong. Survive," his mother, Rachel Goldberg, said. "Bring them home."

Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who served as chair of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, took the stage after a video played showing the attack.

"This is Donald Trump's America," Thompson warned, as he urged Americans to support Kamala Harris.

Prior to the evening's events, the DNC hosted several other micro events .

A daylong "DemPalooza" was held to help organize election activities across the ballot for the general election on Nov. 5.

Separate labor, small business and LGBTQ+ meetings took place in the afternoon.

Other meetings included a global strategy group meeting to discuss climate, a discussion of Project 2025 and "Winning the Narrative on Safety, Accountability and Justice.

Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to accept the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday, when she takes the stage to address the convention on its fourth night.