When we fight, we win! Tim Walz accepts the Vice Presidential nomination on star-studded night

By Solomon Jones | WURD Radio

As Democrats began night three of the convention, violent images from January 6th filled the screen at the United Center. As the crowd relived the horror of that day, Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson took the stage, and reminded the attendees that Donald Trump brought the insurrectionists to the Capital.

Then former Capitol Police Officer Aquilino Gonell spoke. He first acknowledged the five police officers who died as a result of what happened that day. He said that he and his fellow officers risked everything to defend the Capitol that day. He said he would do it again to maintain America’s democracy.

January 6th was mentioned by a number of speakers after that, and it set up a clear contrast. The Democrats sought to paint Donald Trump as a candidate of injustice and chaos, while at the same time portraying Harris as the candidate of justice and joy. Unlike the first two nights of this convention, which were about the who and the what, Wednesday was about the why. As the night wore on, it would be up to Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz to bring it home.

The star-studded night, which featured Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, Mindy Kaling and more, was peppered with personal stories of love and struggle and loss. Those heavy themes were balanced by the humor of Saturday Night Live’s Keenan Thompson, who put human faces on Project 2025–the pro-Trump conservative policy agenda that seeks to dismantle government agencies.

Bill Clinton talked about Donald Trump’s self-centeredness. Kamala Harris’s nieces and nephews talked about their auntie’s compassion. Harris’s brother-in-law talked about Harris’s perceptiveness. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro talked about the march toward freedom, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore recounted the horrors of war.

All of it pointed to what Democrats hoped would explain why Kamala Harris and Tim Walz deserved to be elected. And when youth poet Amanda Gorman took the stage to share lyrics about the audacity of our hope and the vitality of our vote, it seemed to be a link from Obama to Harris, from yesterday to today, from the present to the future.

Then, in the biggest moment of the night, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted the Democratic Vice-Presidential nomination. He encouraged his party to fight, while assuring them that he knows how to win.

“Never underestimate a public school teacher,” Walz said, drawing thunderous applause.

As Democratic delegates waved signs emblazoned with the words “Coach Walz,” the Vice-Presidential nominee delivered a football-style fourth quarter pep talk, finishing with the catch phrase Kamala Harris has made famous.

“When we fight,” Walz said, “we win.”