Snapshot: The Improbable Journey of Tim Walz

Last night at the Democratic National Convention, a former school teacher took the biggest stage of his life

Hope, Gus and Gwen Walz along with Tim Walz after the biggest speech of his life. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images)

Tim Walz served 12 years in Congress and six years as governor of Minnesota, but he has the heart of a teacher. He cares about learning. He cares about people and making lives better. These characteristics are hard to miss.

Last night, Tim Walz walked out on the biggest stage of his life—not just before a crowd of 23,000-plus in Chicago’s United Arena, but as the nominee for vice president of the United States of America. The whole world was and will be watching whether he can and will translate his life experience into the kind of leadership that positively moves the world. Almost as an aside, he admitted that he’s far more prepared to give pep talks to high school football players than give a speech this big.

That’s the thing: Who could have imagined that a journey from a high-school classroom to the White House was possible on anyone’s life bingo card? Unlike few other politicians who get to such rarified air, it’s actually possible to witness a man who’s not fundamentally driven by ego and personal ambition, but rather a genuine desire to help others.

As Barack Obama said the night before, “Tim is the kind of person who should be in politics.” As Walz put it himself last night, inspired by his students and his “commitment to the common good” to run for Congress: “So there I was, a 40-something high school teacher with little kids, zero political experience and no money, running in a deep-red district. But you know what? Never underestimate a public-school teacher. Never.”

The improbable journey of Tim Walz was on display in the face of his wife Gwen Walz over the last few days, who’s seemed at times overwhelmed by hearing everyone from the Obamas to the Clintons to President Joe Biden talking about her husband and the need for community and caring. The improbable journey was also showcased when Tim Walz’s state championship high school football players—now 25 years older—unexpectedly walked out on stage last night. But this improbable journey was best exemplified by his 17-year-old son, Gus Walz, whose unfiltered crying for his dad was emotionally punctuated when he pointed at the stage and proudly exclaimed: “That’s my dad!”

We know, Gus.  We’re proud, too. Just a month ago, we couldn’t have imagined we’d see your dad accepting the nomination of the Democratic Party to be vice president of the United States.

How could we have known that this former school teacher, coach and obviously loving dad—whose children haven’t been trained to be an ambitious politician’s children—would turn out to be just the right guy with the right stuff at just the right moment? That Kamala Harris would recognize him as that right guy? That he could give the Democratic ticket the necessary qualities—as a plain-spoken communicator, as a good and decent person, as an American that no one can doubt loves his country—that could help win a presidential election and move the world?

If and when Tim Walz makes it to the White House with freshly inaugurated President Harris, we can be sure that he’ll bring with him the life experience and values that got him this far. It’s a long way from the small town of Butte, Nebraska, population 400, but just what the country needs. As Walz explained:

Growing up in a small town like that, you learn how to take care of each other. That family down the road, they may not think like you do, they may not pray like you do. They may not love like you do. But they’re your neighbors. And you look out for them. And they look out for you. Everybody belongs. And everybody has a responsibility to contribute.

Walz has already proved in Minnesota that he can pass policy like free school breakfast and lunch, the right to an abortion, universal background checks for gun buyers, tuition-free college for low-income residents and expanded LGBTQ+ protections. Just imagine what he can do if he gets the chance to bring his small-town progressive values to the whole country.

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