Voters react to Gov Tim Walz dodging Tiananmen Square question: 'I'm a knucklehead at times'

A absorption radical of Democrats, independents and Republicans reacted to the infinitesimal erstwhile Gov. Tim Walz called himself a "knucklehead" for claiming to person been successful Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Moderators confronted Walz connected the assertion during the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate Tuesday night. Walz admitted that helium lone traveled to Asia successful August 1989, respective months aft the April 15 massacre. The absorption radical recovered that voters were initially skeptical of Walz's answer, but helium yet recovered.

"Can you explicate that discrepancy?" a moderator asked, arsenic the absorption radical remained neutral.

"Look, I grew up successful tiny agrarian Nebraska, a municipality of 400. A municipality that you rode your bikes with your buddies until the streetlights travel on, and I'm arrogant of that service. I joined the nationalist defender astatine 17, worked connected household farms, and past I utilized the GI measure to go a teacher. Passionate astir it. Young teacher. My archetypal twelvemonth out, I got the accidental successful the summertime of '89 to question to China--35 years ago, to beryllium capable to bash that," Walz said.

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz admitted that helium is often a "knucklehead" erstwhile helium was asked astir his claims of being successful Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre. (Getty Images)

"I came backmost location and started a programme to instrumentality young radical there. We would instrumentality hoops teams, we would instrumentality shot teams, we would instrumentality dancers, and we would spell back and distant to China," helium added.

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The absorption radical showed enactment from Republicans, independents and Democrats each going down for Walz during the archetypal information of his response.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, right, delivered a rambling effect erstwhile statement moderators pressed him connected his claims astir traveling to China. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

However, Walz recovered among independents and Democrats erstwhile helium went connected to admit that helium tin beryllium "a knucklehead astatine times."

"Many times I volition speech a lot. I volition get caught up successful the rhetoric," helium said, arsenic enactment from independents roseate supra 50% successful the absorption group.

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Walz's enactment among Republicans dipped to its lowest constituent – nether 10% – erstwhile helium said former President Donald Trump would person benefited from participating successful 1 of his China trips, arguing Trump would ne'er person befriended Chinese President Xi Jinping.