It is difficult to imagine how the Democrats' announcement of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Kamala Harris's 2024 running mate could be going any worse. Within a day of that announcement, the truth about how Walz abandoned his unit in 2005 when they were set to deploy to Iraq had taken a strong foothold, despite the media trying to hide it, and it has only gone downhill from there.
Countless people have called Walz a liar about his service, including his replacement Command Sergeant Major in his unit, another Command Sergeant Major in the same unit, his commanding officer, and even the unit's chaplain. The mother of Kyle Miller, a 19-year-old sergeant in that unit who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, has come out and directly called Walz a coward.
It is not going away and Walz has only himself to blame for lying about his time in the National Guard.
But the media is still trying to ice skate uphill to protect Walz (because they're not biased or anything).
Yes, we were rolling our eyes as we typed that last sentence.
Yesterday, Democrat fish wrapper The Hill tried yet another futile line of defense: neither Walz nor Republican vice presidential nominee and Marine J.D. Vance were 'Rambo.'
"Tim Walz was never Rambo. JD Vance wasn’t either. And that is OK." (@TheHillOpinion) https://t.co/otcEsTvuXD
— The Hill (@thehill) August 12, 2024
Oh, give us a break, will you?
This op-ed was written by Jos Joseph, who is a Marine and an Iraq veteran, but today is ensconced in Harvard University. He made the following ridiculous claims in his column.
I am a veteran who served during that time in the Marines, from 2004 to 2008. I was in the 1st Marine Division and deployed to Iraq. But my first three years, I worked in Operations and Manpower. Marines will call someone like me a POG (person other than grunt). In other words, I didn’t have a combat arms military occupational specialty, like an infantry Marine. JD Vance was a POG like me. So was Tim Walz. In fact, that vast majority of people who serve in the military are — nearly 85 percent.
First, let’s talk about Walz. People serve any length of time. Different people have different retirement packages. You don’t wake up one day and say, 'I quit.' You don’t even give a two-week notice. Like anything with the military, there is a lot of paperwork and signatures that need to be done. You may hold a job of a higher rank because of manpower issues. You might put in your retirement only to find out your unit is being deployed. You may even go your entire 24-year career and never see a combat zone. And that is OK.As far as Vance, it is OK that he worked in public affairs and wasn’t a John Wayne type. It is all right he didn’t go outside the wire or get shot at. It is fine that he didn’t get a Combat Action Ribbon. And it is OK that he only served four years.
We'll spare you any more of this and simply remind everyone, once again, that the scandal around Walz has nothing to do with Vance. It has nothing to do with what either of them did or did not do while in uniform.
It has everything to do with the fact that Walz lied, and continues to lie. He lied to his men, he lied about how he exited the National Guard, he lied about the rank he achieved, and he allowed anyone and everyone to tell those same lies about his service without ever correcting them.
Why? Because it was politically advantageous for him to do so.
Well, the chickens have come home to roost now, haven't they?
JD Vance never lied about his rank at discharge or being deployed either.
— Usually Right (@normouspenis) August 12, 2024
It's really not all that difficult a concept to grasp. The fact that the media is trying to complicate it kind of tells us everything. It's just more of their standard gaslighting.
Nobody’s asking for Rambo. We just want honesty. Walz lied repeatedly. Vance is honest and humble. Make your choice. 🤷🏼♀️ https://t.co/zkLj6dcc3T
— Julie Gunlock (@JGunlock) August 12, 2024
No one, let alone Vance, ever claimed he was Rambo. In fact, it was the media, specifically CNN's Brianna Keilar, who tried to denigrate Vance's role as a public affairs officer, many of whom are just as much in harm's way and sacrificed just as much as any other soldier or Marine.
But @GovTimWalz lied about his service for 20 years, over exaggerating his rank and wartime participation. He is disgraced and needs to apologize to every one of his soldiers he commanded. https://t.co/gNoJdCmK90
— El Be (@tomijo214) August 12, 2024
It continues to amaze us that Walz and the Harris campaign flat-out refuse to simply make an apology. Probably because they were counting on the media covering for them like this. An apology might not go over well with everyone (veterans in particular), but a lot of people would be willing to forgive.
But he won't apologize and, because of that, this scandal has only gotten worse for him.
JD did not lie about his service like #TampomTim did. Walz lied and misrepresented himself for over 20 years.
— Boston Boy 60 (@Charlie71273776) August 12, 2024
Don’t try to compare the two. Not even close https://t.co/cRZX56xx0D
The media does love a good false equivalency, don't they?
Just as Rambo wasn’t real, neither was Walz battle experience. Stolen valor. https://t.co/aAnCE8RmwN
— Captain Hornigolden (@AmbroseBurnsi13) August 12, 2024
Walz has had countless opportunities to correct the record, including when Nancy Pelosi thanked him for his 'battlefield service.'
He said nothing.
Even as a fictional character, we're pretty sure John Rambo wouldn't appreciate that very much (we all saw what he did to the base in the second Rambo movie when those people lied to him).
Not about being Rambo..it is about over inflating your service record or lying for personal or political gain. I know we want to relate the two guys because they served, but JD never lied about his service. Just so you know, integrity and loyalty are important to veterans and… https://t.co/3Y216zoeV0
— John DiBias (@JohnDibias) August 13, 2024
That tweet continues, '... integrity and loyalty are important to veterans and most Americans; Tim lacks both. Please stop pushing this BS narrative.'
They will never stop pushing it. And that will only continue to hurt Walz's credibility and candidacy.
Vance didn’t run saying he was Rambo Walz did https://t.co/7sjMaQhzd6
— Carole Klewicki (@KlewickiCarole) August 12, 2024
Exactly.
— Dave (@davespace_) August 12, 2024
HA.
Tim Walz never carried in rifle in War.
— bratNvet (@bratNvet) August 12, 2024
J.D. Vance did.
Tim Walz said he did and thats not OK
It's not even a little bit OK. Not for Americans in general, but especially not for veterans.
Tim Walz steals valor. JD Vance doesn't.
— Based Opinions (@Based_Opinion_) August 12, 2024
Tim Walz lies about his rank. JD Vance doesn't.
Tim Walz lies about being in combat. JD Vance doesn't.
Tim Walz allows others to incorrectly describe his military service. JD Vance doesn't.
This is repulsive to us Veterans. pic.twitter.com/l1xC2oAU3T
The media likes to lecture everyone that criticizing Walz is disrespectful to his 24 years of service in the National Guard.
Except no one is saying that service shouldn't be appreciated. No one ever has.
What is disrespectful is the lying.
And it is not conservatives who have done that. That one is all on Tim Walz.
And that is why this scandal is not going away anytime, least of all between now and November.
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