Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed frustration with criticisms of his masculinity during a podcast appearance on Tuesday. The Minnesota governor and failed vice presidential candidate decried the negative portrayal of his image, particularly focusing on a September segment from Fox News host Jesse Watters. Watters mocked Walz for using a straw to drink a milkshake. Walz claimed the network’s focus on this seemingly innocuous gesture was not only baffling but also rooted in deeper issues of gender and sexuality.
In his conversation on “This is Gavin Newsom,” Walz said, “It just baffled me how much time they spent trying to attack me — that I wasn’t like masculine enough in their vision. Like, I would have never believed this.” He went on to criticize Fox News for what he characterized as an obsession with his masculinity (or lack thereof), suggesting that their fixation was indicative of something broader.
He continued, “We buy their frame on these issues of sexuality, you know? But their whole thing was is that they spent all their time — these guys on Fox News — that Walz is gay, he’s not masculine, you know?” Walz added that critics even went so far as to mock his approach to coaching football, an area of particular importance in Minnesota, where high school football has a deep cultural significance.
The Minnesota governor has made waves in the past few years, signing progressive legislation such as a law that mandates Minnesota schools provide tampons in both boys’ and girls’ restrooms. This bill, part of Walz’s broader liberal agenda, has led to some critics, including former President Donald Trump, referring to him as “Tampon Tim.”
Walz’s recent frustration with criticism over his masculinity underscores a larger issue for the Democratic Party. Walz, who many Democrats once hoped would help the party connect with traditionally masculine men, has instead proven to be a disappointment on that front. His reaction to criticism about his use of a straw to drink a milkshake and his fumbling during a pheasant-hunting video are just the latest signs that Walz, despite his attempts to appeal to blue-collar, working-class voters, has failed to resonate with them.
The Democrats have a deep-rooted and well-documented masculinity problem, and Tim Walz is emblematic of it. When he was first announced as the vice presidential nominee, Democrats circulated photos of him in hunting gear and coaching football, thinking that these superficial “credentials” would appeal to the salt of the earth men that they’ve been hemorrhaging support from in recent years. But voters weren’t as gullible as they hoped, and saw through his charade. While Tim Walz insisted he was “one of the guys,” his ideology was completely out of touch with the average American man — especially in the midwest.
Ahead of the election, a pro-Harris ad was released featuring a series of men rattling off their masculine credentials like their impressive deadlifts and affinity for fixing cars juxtaposed with feminist messaging about their sensitivity and “support for women” in different traditionally masculine settings like gyms, auto shops and farms.
“I’m man enough to enjoy barrel proof bourbon. I’m man enough to cook my steak rare. I’m man enough to deadlift 500 and braid the shit out of my daughter’s hair. You think I’m afraid to rebuild a carburetor? I eat carburetors for breakfast. I ain’t afraid of bears…and I’ll tell you another thing I’m sure as s**t not afraid of: women.”
The ad was widely mocked on social media, only emphasizing Democrats’ masculinity problem to many viewers, as it seemed more like an absurd, overwrought parody of “real men” than an ad meant to genuinely appeal to them.
“They want to control their bodies? I say go for it. Want to use IVF to start a family? I’m not afraid of families. You want to be childless cat ladies? Have all the cats you want. A woman wants to be president? Well I hope she has the guts to look me right in the eye and accept my full-throated endorsement. I’m man enough to support women. Man enough to not ban young women from reading Little Women. I’m man enough to be emotional in front of my wife. I’m man enough to tell you that I cry at Love, Actually…but I’m sick of so-called men domineering, belittling and controlling women just so they can feel more powerful.”
At one point, referring to his detractors, Walz insisted he could “kick most of their ass,” prompting widespread mockery on social media, as his botched delivery only undermined his attempted portrayal of a “tough guy” persona.
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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
Walz represents feminism much more than masculine. He is part of the pink leotard crowd.
If the shoe fits wear it.
Doesn’t take a whole lot of masculinity to change an air filter on an old International Scout.
If he were really secure in his masculinity he would just laugh at the comments rather than responding.
He’s masculine?