Tim Walz delivers enthusiastic 'pep talk' in DNC speech

Minnesota Governor takes the stage as 'uncommitted' movement members protest outside United Centre

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Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz formally accepted his party's nomination on Wednesday night, using his background a high school American football coach to deliver an enthusiastic pep talk to the party convention in Chicago.

"I haven't given a lot of big speeches like this, but I have given a lot of pep talks. So let me finish with this, team. We're on offence and we've got the ball. We're driving down the field, and boy, do we have the right team," the Minnesota governor said to delegates cheering the word "coach".

The keynote speech on the third night of the convention was the Minnesota governor's largest audience yet since accepting Kamala Harris's invitation to be her running mate.

Mr Walz has only been on the Democratic presidential ticket for 15 days, and the tone he sets on the main convention stage will help to define the party platform in the final months before the November elections.

The sweeping speech saw his characteristic jabs, calling Republicans "weird" and an energetic emphasis on the Democratic agenda, including on cutting taxes for the working class, housing affordability and health care.

"When other states were banishing books from their schools, we were banishing hunger from ours," Mr Walz said to enthusiastic applause.

The Minnesota governor also took aim at Republican crackdowns on reproductive health care, including in-vitro fertility treatments, sharing his family's journey with IVF and the "pain" of infertility.

His son, Gus, was seen standing and tearfully exclaiming "that's my dad".

The Midwestern politician has become known for his ability to connect with voters at a personal level, and his speech largely emphasised themes of community and family - as well as Democratic accusations that Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance are threatening to strip families of their freedoms.

"That's what this is all about, the responsibility we have to our kids, to each other and to the future that we're building together ... But not everyone has that same sense of responsibility. Some folks just don't understand what it takes to be a good neighbour," he said.

His address followed a significant show of political and celebrity support at the DNC, where politicians, actors, singers and everyday Americans touted the Harris-Walz ticket.

Former president Bill Clinton delivered an address endorsing Mr Walz, using his speech to recognise President Joe Biden and praising his decision to "give up political power".

And former speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi – who in many ways is thought to be the architect of this new ticket, playing a key role in Mr Biden's decision to step down from the race – gave a brief address reinforcing that US democracy is on the line against Mr Trump.

Mr Walz also received significant praise from musical greats Stevie Wonder, Sheila E and John Legend - as well as a rousing introduction from billionaire media mogul Oprah Winfrey.

Mr Walz has been largely embraced by the Democratic Party, especially among young voters who say they feel better represented by the new ticket.

But he has also come under significant fire from Republicans over his military background, with some making claims of “stolen valour”.

However, the Minnesota National Guard, in which he served, confirmed to The National that Mr Walz did not abandon his service.

Ms Harris will close out the convention on Thursday amid growing tension over whether she will substantively address Israel's war in Gaza.

Calls for Palestinian and pro-ceasefire representation increased on the convention's penultimate night, after the parents of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin addressed the convention.

"This is a political convention, but needing our only son and all of the cherished hostages home is not a political issue," said Jon Polin, Hersh's father, as many delegates wiped tears from their eyes.

"We've met with President Biden and Vice President Harris numerous times at the White House, they're both working tirelessly for a hostage and ceasefire deal."

The national “uncommitted” movement, which has 30 delegates inside the convention representing the pro-Palestine wing of the party, said on Wednesday that they “urge the Democratic Party to reject a hierarchy of human value by ensuring Palestinian voices are heard on the main stage”.

But as the clock ticked throughout the convention, the movement seemed to confirm that it would not get main stage representation, saying the Democratic committee had declined its request for an Arab-American community member to speak.

"The answer is no," Michigan uncommitted delegate Abbas Alawieh said told journalists outside the Union Centre.

Yaz Kader, a Washington state uncommitted delegate, told The National earlier: “What hurts a little bit is that we have been asking for weeks to have a Palestinian voice up there, but I would have loved to see is … that an Israeli voice of suffering is there and a Palestinian voice of suffering is there.”

After the announcement, the uncommitted movement announced it was engaging in a sit-in outside the United Centre.

Jihan Abdalla and Patrick deHahn contributed to this report