Scott Jennings Calls Walz A Buffoon

CNN’s Scott Jennings confronted Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Sunday after a panelist described Walz as a “consequential” choice for Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.

Walz and Republican Sen. J.D. Vance are gearing up for their first debate as their parties’ respective running mate picks, set to be hosted by CBS News on Tuesday. During “State of the Union,” former Harris Communications Director Ashley Etienne criticized Vance for harming the Republican ticket while commending Walz for bridging a “cultural divide” among voters.

“I think what I noticed about all of this, there’s never been a time, that I can recall before now, where the vice presidential picks have been so consequential to the actual top of the ticket. You look at J.D. Vance was supposed to somehow expand Donald Trump’s reach, instead, he actually has done more damage, harm than good,” Etienne remarked.

“But you look at Governor Walz, the reason why — smart, smart pick — the reason why he was picked is to bridge the cultural divide,” Etienne continued. “To reach out to constituencies that the Democratic Party’s had problems reaching — moderate Republicans, disaffected report Republicans, independent Republicans. He’s signaling to a constituency that you can vote for this ticket. So he’s incredibly consequential to Kamala Harris —”

CNN host Jake Tapper then noted Jennings’ reaction to Etienne’s comments and asked for his opinion. Jennings dismissed Etienne’s praise, criticizing Walz for enjoying a “free ride under Harris” and expressing hope that Vance would unsettle him in the upcoming debate.

“Well, first of all, I don’t find them to be consequential. Second of all, Walz is a buffoon. I’m sorry, this guy, he’s the only school teacher in America who brags that none of his students can get into an Ivy League school. He said one consequential press interaction with our Dana Bash, who asked him about the fabrications in his own resume and his answer was essentially, ‘Me no understand words good.’ I mean, he’s a buffoon,” Jennings said.

NEW: CNN’s Scott Jennings calls Tim Walz a “buffoon,” makes fun of him for bragging about how none of his students went to Ivy League colleges.

“This guy, he's the only school teacher in America who brags that none of his students can get into an Ivy League school.”

“He's had… pic.twitter.com/hVB8ORjpOX

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 29, 2024

“He’s on a free ride for running under Harris. He gets very little press, they don’t let him talk to the press for a reason. I want one thing out of this debate,” Jennings continued. “I want J.D. Vance to go out there and get under his skin. He has legendary hot, short temper. A lot of governors do, but apparently he does. I want J.D. Vance to go out there and have him explain why he is denigrating J.D. Vance’s story — small town America ends up making something better out of his life, which is something we should want for every kid.”

Since being selected as Harris’ running mate, Walz has faced accusations of “stolen valor” for allegedly abandoning his battalion in 2005 upon learning of its deployment to Iraq. Although Walz denied the allegations in August, two veterans who served with him criticized him in a 2018 letter, accusing him of “betraying his country” by retiring before his unit’s deployment, according to the New York Post.

Nobody in American politics is in over their head more than Tim Walz. Discussion of the VP debate this morning on @cnn pic.twitter.com/VUQ0fTio1U

— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) September 30, 2024

In late August, Vance also called out Walz, expressing pride in his attendance at Yale University after Walz took a swipe at the Ohio senator during the Democratic National Committee (DNC), stating none of his students “went to Yale,” according to The Hill.