In the mid-1990s, MAD magazine’s creators branched out into television by launching a show called “MAD TV.” In this distinctly unmemorable program, one of the most memorable skits was a series presenting a fake dating ad for a service called “Lowered Expectations.” A series of people who were horribly ugly to repulsive posed as video profiles in the dating game. It was mildly funny.
Tim Walz, the Democrat Vice Presidential candidate in flannel, appears to be creating a profile of “Lowered Expectations”, with each public statement. His latest attempt, however, is quite baffling. The campaign has now “corrected” previous statements made by Governor Walz and claims that he only was a guest of the Chinese Communist Party fifteen times instead of thirty.
If that somehow make it better?
Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that he traveled much less to China than he initially stated in his congressional hearings and interviews with the media.
Walz stated during a congressional hearing in 2016 that he had been to China “dozens” of times. In a publication devoted to agriculture that same year, Walz said, “I have been there around 30 times.”
A Harris-Walz spokesperson recently admitted to Minnesota Public Radio that the figure was “closer than 15 times.”
The revision is a response to growing criticism from GOP critics about Walz’s possible ties with the People’s Republic of China, and its ruling Communist Party. James Comer of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, R-Ky. sent a letter earlier this month to the FBI, renewing his call for the FBI to provide documents relating to Chinese Communist Party entities or officials with whom Walz may have had previous dealings.
If I could submit a question for the vice-presidential debate on Tuesday (a slim chance), it would be:
“Governor Walz in 2016, you claimed that you had visited Communist China “dozens” of times. Then you claimed to have been there “about 30 times.” Your campaign now says you’ve been there “close to 15 times.” Which one is it? You don’t remember? You must have kept track of your visits to China as guests of the Chinese Communist Party. “Were you lying back in 2016 or now?”
The debate “moderators” won’t confront Tim Walz on this issue, but some voters and members of Congress are. We can also expect Republican VP JD Vance, who is running for the office of Vice President in 2016, to take a shot at Walz and his mysterious relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.
Tim Walz has a bad memory. I’ve been to Japan a lot for business. While I haven’t been as many times as 30, my visits are definitely in the double digits. It would only take a few seconds to count on my fingers. It takes me 12 visits, not including regular commutes during a project that lasted several months. Japan is not a communist country. I once spent three days in China and felt as if I were behind enemy lines. It says a great deal that Tim Walz is so comfortable.
Why is it so difficult for Tim Walz, to remember the number of visits? Is it his memory? Is this a sign of something more serious?
Already, we’ve seen one politician in the national spotlight dealing with dementia. Even in the second seat, we don’t want another.
