Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a statement condemning Hamas as a “brutal terrorist organization.”
But the significance of his remarks was not in the statement but in the fact that he said anything on the topic given the verbal beating he received Sunday after being asked ab”What’s your reaction to the six hostages being found dead in Gaza?”
Walz came under fire when a video clip circulated online showing his response – or lack thereof – to a question during a visit to the Minnesota State Fair.
“What’s your reaction to the six hostages being found dead in Gaza?” someone off-camera asked the Democrat vice presidential nominee as he took questions from the crowd.
During a rescue operation in Rafah, the Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip, Israel Defense Forces found the bodies of six hostages who were killed by Hamas terrorists.
“All right, thanks everybody,” Walz said after a second and then turned to walk away.
He was ripped on social media as the video circulated and angered viewers accused him of ignoring the question. But in the clip, it is not clear that Walz even heard the question being asked indoors amid the noise of the fair.
This is one of the worst “pretend like he didn’t hear the question” acting jobs I’ve seen in recent years. 🤨 pic.twitter.com/lEI1sa3rki
— Based Electrician⚡️🇺🇲 (@RyanHugeBrain) September 1, 2024
Anyone wants to know what a coward looks like….. HERE YOU GO 👆👆👆
— Gina Milan (@ginamilan_) September 1, 2024
Reprehensible
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) September 1, 2024
Later Sunday evening, without addressing the claims about the fair, Walz issued a statement about the hostages, specifically naming Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin who had been held by the terrorists since the October 7 attack on Israel last year.
“The anguish of losing a child is something no family should have to endure. Gwen and I send our deepest condolences to the Goldberg-Polin family, after Hamas’ murder of their son Hersh,” the post on Walz’s X account stated. “Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization – and we condemn their continued atrocities against both Americans and Israelis in the strongest possible terms.”
The anguish of losing a child is something no family should have to endure. Gwen and I send our deepest condolences to the Goldberg-Polin family, after Hamas’ murder of their son Hersh.
Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization — and we condemn their continued atrocities against…
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) September 2, 2024
Many X users were not satisfied, however, and continued to blast the Democrat.
You completely disrespected them and your country by not allowing a question to interrupt your campaign photo op. You could have at least said this then . You didn’t because you don’t actually mean it, someone. Just wrote it for you as clean up for your mistake .
— Greymane (@BranwynGreymane) September 2, 2024
It says it all you ran away when asked about this atrocity at the State Fair today. Then you get the backlash which is well deserved- then your intern posts a result that has been approved by your handlers.
— Sue Ellen (@EstergrenSue) September 2, 2024
Whatever staffer had the presence of mind to fire off this tweet would probably make a better VP candidate than Tim Walz
— Enguerrand VII de Coucy (@ingelramdecoucy) September 2, 2024
Too late
— Croakford (@frahgerdly) September 2, 2024
How can anyone vote for this clown and the joke, Harris? You are either a communist or a complete idiot!