Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) is starting his time as Vice President Kamala Harris‘ pick to be her running mate by promoting a fake story about his opponent.
During his first rally with Harris after being announced as her vice presidential nominee, Walz said he is ready to debate Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).
“I gotta tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy,” the Minnesota governor said as the crowd roared with applause.
He added, “That is if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up… you see what I did there.”
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Walz’s comment refers to a bizarre and debunked rumor about Vance.
NPR notes, “The false rumor began after an X user made up that Vance’s 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, included a passage about having sex with an “inside-out latex glove shoved between two couch cushions.”
“There is no such mention in Vance’s book. But the joke, which was posted on July 15, included a fake citation with page numbers, leading many to believe it was an authentic anecdote,” it added.
And despite the story being proven false, NPR pointed out Vance’s “critics online continued to share the rumor even as it became clear it wasn’t true.”
