Additional Coverage:
- Tim Walz lands a zinger on Vance about that couch story – and attacks him for using Hillbilly Elegy to trash his own community (newsbreak.com)
Tim Walz, newly announced as Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential running mate, didn’t hold back during his first speech, taking a comedic jab at his Republican opponent JD Vance. In front of a lively crowd in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Walz poked fun at Vance’s recent ridicule on social media, saying, “I can’t wait to debate the guy… if he’s willing to get off the couch.”
The origin of the couch joke dates back to a spoof post on social platform X, which falsely claimed Vance mentioned intimate relations with a sofa in his book, “Hillbilly Elegy.” This was further amplified when The Associated Press mistakenly validated the claim, leading to a flurry of memes across social networks. Walz seized the moment to criticize Vance for his perceived hypocrisy, highlighting his elite education and career funded by Silicon Valley, which contrast starkly with the middle-class community he critiques in his book.
During the event, Walz humorously remarked about Vance’s background, “Like all regular people I grew up with in the heartland, JD studied at Yale, had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, and then wrote a bestseller trashing that community.” This comment provoked roaring laughter and applause from his supporters.
Walz later shared the moment on X to his 450,000 followers, reinforcing his stance on the debate readiness of his opponent. His remarks continued to generate buzz online, spurring a new wave of memes and comments from amused fans and supporters, who came up with catchy phrases like “Coach Walz vs Couch Vance” to describe the upcoming contest. There were also playful suggestions that Vice President Harris struggled to contain her amusement during the speech.
Additionally, at the rally, Walz took aim at former President Donald Trump, criticizing his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic policies, and increase in violent crime during his term, stating, “He froze in the face of the COVID crisis. He drove our economy into the ground. And make no mistake, violent crime was up under Donald Trump — That’s not even counting the crimes he committed.”