Tim Walz ridiculed for kicking off pheasant hunting season in Minnesota to 'woo male voters'
SLEEPY EYE, MINNESOTA: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was ridiculed after kicking off the Pheasant Hunting Opener in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, as part of a campaign effort.
The 60-year-old politician’s appearance drew criticism from detractors, claiming it was staged to appeal to male voters.
Tim Walz criticized for lack of guns at hunting event
Tim Walz, who is the vice-presidential nominee in the Harris-Walz campaign, was spotted at the event with his daughter Hope, mingling with fellow hunters while dressed in bright orange vests.
Dick Cheney must have been busy
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 12, 2024
pic.twitter.com/NNLM2vGn9i
Critics were quick to point out that no one in the hunting group, including Walz, appeared to have guns, despite him being a legal gun owner, Daily Mail noted.
"Did anyone see what was missing? Where are their guns? I saw cameras but no guns. So they took him out with some guys in vests and took pictures of him while he played with a dog," one user wrote on X.
Did anyone see what was missing? Where are their guns. I saw cameras but no guns. So they took him out with some guys in vests and took pictures of him while he played with a dog.
— CB64 (@CB64_LE) October 12, 2024
The Trump campaign also joined in mocking the event, accusing Walz of staging the outing without actually participating in the hunt.
Tim Walz posts photo with guns after criticism
Following the backlash, Tim Walz responded by posting a photo on his X account showing him with guns, captioned, "Beautiful morning to kick off the pheasant hunting season in Sleepy Eye!"
Beautiful morning to kick off the pheasant hunting season in Sleepy Eye! pic.twitter.com/0zR9tuMbqW
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) October 12, 2024
The governor has a history of attending the Pheasant Hunting Opener, sharing similar images in past years.
In 2022, Walz posted a photo from Worthington at the Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener where he proudly posed with a gun and a dead bird. "And happy to report that I bagged two birds this morning!" he wrote in his tweet.
A beautiful, chilly Worthington morning at the Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener – and happy to report that I bagged two birds this morning! pic.twitter.com/onHozMNl7S
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) October 15, 2022
Critics accuse Tim Walz of faking his outdoor persona
Despite Tim Walz's efforts to share his hunting activities, some online users were still not convinced.
"He’s not convincing anyone," commented one individual. Others were harsher in their criticism, accusing Walz of turning the event into a photo-op. "Everything is a photo-op. Does anyone actually do anything?" asked another critic.
One user also brought up past allegations against Walz, writing, "Don't be a 'knucklehead' and pretend you shot something for votes... you are a joke if you people wouldn't lie about stuff that's easily proven to be lies then you might be taken seriously."
Another sarcastic comment read, "Yeah, I always take a full camera crew with me when I go pheasant hunting too dumbass. Stop trying to prove too hard that you’re a manly man! Because you ain’t."
Everything is a photo-op. Does anyone actually do anything?
— Scott Smialkowski (@ScottSmialkowsk) October 12, 2024
Yeah, I always take a full Camera crew with me when I go pheasant hunting too dumbass.
— Ken Magadonian (@KMagadonian) October 12, 2024
Stop trying to prove too hard that you’re a fucking manly man! Because you ain’t pic.twitter.com/KMcAAgWOEV
Don't be a "knuckle head" and pretend you shot something for votes ok lol because you have some of the worst lies about yourself from the Stolen Valor you tried claiming then lying You being there during Tiananmen square you are a joke if you people wouldn't lie about stuff…
— Brian Hamel (@hamel1776) October 12, 2024
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