On the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel, Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, during a campaign stop through Los Angeles, toured the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in neighboring Culver City on Monday, Oct. 7.
Walz is expected to do a taping on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” later Monday — his first late night talk show interview as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate — before flying to Washington State in the evening.
Walz, in a statement earlier in the day, described Hamas as a terrorist organization that carried out “an appalling assault on Israel and massacred 1,200 innocent people.”
“Today, I join Vice President Harris, President Biden, and all Americans to again condemn Hamas’s brutality and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to the safety and security of the American Jewish community,” he stated.
He went on, “Our prayers are with the loved ones of the victims as we mark one year since the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The people of Israel must never again face the terror that Hamas caused on October 7.”
He stated that he had met with families whose loved ones are still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
“I offered them my wholehearted support as Vice President Harris and President Biden continue doing everything possible to secure the release of all hostages, including the remains of those who have been tragically confirmed to be deceased,” Walz stated. “It’s time for a hostage deal and ceasefire that ensures Israel is secure, all hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.”
During his tour of the Nova exhibition, Walz appeared visibly moved, at times sighing deeply as he passed by tables adorned with shoes, hats and bags or backpacks to represent the victims of the Oct. 7 attack, and while scanning photos of victims hung on a Memorial Wall.
The governor did not speak with reporters during his tour.
According to Walz’s campaign, the governor did an interview on the SmartLess podcast with hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett on Monday morning as part of a Harris-Walz national media and travel blitz in the final 30 days of the campaign.
Walz also visited the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after the Nova exhibition tour to tape “digital content,” according to his campaign.
The vice presidential candidate is also scheduled to appear on the Jimmy Kimmel show Monday.
Walz first arrived in Southern California on Sunday as part of a three-day trip through California and Washington to fundraise and appear in other campaign events.
Both Harris and Walz are on a media blitz in this final stretch of the campaign as they they seek to defeat former President Donald Trump and his Republican running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, on Election Day.
Harris taped an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” which is scheduled to air Monday night, and was booked Tuesday on Howard Stern’s satellite radio show, ABC’s “The View” and “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert on CBS. Her interview on the podcast “Call Her Daddy” was released late Sunday.
Trump has also been busy on the campaign trail. On Sunday, he was in battleground Wisconsin, after spending Saturday at a rally in Butler, Pa., returning to the site where he was injured in an assassination attempt in July.
The former president was expected to visit Ohel Chabad Lubavitch, the final resting place of Rabbi Schneerson in New York, on Monday in observance of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack, according to his campaign. Trump also was expected to give remarks at a remembrance event in Florida on Oct. 7.
Karoline Leavitt, press secretary for the Trump campaign, said in a statement Monday that “the atrocities, including the slaughtering and capturing of innocent Israelis and Americans, that took place on October 7th would have never happened if President Trump were still in the White House.”
“For Americans and Israelis alike, it’s imperative that President Trump is re-elected so he can end the bloodshed caused by an emboldened Iranian terrorist regime, which is stronger and richer today from the Harris-Biden Administration’s incompetence and weak policies,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Walz’ visit to the West Coast, he landed in Los Angeles County on Sunday evening after a day of campaigning and fundraising stops in San Diego and the wealthy enclave of Montecito in the Santa Barbara area.
In an unexpected twist during his trip to the hot and sunny Southern California, a rare cover of fog at LAX caused Walz’s flight to be diverted to Long Beach Airport.
During his stop in San Diego on Sunday, he spoke at a campaign reception on behalf of the Harris Victory Fund. Then Walz appeared at the campaign event in Montecito before heading to the L.A. area for the evening.
In Montecito, Walz spoke in a private home, focusing on the Jan. 6 uprising, his previous career as a teacher and the importance of voting.
Walz also appeared on “Fox News Sunday” where he addressed criticism of his views on abortion rights and “own up” to past misstatements.
Walz came under pressure in his Fox appearance, during which he was asked by anchor Shannon Bream if Israel had the right to preemptively attack Iran’s nuclear and oil facilities after Tehran fired missiles against Israel.
Walz had not fully answered that question during his debate last week with Vance. On Sunday, he said Israel had the right to defend itself and that Harris had worked with Israel in the past week to repel the Iranian attack.
President Joe Biden said last week he would not support an Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran’s nuclear program.
Walz also defended an abortion protection law he signed as governor, saying that decision must be made “with the woman and her health care providers.” He questioned Trump’s statement that he would not sign a national abortion ban.
The Associated Press and City News Service contributed reporting.
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