‘Epitome Of The Midwestern Dad’: After Testy Vance Interview, Brennan Brings On Dem Gov to Fawn Over Tim Walz

Shortly after anchor Margaret Brennan delivered one of several testy and confrontational Sunday interviews of Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, the Face The Nation host brought some parity by having a guest on to praise Democratic vice presidential nominee, Gov. Tim Walz.

Vance did a slew of interviews on Sunday, later pointing to them as a contrast with Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Walz.

Those interviews were confrontational, particularly over Vance’s criticism of Walz’s past and recent claims regarding his military service, at least one of which has been thoroughly debunked.

On Face the Nation, Brennan confronted Vance on other subjects, including whether vice presidential picks can swing an election — which historically, no they can’t — his support for unpopular Supreme Court decisions, and his preschool attendance record.

After an intervening segment on hackers hitting the GOP, Brennan brought on Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, and asked her about Walz’s supposed middle America appeal, about which the media has been incessantly enthralled.

Brennan first noted that Kelly is governor in a red state and pointed out Democrats have been “bleeding support” in rural America for a long time. Brennan did not then ask why that is, but instead how to “woo” those votes “back” to the party.

Kelly waxed folksy as she replied that “the fact of the matter is, here in Kanas, we’re all Kansans,” which was apparently enough of an answer for Brennan who moved on to asking why Walz is just so great.

“Tim Walz is the first sitting governor to join a Democratic presidential ticket since Bill Clinton. He runs a pretty blue state, but there seems to be a bet that he can speak to the heartland, that he can speak to rural America,” said Brennan. “Do you think that’s overstated?”

It’s not immediately clear what kind of deeper truth a journalist could be probing for by asking, of praise about a fellow Democrat, whether it is “overstated.” But the answer Brennan did get – “No, not at all!” — could surely not have been much of a surprise. The praise continued.

“Tim Walz is the epitome of the Midwestern dad,” Kelly fawned. “You know, you could put him at any state fair, on any Main Street, and certainly in a Friday night football game in rural Kansas, and he would fit right in.”

Kelly added that Walz “understands rural America” and is therefore a “huge asset” to the campaign.

Brennan did not ask if that implies that Harris is not in touch with the heartland or does not understand rural America, or whether being from a red state is more valuable than being from a blue state in a presidential election and, if so, why. But suffice it to say that in order to “woo” those voters, they can all agree that someone who is fond of socialism and not fond of borders is what rural Americans all deeply desire. Who knew?

Neither interviewee was asked about Walz’s claims regarding his military service, though, which was the main topic of Vance’s other interviews on Sunday.

Neither Walz nor Harris were on any of the Sunday shows, for whatever reason.

BRENNAN: So, governor, you are in a pretty unique position here. You are a twice elected Democratic governor of a pretty red state. Democrats have been bleeding support in rural America for years. How do Democrats woo back rural America?

KELLY: Well, you just have to get out there, and, listen, and then produce, you know. When you, when you do that, you will see that, you know, while we label everybody red or blue. The fact of the matter is, here in Kansas, we’re Kansans. And so, you know, if you are a Democrat, but you share the values of most Kansans. You just need to get out there, talk with them, get them to know you. You to know them. And then they’ll develop that trust, and put it in you, to run the state.

BRENNAN: Well, Tim Walz is the first sitting governor to join a Democratic presidential ticket since Bill Clinton. He runs a pretty blue state, but there seems to be a bet that he can speak to the heartland, that he can speak to rural America. Do you think that’s overstated?

KELLY: No, not at all! I mean, Tim Walz is the epitome of the Midwestern dad. You know, you could put him at any state fair, on any Main Street, and certainly in a Friday night football game in rural Kansas, and he would fit, right in. I think we also need to remember, that while Minnesota is a blue state, he represented in Congress for 12 years, a very red section of Minnesota. So he understands rural Minnesota. He understands rural America. And I think that’s one of the reasons that he’s a huge asset to the Harris Walz team.

Watch the clip above via CBS News.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.