Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently shared a humorous story about the time he accidentally ignored Vice President Kamala Harris’s call when she first asked him to join her on the Democratic ticket. Walz was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday evening, where he and Harris are embarking on a media blitz as the election nears. During the show, Kimmel referred to Walz as “America’s sweetheart,” and the conversation turned to the phone call that would have changed Walz’s political trajectory.
Walz explained that, as is typical for him, he missed Harris’s initial call in early August when she tried to reach him to ask if he would be her running mate. He admitted that he thought the call was a spam or robocall, saying it came from an unmarked number, so he ignored it. It wasn’t until an aide contacted him and insisted that he answer that Walz finally picked up the phone.
Kimmel, curious about how Harris was saved in Walz’s contacts, asked about the name she’s listed under. In a lighthearted moment, Walz revealed that Harris is saved in his phone as “My dry cleaner.” He admitted that he was told to come up with a pseudonym, and that was the best he could think of in the moment. Kimmel joked about the potential confusion if Walz’s actual dry cleaner tried to get in touch with him, to which Walz laughed and admitted he hadn’t thought that far ahead.
The interview also shed light on Walz’s relationship with Harris, with the governor praising her as “amazing” and someone who makes him laugh. He emphasized the importance of having a president who can laugh, not at others, but with others, underscoring Harris’s positive influence. The two have a strong rapport, and Walz’s admiration for his running mate was clear during the conversation.
In addition to discussing the phone mishap, Walz briefly mentioned his recent vice-presidential debate with Republican Senator JD Vance. While many pundits and an ABC poll suggested that Vance gave a more polished performance, Walz pointed to a key moment in the debate when he asked Vance if he believed the 2020 election was stolen. Vance’s refusal to directly answer the question led Walz to dismiss it as a “non-answer.” Walz ended the segment with a hopeful note, saying he plans to wake up on November 6 with “Madame President” Kamala Harris.
