Walz takes awkward jab at Trump's Wisconsin garbage truck ride

Perhaps owing to his own spate of controversies stemming from allegations of stolen valor to a past relationship with the daughter of a high-ranking CCP official, Democratic Party vice-presidential hopeful Tim Walz has been less visible on the campaign trail in recent days than some might expect.

However, Walz did emerge this week to slam Donald Trump's ride in a garbage truck, a gesture designed to rebut President Joe Biden's characterization of his voter base, with the Minnesota governor falsely suggesting that the former president “damn near killed himself” while climbing into the rig while surrounded by Secret Service agents, as the Daily Mail reports.

Trump gambit makes headlines

Walz's commentary came in the wake of a viral incident on Wednesday in which the former president ascended the steps of a garbage hauling truck sporting Trump campaign signage as part of the motorcade driving him to a campaign stop in Wisconsin, as The Hill reports.

The attention-grabbing move was done in response to incendiary comments made by Biden the prior evening in which the president described the Republican hopeful's supporters as “garbage,” referencing a controversial riff about Puerto Rico made by a comedian at a Sunday Trump rally.

After climbing into the truck, Trump, wearing a reflective vest customarily worn by trash collectors, asked reporters, “How do you like my garbage truck? This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.”

Doing his best to capitalize on Biden's inflammatory statement, Trump also observed, “You can't lead America if you don't love Americans,” suggesting that Harris, as Biden's VP and the recipient of his endorsement, should be effectively disqualified from contention for the highest office in the land.

Linking Harris directly to the sentiments expressed by Biden, Trump told his rally crowd, “They've treated you like garbage because they're grossly incompetent people.”

Walz weighs in

In what was a clumsy attempt to downplay the impact of Biden's remark on the Democrats' chances on Nov. 5, Walz did his best to disparage Trump's made-for-television ride in the garbage truck, hinting at what he believes are the former president's physical and/or mental infirmities.

First taking a shot at Trump's age, Walz declared, “This dude is nearly 80 years old,” though he has never appeared bothered by Biden's advanced age of 81.

The governor then said of Trump's climb into the trash hauler's cab, “He damn near killed himself getting in a garbage truck.”

Walz's remarks seemed to come in reference to criticisms from online commentators who claimed that Trump struggled with the truck's door handle and narrowly averted a slip on wet ground.

Trump, however, addressed those suggestions at his subsequent rally that evening, telling supporters, “I said how the hell do you get into this truck? It's way up high, it's a big one,” revealing the daunting nature of the climb for someone wholly unaccustomed to entering such a large vehicle.

Trump, Ramaswamy capitalize on Biden gaffe

Regardless of Walz's awkward attempt to mock Trump's gesture, it was widely viewed by GOP strategists and supporters alike as a public relations masterstroke in the closing days of what is reported to remain a very tight election race likely to go down to the wire.

Adding a rather less theatrical -- but nevertheless impactful -- twist to Republican response to Biden's remarks was Trump campaign surrogate Vivek Ramaswamy, who climbed aboard the back of a garbage truck in North Carolina on Wednesday to show solidarity with blue-collar supporters, to gain a “greater appreciation” for the hard work they do every day, and to help reinforce the bond so many rank-and-file Americans feel when it comes to the former president.