NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo seemed to think he was back on CNN Wednesday night as he actively tried to downplay the stolen valor scandal rocking the Harris/Walz campaign on his eponymous show. Ignoring the fact that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) lied about going to war and carrying a weapon there, Cuomo presented a misleading timeline of Walz’s retirement and openly suggested it was an important issue.
“Now, the first allegation that's getting the most attention is about his character. I believe it means the least to your daily life. But it is getting all the buzz because the media prefers the personal attacks,” he flippantly declared.
Cuomo falsely suggested the allegation was that, “Walz did not serve honorably.”
That suggestion was inaccurate. No one had accused Walz of being dishonorably discharged or receiving anything less than an honorable discharge. The accusation was that he lied about going to war and retired just before his unit was deployed, thus avoiding getting shipped off to Iraq.
Cuomo paid lip service to Senator J.D. Vance’s (R-OH) deployment with the Marines and defended his service as a war reporter. But he presented a misleading timeline of events regarding Walz’s retirement:
Alright, Vance served in Iraq. He deserves respect. I hear the criticism that ‘Vance wasn't really a warrior. He was a reporter.’ Look, the service stands. Okay? I reported in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, other bad places. I wish it on no one. And he did it a lot more than I did.
But Governor Walz has a pretty impressive service record. He was in for way longer than Vance, to the extent that that is relevant. He retired at over age 40 before there was word of deployment to Iraq for his troops. Of course, the war was going on. Troops were being sent regularly. So, it is fair to suspect that he could have assumed he was going to go.
“Now I qualify it that many layers. Why? Because he hasn't said that. And there's no proof he left to avoid war,” he proclaimed in Walz’s defense.
But there was more information publically available at the time that Cuomo was admitting. According to a press release from the fledgling Walz congressional campaign in March 2005, two months before his retirement, Walz was aware that “roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard” were going to be mobilized and deployed to Iraq.
“As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq,” Walz said in the statement.
Before proclaiming “my answer is better than his,” Cuomo offered one more desperate defense for Walz’s abandonment of his unit: crying ‘but Trump.’ “And even if Walz had left early at over age 40 because he didn't want to go to war that age and stage. Didn't former President Trump avoid service altogether in a less than honorable way? So, I'm not impressed by this line of attack,” he scoffed, ignoring how Democrats were find with Bill Clinton’s draft dodging.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
NewsNation’s CUOMO
August 7, 2024
8:05:42 p.m. EasternCHRIS CUOMO: Now, the first allegation that's getting the most attention is about his character. I believe it means the least to your daily life. But it is getting all the buzz because the media prefers the personal attacks. So, the allegation is this: Walz did not serve honorably. Here's J.D. Vance.
SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH): When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know, he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.
CUOMO: Alright, Vance served in Iraq. He deserves respect. I hear the criticism that ‘Vance wasn't really a warrior. He was a reporter.’ Look, the service stands. Okay? I reported in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, other bad places. I wish it on no one. And he did it a lot more than I did.
But Governor Walz has a pretty impressive service record. He was in for way longer than Vance, to the extent that that is relevant. He retired at over age 40 before there was word of deployment to Iraq for his troops. Of course, the war was going on. Troops were being sent regularly. So, it is fair to suspect that he could have assumed he was going to go.
Now I qualify it that many layers. Why? Because he hasn't said that. And there's no proof he left to avoid war.
And even if Walz had left early at over age 40 because he didn't want to go to war that age and stage. Didn't former President Trump avoid service altogether in a less than honorable way? So, I'm not impressed by this line of attack.
But here's the problem for Walz: my answer is better than his. “Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American service to this country. In fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It's the American way.” The problem with that is. He ducked the allegation. Not good. That's all buzzy, but I think it matters lest to us.
(…)
