Former Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz expressed his frustration and disappointment in a recent interview, describing the aftermath of the presidential election last November as “pure hell.” The Minnesota governor spoke with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Tuesday, where he addressed the challenges faced by those opposing the agenda of President Donald Trump since his return to office.
Walz used the metaphor of “the frog in the boiling water” to illustrate his concerns, stating, “We’ve been in the damn pot way too long.” He emphasized the importance of speaking up, engaging with neighbors, and contacting Congress members, criticizing their lack of resolve. “This is real,” he asserted.
In a moment of empathy, Walz acknowledged the fatigue felt by Democratic voters. “To the voters, I’m with this too. Everybody’s fatigued. Trust me, I get it,” he said. “It was pure hell, and the disappointment and the frustration, and I’m, you know, soul-searching – what could we have done to make the case? Because we knew this was coming. We knew the implication. And they’re throwing so much at us that we’re fatigued.”
Walz also reflected on the recent national debate surrounding Elon Musk, whom he referred to as “President Musk.” The discussion revolved around whether Musk had given a “Nazi salute” at a Trump inauguration rally, which Walz deemed a distraction from more pressing issues. “Of course he did,” Walz remarked, highlighting his concern for federal employees working on critical societal issues like environmental justice and criminal reform.
He urged citizens to remain focused and not be swayed by distractions. “Surround yourself with people who understand this, and recognize the things they went after today are basically a big chunk of what society does,” Walz advised. He emphasized the need for organized activism to protect essential services such as clean water, healthcare, and public safety, which he feels are under threat.
Walz also encouraged his party to utilize the court system as a tool against the current administration, though he expressed skepticism about its effectiveness. “I think it’s taking it to the individual people. Show what each of these programs does and what it means for people’s lives,” he stated.
In agreement, Maddow noted that many voters may not have realized the implications of their choices, saying, “No matter what people motivated anybody’s vote, if you didn’t think you were voting to cut firefighting, if you didn’t think you were voting to cut meat inspections, if you didn’t think you were voting to cut air traffic control, well it’s all becoming very, very clear right now.”
While Maddow claimed this was Walz’s “first interview since the presidential election,” it was, in fact, his first national interview, following several local discussions in December after the election.