Subscribe

A Nonprofit, Reader-Supported News Organization

Donald Trump loves coaches.
Tim Walz is ready to be a coach on Day 1. Photo credit: DonkeyHotey / WhoWhatWhy (CC BY-SA 2.0) See complete attribution below.
Cartoon

Donald Trump Said He’d Like to Put Coaches in Charge…

08/11/24

It looks like Trump may get his wish if Kamala Harris and her VP pick, former high school football coach Tim Walz, win the election.

Listen To This Story
Voiced by Amazon Polly
PinLinkedIn

Donald Trump said in a campaign speech in Charlotte, NC, back in July, that he would like to fire America’s military generals and replace them with NASCAR drivers and football coaches.

Now Kamala Harris has chosen a former high school football coach, and the current governor of Minnesota, to be her vice presidential running mate. Tim Walz was part of a coaching staff that took their team to its first state championship. Everything about Walz’s approach to life is in stark contrast to Trump’s grift and fakery. 

In preparation for this cartoon, I looked at over 14,560 photos in the Flickr photostream from the office of Gov. Tim Walz & Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. I’m sure Walz has bad days and is always “on” when he’s in public, but you can tell something about a person by what they think is important enough to document in a photograph.

One thing I noticed right away is that he is almost always accompanied by Flanagan on his field trips, bill signings, industry visits, and other occasions. They appear to be happy partners in governing. 

Tim Walz, Peggy Flanagan
Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) speaking about University of Minnesota public safety on September 7, 2022. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan stands to his right. Photo credit: Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan / Flickr (PDM 1.0 DEED)

Walz really does seem to enjoy governing and isn’t afraid to appear silly if it helps him get his message across, or for just plain fun. 

Tim Walz, Paul Bunyan, Axe
Walz holding The Paul Bunyan Axe. It is a prize in the Minnesota–Wisconsin football rivalry. Photo credit: Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan / Flickr (PDM 1.0 DEED)

How many times can one man hug a dog? Walz loves those four-legged creatures. 

Tim Walz, Hunting Dog
Walz giving some attention to a dog during the 2022 Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener. Photo credit: Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan / Flickr (PDM 1.0 DEED)
Tim Walz, hugging, puppy
Walz hugging a puppy at the Ag and Broadband bill signing on May 18, 2023. Photo credit: Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan / Flickr (PDM 1.0 DEED)

The governor has many moves when being photographed, including ribbon cuttings, bill signings, visits to businesses, dog hugging and petting, and more. One of his signature moves is listening.  

Tim Walz, listening, preschoolers
Walz listening to preschoolers at the Pre-K Tour Kick Off on October 12, 2023. Photo credit: Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan / Flickr (PDM 1.0 DEED)

From the looks of his Flickr pages, he appears to be a genuinely fun guy who cares about people, and knows how to communicate and how to govern. It will be interesting to see how Walz holds up to media scrutiny and a Swift Boat attack from GOP operatives. Before you go, here is a famous video of Walz and his daughter screaming on the Slingshot ride at the Minnesota State Fair. 

While you’re here enjoying DonkeyHotey’s latest cartoon, please take a moment to read these articles on related topics: 

The cartoon above was created by DonkeyHotey for WhoWhatWhy from these images: Tim Walz caricature (DonkeyHotey / Flickr – CC BY 2.0 DEED), body (Steven Miller / Flickr – CC BY 2.0 DEED), and Donald Trump caricature (DonkeyHotey / Flickr – CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED).

Author

  • DonkeyHotey

    DonkeyHotey creates art to illustrate news articles and opinion pieces. His current work is a combination of caricature, photo collage, and photo manipulation.

    View all posts

Comments are closed.