Many people from outside Minnesota have been asking how our fraud problem could grow so big without more attention from the local media. Today’s press conference with outgoing (lame duck) Gov. Tim Walz is a perfect illustration of how it happened.
The story begins the day before when Walz stepped to the podium in his Capitol office and quickly read a prepared statement that was released earlier that morning. When he finished, he abruptly left the room without taking any questions. Walz’s statement was reported just the way he wanted — without pushback.
Walz appeared today in front of the same media promising to answer questions after a presentation on the new Paid Family Leave program. What happened next illustrated Minnesota’s media problem.
Walz took exactly six questions in the press conference. He filibustered each one, going off on tangents not related to the question or even the topic of the day. He ranted about Trump, ICE, the Epstein files, the “war” in Venezuela, and repeatedly returned to Republicans’ failure to condemn the conspiracy theory surrounding Melissa Hortman’s assassination.
Question 1 was pretty straightforward: Did you make this decision not to run by yourself, or were you pressured into it.
Question 2 was about Senator Klobuchar’s involvement in the decision. It was during this answer that Walz accused the U.S. Attorney of defamation, said he should be fired and claimed he was “speculating about things with no factual information.”
This is where the press conference, like most press conferences in Minnesota, broke down. The next obvious question was, “ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT JOE THOMPSON? Do you think he should be fired? How can you say he is speculating without information when he is presenting indictments and getting convictions?
But alas, questioner 3 ignored everything Walz just said and asked, “What one thing finally led you to the decision not to run?”
Reporters in Minnesota do not understand the concept of follow-up questions. They come to press conferences with predetermined questions and refuse to challenge any claim or assertion made during the event.
Question 4 asked if fear for his personal safety impacted his decision not to run.
Question 5 asked the ultimate softball, “What’s next for you after politics?”
Question 6 asked about a forthcoming report on fraud commissioned by Walz, giving him a chance to discuss something positive.
And that was it.
While it’s true Walz’s staff only allowed six questions today, the Minnesota media never holds onto an issue or question for the next press conference. It’s as if there’s a statute of limitations on outrageous claims made by Tim Walz.
As Lord Scrumptious once said: “Too late. Had your chance. Muffed it.”
That sums up the Minnesota media.