Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz confused the internet on Tuesday during the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate. He accidentally claimed, "I’ve become friends with school shooters," sparking widespread reaction.
The slip came when Walz was asked about his shift on banning assault weapons. He once opposed the ban but now supports it.
"I sat in that office with those Sandy Hook parents. I’ve become friends with school shooters. I’ve seen it," Walz said.
Walz likely meant to say he's befriended parents of shooting victims, but his comment caused a stir online.
Fox News contributor Guy Benson commented, "Walz saying he’s become friends with school shooters...is an innocent misstatement. But lying about his military rank and DUI? Not innocent."
The Media Research Center called it an "unfortunate slip of the tongue."
Critics, including former President Trump, pounced on the mistake. Trump's War Room shared the video, and Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Walz "not ready for primetime."
Fox News contributor Andy McCarthy defended Walz, saying, "Walz obviously misspoke... This is a good, high-minded debate for today's standards."
Pundit John Podhoretz added, "People will forgive this. He clearly meant parents of victims."
But journalist Andy Ngo labeled it the "gaffe of the 2024 election." Influencer Robby Starbuck asked, "Umm… Does he want to explain that?"