Oh dear, did we dodge a bullet when Tim Walz wasn’t elected. For a reminder, go to my home blog and enter “Tim Walz” in the home page search bar. Walz, a serial liar and self-described “knucklehead,” addressed a townhall audience on March 18, ridiculing Tesla stock:  

Graphic: X Screenshot

“There’s this thing on my phone, I know some of you know this, on the iPhone. They’ve got that little stock app,” Walz said at an event Tuesday evening, in a clip he posted on the social platform X.

“I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day,” he said, to a laughing crowd. 

“225 and dropping!” he added.  “And if you own one, we’re not blaming you. You can take dental floss and pull the Tesla thing off.”

Elon Musk got the better of Walz, which isn’t really a major feat:

Graphic: X Screenshot

Of course, the crowd responded with delight, as one can expect when Democrats are told of misfortune befalling their political enemies. What’s predictably bizarre about Walz’s comments is Minnesota has a substantial portion of Tesla stock in its portfolio. Doing anything to damage Tesla’s profitability is directly damaging the retirement funds of innumerable Minnesotans. Knucklehead indeed.

And shortly after Walz’s knuckleheaded comments, within a week, Tesla stock shot up from $225 a share to $288 a share, a 28% increase in a week. To be fair, some of that increase could reflect increasing Tesla sales as Democrat’s destruction campaign against Tesla dealerships and Tesla vehicles has stimulated sales of Teslas. Americans don’t like political violence and those that push and commit it, and even some who don’t like electric vehicles are now considering buying a Tesla to spite people like Walz.

Walz is also knuckleheaded because stocks rise and fall all the time. Tesla is in no financial danger.

And now, less than a week later, Walz has walked back his comments. Apparently a sane, responsible adult in Minnesota government or two—or perhaps national-level Dems--had a chat with him? He is, after all, running for another term.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said Saturday that he was making a joke when he made a comment last week mocking Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk for the company’s recent downward trend in the stock market.

Walz attempted to clarify his comments during a town hall in Rochester, Minnesota.

“This guy bugs me in a way that’s probably unhealthy,” Walz said, referring to Musk. “I have to be careful about being a smarta–. I was making a joke. These people have no sense of humor. They are the most literal people.”

“But my point was, they’re all mad, and I said something I probably shouldn’t have about a company,” he continued.

And Walz tried to deflect attention from himself:

“They’re all butthurt about the Tesla thing, but they don’t care about the disrespect they have shown to employees at the Minneapolis VA who care for our veterans, and they fire them. They don’t care,” the governor said.

“Maybe it’s just me. If I’m the richest man in the world, I’m like out on the streets handing out money,” he added. “It’d be fun as hell just to help people out. Go help people out. Not this guy.”

Where to begin?  Perhaps the only truthful thing Walz said was identifying his unhealthy mental state regarding Elon Musk, who even Walz has never claimed harmed him. OK, and Walz called himself a smartass. That’s true too, and not in a clever or amusing way.

Walz’s manner, tone of voice and gestures clearly indicated he was attacking Elon Musk and Tesla, not making a light-hearted jest. Normal Americans have well attuned senses of humor, and they also have good bullshit detectors. They know very well Walz, who like most Dems harbors little but malice in his heart for political enemies, wasn’t joking. They’re literal indeed, because they took Walz as he intended, which was just another in the innumerable unforced political errors Walz has made.

As for cuts at veteran’s hospitals, there appears to be no evidence whatever cuts in staff thus far made have damaged patient care. They’re likely to improve it by getting rid of people who weren’t doing their jobs. Trump has already shown a willingness to rehire anyone wrongfully let go. Trump is, in fact, correcting a lack of concern for our military and veterans that ran rampant during Biden’s handler’s term.

Graphic: X Screenshot

One might also be forgiven for thinking Walz insincere when he claims were he wealthy, he’d be handing out money on the street. Elon musk employs tens of thousands and is working on, among other things, restoring sight to the blind and nerve function to the paralyzed. He’s also working for free to find and eradicate fraud, corruption and outright theft in government. That’s already cost him billions.

Walz was certainly right about one other thing: he really is a knucklehead, and that’s no joke.

On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that we’ve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. 

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.