Live updates: Kamala Harris and Tim Walz appear in Philadelphia for their first rally together

Walz went after JD Vance's attempts to play up his Midwestern and "Middle American" upbringing.

"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," Walz said sarcastically. "Come on. That's not what Middle America is."

He doubled down on calling both Trump and Vance "creepy" and "weird as hell," echoing the attack line he unintentionally started as a rallying cry for Democrats and the Harris campaign.

"I gotta tell you, I can't wait to debate the guy," he added.

During his speech, Walz relayed a personal anecdote about his wife's fertility struggles.

"When my wife and I decided to have children, we spent years going through infertility treatments," he said. "And I remember praying every night for a call for good news, the pit in my stomach when the phone rang. And the agony when we heard the treatments hadn't worked.

"So it wasn't by chance that when we welcomed our daughter into the world, we named her Hope," he added.

After complimenting Harris, Walz shifted to attacking former President Donald Trump.

"Trump weakens our economy to strengthen his own hand," Walz said. "He sows chaos and division, and that's to say nothing of his record as president."

Walz continued to attack Trump's response to the COVID pandemic and how the economy suffered under his presidency.

"Make no mistake, violent crime was up under Trump," he said. "That’s not even including the crimes he committed.”

Walz then pivoted to talking about health care, in particular reproductive rights — a key talking point for both him and Harris.

"Some of us in here are old enough to remember when it was Republicans who were talking about freedom," Walz said. "It turns out now what they meant is that the government should be free to invade your doctor's office."

He mentioned a golden rule he says Minnesotans follow that the government should pick up too: “Mind your own damn business.”

In his first speech as Kamala Harris's running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz talked about his experience serving in the military, as a teacher and as a high school football coach.

Walz said his students had encouraged him to run for office in 2006, the year he was elected toCongress.

“I learned the art of compromise without compromising my values," he said of his time on Capitol Hill.

"These same values I learned on the family farm and tried to instill in my students, I took to Congress and the state capital," he continued. "And now, Vice President Harris and I are running to take them to the White House!"

Following a lengthy introduction from Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz took to the podium in Philadelphia on Tuesday to a thunderous standing ovation.

"Thank you, Madame Vice President, for the trust you put in me, but even more so, thank you for bringing back the joy," Walz said in his first public remarks since becoming her running mate.

Harris laid out some of Walz's shooting accomplishments, claiming he is known as Capitol Hill's "best marksman," having won several bipartisan competitions during his time in Congress.

Then, Harris emphasized that despite Walz's personal interest in shooting and hunting, he and Harris align on a commitment to passing universal background checks for gun owners and banning assault weapons.

During Harris's opening remarks, she told the audience about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's background, emphasizing his time as a high school football coach — where he took a team from winless to state champions — and his decision to help one of his student start a gay-straight alliance at the school.

She also mentioned Walz being named "most inspiring faculty member."

"He's the kind of person who makes people feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big," Harris said. "That's the kind of vice president he will be and that's the kind of vice president America deserves."

"I set out to find a partner who can help build this brighter future," Harris told the crowd in Philadelphia. "A leader who will help unite our nation and move us forward, a fighter for the middle class, a patriot who believes as I do in the extraordinary promise of America: a promise of freedom, opportunity and justice — not just for some but for all. So, Pennsylvania, I'm here today because I found such a leader."

Harris continued promoting Walz, explaining that he's known by many different titles to different people: a father, a congressman, a sergeant major and a coach.

"In 91 days, the nation will know Coach Walz by another name," Harris said, to roaring applause. "Vice president of the United States."

After giving a shout-out to local elected officials, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. John Fetterman, Vice President Kamala Harris publicly acknowledged the news that she formally secured the Democratic presidential nomination late Monday night.

"I stand before you today to proudly announce I am now officially the Democratic nominee for president of the United States," Harris said, flanked by her newly minted running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. "And so now we got some work to do."

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were showered with applause as they walked onstage together at the duo's first campaign rally.

Harris and Walz were preceded by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who called Walz "a good friend" and said Harris was "courtroom tough" and "ready to go."

The two took the stage to Beyoncé's "Freedom," which has already become a regular feature of Harris's campaign rallies.

At the end of his speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro gave a nod to the city's role in history, and the country's Founding Fathers declaration of freedom from England.

"They came here to declare their independence from a king," he said. "And we're not going back to a king."

Earlier in his remarks, Shapiro chastised former President Donald Trump for not accepting his loss in the 2020 election.

"It sure as hell isn't freedom to say, 'You can go vote, but he's gonna pick the winner,'" Shapiro said. "That is not freedom."

In his speech Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he was "proud" of his Jewish faith, and rebutted Republican critics who claim that Harris's pick of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was evidence that antisemitism was prevalent in the Democratic Party.

"I want to tell you what my faith teaches me," Shapiro said, adding, "My faith teaches me that no one is required to complete the task but neither are we free to refrain from it. That means that each of us has a responsibility to get off the sidelines, to get in the game and to do our part."

Shapiro made clear in his full-throated endorsement of Harris that he would be working hard to get her elected president in the coming months.

Shapiro gave a shout-out to Gen Z, the youngest generation qualified to vote, as "understanding the responsibility" when it comes to voting and staying organized — even referencing TikTok as their platform of choice to do so.

Social media plays a critical role in how the majority of Americans get news, but young adults 18 to 29 especially lean on TikTok for information.

After Gov. Josh Shapiro mentioned former President Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance, the crowd started to chant, "He's a weirdo! He's a weirdo!"

The term "weird" has been a common line of attack from Democrats for the past few weeks, starting with an interview Walz gave in July.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was reportedly passed over by Vice President Kamala Harris for her choice of running mate, spoke at the beginning of Harris's first joint rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Philadelphia.

"I love you Philly," Sharpiro said after being greeted with thunderous applause. "And you know what else I love? I love being your governor."

Shapiro vowed to do whatever he can to help campaign for Harris and Walz, who he described as his friends.

"I'm going to continue to pour my heart and soul into working for you every day as your governor," he said. "And I'm going to be working my tail off to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States."

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro received a standing ovation and loud applause when he took the stage.

"I love being your governor," he said. "You all fill my heart and I love you so much."

Shapiro, who was on the shortlist for Harris's running mate, praised the vice president, saying, "She is courtroom tough. She has a big heart. And she is battle-tested and ready to go."

DJ Diamond Kuts, a Philadelphia native, spun a hefty mix of hip-hop, including "Swag Surfin" and "Knuck if You Buck," during her set to warm up the crowd at tonight's rally at the Liacouras Center. While spinning, she invoked a "Harris-Walz" call-and-response in the middle of the songs.

DJ Diamond Kuts also has a "coconut tree" remix, a nod to the now viral meme that references remarks Vice President Kamala Harris made in May 2023.

Harris and Walz, who are scheduled for their first rally today in Philadelphia at 5:30 p.m. ET, will host a virtual grassroots fundraiser, according to Harris's personal X profile.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz landed in Philadelphia ahead of Tuesday's campaign rally at the Liacouras Center. Walz, his wife, Gwen, and their two children, Gus and Hope, disembarked the plane, with Walz greeting awaiting staff before heading into a black SUV, video posted on X showed.

The rally will be his first campaign appearance as Kamala Harris's running mate.

Local Philadelphia reporter Julia Terruso posted a video on X of Vice President Kamala Harris landing in Philadelphia on Air Force Two Tuesday afternoon with husband Doug Emhoff. Harris will be speaking at a rally in the city this evening with her newly announced running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

In the video, a person off screen can be heard shouting "Why not Josh Shapiro?" as Harris walks across the tarmac, referring to the Pennsylvania governor who'd been the other top contender for the Democratic ticket.

The campaign stop kicks off a series of visits to battleground states this week, including Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada.

Former Vice President Al Gore praised Gov. Tim Walz Tuesday as a "proven leader on climate."

"I’ve seen Tim Walz in action and have worked with him. He is a proven leader on climate and knows the issue inside and out, Gore said in a message posted to X. "As Vice President Harris’ running mate, his climate credentials make him a valuable asset on an issue that demands urgent action if we want to build a better future for our country."

Since losing the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, Gore has focused on fighting climate change. Other climate policy leaders also hailed the addition of Walz to the Democratic ticket.

"In 2023, Walz signed the biggest climate law in Minnesota history: Solar for schools! Incentives for EVs! Money for heat pumps! Fines for leaving trash on the ice!" Leah Stokes, professor of climate and energy policy at the University of California, Santa Barbara, wrote in a post on X.

Stokes worked hard on the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in fighting climate change in U.S. history.

Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, have routinely mocked the legislation and have promised to reverse it if elected.

Hours before the first official Harris-Walz campaign event was set to begin in Philadelphia, CBS News reporter Nidia Cavazos posted a video that she said showed thousands of people lined up around several blocks waiting to get inside the venue.

Trump supporters often post similar videos showing long lines of people waiting to get in ahead of his campaign events.

Tuesday's rally is expected to start at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Former President Bill Clinton offered his praise to Kamala Harris's vice presidential pick, calling Walz a "beloved governor" and "no-nonsense leader who's worked across the aisle."

"Kamala Harris made a terrific choice with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. His resume speaks for itself," Clinton posted in a statement.

Clinton listed Walz's accomplishments as a veteran and as a governor of a state with a "rural and urban electorate," declaring: "Tim Walz has walked the walk, and he’ll be a great vice president."

Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign released a video Tuesday afternoon that purported to show the moment she asked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate in the 2024 election.

"When I called Tim Walz this morning to ask him to join our campaign, I shared my deep level of respect for him and the work we've done together," Harris wrote in a post on X. "We're going to unify this country and we're going to win. Let's go get this done."

In the video, which interspersed shots of both Harris and Walz talking via phone, Harris asked, "Would you be my running mate, and let's get this thing on the road?"

"I would be honored, Madam Vice President," Walz, who wore a camouflage baseball cap, responded. "The joy that you're bringing back to this country, the enthusiasm that's out there, it'll be a privilege to take this with you across the country."

As Vice President Harris boarded Air Force Two for her flight to Philadelphia, she answered a reporter who asked why she picked Tim Walz as her running mate.

"He's going to make a great vice president," she said, giving a thumbs up.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz released his first campaign video Tuesday since being chosen as Kamala Harris's running mate.

In the video Walz posted on X, the former public school teacher shared his background as an educator and a military vet before becoming a politician. He also touted his accomplishments as governor, including codifying abortion rights, cutting taxes for working families and working with Republicans to pass an infrastructure bill.

As governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz has made no secret that his kids have played a big role in helping to shape his policy priorities.

They’ve also helped bolster Walz’s image as a normal dad. His daughter, Hope, 23, has been featured alongside her father in a lighthearted video promoting a statewide ban on the use of handheld cell phones while driving, and another encouraging residents to go to the Minnesota State Fair.

Walz's kids have also come up regarding legislation the governor signed to protect reproductive rights in Minnesota and tighten gun control measures.

Read more from Yahoo News.

Local Minnesota reporter Quinn Gorham posted a video on X of a crowd outside of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's temporary St. Paul residence breaking out in cheerful celebration as a caravan of SUVs left the home Tuesday morning.

Gorham said the caravan was "likely en route to the airport" ahead of Walz's appearance tonight with Kamala Harris in Philadelphia. Tonight's rally is one of several stops to battleground states including Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada this week.

Last week, nearly 200,000 people joined a three-and-a-half hour Zoom call called “White Dudes for Harris,” raising more than $4.2 million for Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was one of them. Here are some highlights of his remarks.

• On the significance of his daughter's name: "My oldest daughter's name is Hope. That's because my wife and I spent seven years trying to get pregnant, needing fertility treatments, things like IVF, things that they would ban."
  

• On JD Vance's vision of small-town America: "I grew up in a small town, 400 people, 24 kids in the class, 12 cousins. I hear JD Vance trying to talk about what a small town is. There's one golden rule in a small town, those of you who are from a small town know: Mind your own damn business."
  

• On rural America: "The reason rural America hurts is because robber barons like [Trump and Vance] have come in there. These are the guys that take money out of our public schools for private schools to give vouchers to people already going to private school. They undermine the basic social safety net that makes this country great."
  

• On talking to people with differing political views: "These are our neighbors and our relatives and at heart, they're good people. They're not mean-spirited. They're not small, they're not petty like they hear onstage, they're angry, they're confused, they're frustrated. They feel like they got left behind sometimes, but we can get out there, reach out, make the case. And for one thing, don't ever, don't ever shy away from our progressive values. One person's socialism is another person's neighborliness."
  

• On Trump: "Is he a danger society? Yes. Is he a danger to women's health? Yes. Is he a danger to world peace? Yes. But don't give him more credit than he needs. He's just a strange, weird dude."
  

• On the election in less than 100 days: "How often in 100 days do you get to change the trajectory of the world? How often in 100 days do you get to do something that's going to impact generations to come? How often in the world do you make that bastard wake up afterwards and know that a Black woman kicked his ass and sent him on the road? And you know that's something that guy's gonna have to live with for the rest of his life."

Under Minnesota law, if Harris and Walz win the 2024 election, the Minnesota lieutenant governor would take over Walz's spot as governor. The current lieutenant governor is Peggy Flanagan, a citizen of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, which would make her Minnesota’s first female and first Native American governor.

Right now Flanagan is the highest-ranking Native woman elected to executive office, and she has spent her career campaigning for more diversity and representation in public offices.

“I think if we’re going to have strong policies and strong outcomes for communities, women and BIPOC folks need to be at the table," she told the news outlet the 19th.

Read more from Yahoo News: A Harris win would lead to historic firsts for Minnesota's governorship

In a post on X, President Biden publicly congratulated Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on being selected as Kamala Harris's running mate and praised his current vice resident for making such a "great decision."

"The Harris-Walz ticket will be a powerful voice for working people and America's great middle class," Biden's post continued. "They will be the strongest defenders of our personal freedoms and our democracy. And they will ensure that America continues to lead the world and play its role as the indispensable nation."

A number of Minnesota Democrats, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Dean Phillips and the state's attorney general, Keith Ellison, expressed their excitement for their state's governor, Tim Walz, as Kamala Harris's choice for vice president.

In its announcement that Vice President Kamala Harris had chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, the Harris campaign included a biography for Walz, highlighting, among other things, his record as a governor and as a congressman, his military background, his Midwestern roots and his gun ownership:

The Human Rights Campaign called Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz a "lifelong champion of LGBTQ+ rights." The LGBTQ advocacy group noted his record as a faculty advisor for a Minnesota high school's first gay-straight alliance chapter in 1999 and, as governor, signing a bill to ban conversion therapy, protecting access to gender-affirming care.

Gwen Walz, the wife of Gov. Tim Walz and the first lady of Minnesota, has a history of carving out space for herself to work on policies that matter to her.

After her husband was elected in 2019, she established a physical office in the Minnesota State Capitol — never before done by previous first ladies — and had an agenda focused on criminal justice reform and education policy, the New York Times reported.

According to her biography on the Minnesota governor's website, some of her passions include "teaching at prisons and promoting criminal justice reform" and "advocating for the LGBTQ movement." It says her ultimate goal is to "build a more just and equitable world."

In a series of tweets, the nonprofit LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD touted Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's support of the LGBTQ community, calling Kamala Harris's vice presidential pick a choice that "underscores a longstanding commitment to the equality, prosperity, and safety of all Americans, including and especially for LGBTQ people."

"Gov. Walz has a proven record of including and protecting LGBTQ people and the fundamental freedoms all Americans treasure," the group posted on X. "In this consequential election, we need all voices to speak up for the rights of LGBTQ people to be welcome as we are, live free from discrimination and harm, and pursue our own success and happiness. Voters can review the records of the Harris-Walz ticket to inform their own choices this fall, to reflect the country they want to live in, and to envision a future where all of us are more safe and free.”

Emilie Simons, the White House senior deputy press secretary, issued a statement describing the moments before Walz was officially announced as Harris's running mate.

"This morning, the President and Vice President spoke on the phone ahead of her official announcement that she selected Governor Tim Walz as her Vice Presidential nominee," read the statement. "The President also spoke with Governor Walz to congratulate him on his selection."

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin called Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz the "real deal" in a statement posted on X, saying Walz will bring "normality" back to a "chaotic political environment" as Kamala Harris's vice presidential pick.

"I can think of no one better than Governor Walz to help bring our country closer together and bring balance back to the Democratic Party," the statement read. "Governor Walz is the real deal. I look forward to continuing to work with him to bring normalcy back to Washington."

Former President Donald Trump's campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt released the following statement slamming Vice President Kamala Harris's pick of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate:

"It's no surprise that San Francisco Liberal Kamala Harris wants West Coast wannabe Tim Walz as her running-mate — Walz has spent his governorship trying to reshape Minnesota in the image of the Golden State. While Walz pretends to support Americans in the Heartland, when the cameras are off, he believes that rural America is 'mostly cows and rocks'. From proposing his own carbon-free agenda, to suggesting stricter emission standards for gas-powered cars, and embracing policies to allow convicted felons to vote, Walz is obsessed with spreading California's dangerously liberal agenda far and wide. If Walz won't tell voters the truth, we will: just like Kamala Harris, Tim Walz is a dangerously liberal extremist, and the Harris-Walz California dream is every America's nightmare."

Sen. Bernie Sanders called Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz a great asset to Kamala Harris's "winning campaign."

"He is a former public school teacher, football coach, and strong union supporter," Sanders posted on X. "As governor, he delivered for working families in MN. As VP, he will deliver for the working families of the US."

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who was among a handful of finalists vetted by Vice President Kamala Harris for VP, posted a short message on Facebook after the announcement that Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz previously disclosed to HuffPost reporter Arthur Delaney that he and his wife used the Mayo Clinic's reproductive services to have their daughter. The conversation reportedly took place in February, months before Senate Republicans blocked legislation to protect rights for women who need access to in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments.

"My daughter Hope was named Hope for a reason," Delaney shared in a post on X. "Because married for eight years, no children, wanting children. We got Hope because of this type of stuff."

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama released the following statement applauding Vice President Kamala Harris's selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate:

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer expressed excitement for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as Kamala Harris's running mate.

"As a fellow Midwesterner and governor, I know firsthand that his leadership is an important asset to this ticket," Whitmer said in a post on X. "He’ll be an excellent partner for @KamalaHarris, and I’ll do everything I can to get them elected this November. Let’s go win this thing!"

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, another finalist for VP, posted a statement on X praising Vice President Kamala Harris's choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were reportedly the two finalists in Vice President Kamala Harris's search for a running mate. After Harris announced Walz as her choice, Shapiro posted this lengthy statement to X.

"Vice President Kamala Harris has my enthusiastic support — and I know that Gov. Tim Walz is an exceptionally strong addition to the ticket," he wrote in part.

Shaprio is scheduled to speak at Harris and Walz's first campaign stop together in Philadelphia later Tuesday.

Harris's selection of Walz as her running mate continues to receive support from high profile Democrats, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (who was among those reportedly in contention for the VP slot), former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.