Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, called Biden “unfit for the presidency” last month after Biden’s poor performance in a debate with former President Trump.
“Yes, he’s fit to be president,” Walz said after being asked about Biden by a reporter at a governors’ conference at the White House on July 3. “After three and a half years of serving us and going through what we’ve been through, none of us are denying what was said Thursday night. [June 27] The performance was bad. You could say it was a bad hit in that respect, but it doesn’t take away from what he’s offering.”
A spokesman for Harris’ campaign told Fox News Digital that Waltz stands by his statements. Waltz’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Biden faced growing public pressure from Democrats to drop out of the race after his shaky performance in the debates, and ultimately announced on July 21 that he would not seek reelection.
Tim Walz accused of being a ‘political chameleon’ after abandoning his Second Amendment stance
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (left), Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, called Biden “unfit for the presidency” after Biden’s poor performance in a debate with former President Trump last month. (Andrew Caballero Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
However, the president intends to continue in office until the end of his term.
“This is Joe from Scranton,” Waltz continued, “who talked about building the middle class, and he did that. And I think that idea in my head has gone a little circular. What we saw today was the guy that we all initially believed could beat Donald Trump, and who actually beat Donald Trump.”
Biden had been under pressure to back away from seeking reelection as polls repeatedly showed him trailing Trump and Democrats worried he would not be able to beat Trump again.
Biden endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination after she announced she was dropping out of the race, and Harris announced Walz as her running mate on Tuesday.
Who is Tim Waltz?
Governor Walz endorsed President Biden for reelection at a White House press conference last month, telling reporters that Biden is “fit and able to serve the office of the president.” (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Biden praised the decision on Tuesday.
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“Kamala Harris made an excellent decision in selecting Governor Tim Walz as her running mate,” the president posted on X. “I have known Tim Walz for nearly 20 years, including his time as a Congressman and Governor. A husband and father, he was a school teacher and high school football coach. He served 24 years in the Army National Guard, earning the highest rank of any soldier to have served in Congress. As Governor, he was a strong, principled and effective leader.”
