On Tuesday, August 6, Democratic Vice President and presumptive presidential frontrunner Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
Governor Walz is a US Army National Guard veteran, former school teacher, and football coach who eventually became a House Representative from 2007 to 2019 before being elected Governor of the state.
He is 60.
His "older" appearance became a trending topic after MAGA reacted to news of his selection as VP by mocking Walz, calling him "too old."
However, right-wingers were brilliantly fact-checked for their ageist observation when social media users pointed out Walz was actually younger than Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt by roughly three and a half months.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button actor was born on December 18, 1963.
Walz was born the following year on April 6, 1964.
The internet weighed in on the Brad Pitt comparison and the topics of vanity, and the stigma of aging.
On July 24, before Harris selected him as her VP pick, Walz responded to early criticisms about his age with a response on X (formerly Twitter) hilariously alluding to the fact that being a high school teacher for a protracted period can significantly age a person.
When an X user defended Walz, suggesting his appearance was a result of having been a high school teacher, Walz added:
"And supervised the lunchroom for 20 years."
"You do not leave that job with a full head of hair. Trust me."
Some people felt seen.
Social media users had some thoughts in response to the viral hashtag, "He's 60."
Conservatives ridiculing Walz for his age is petty, considering he is just a few months older than Vice President Harris, who is 59.
For context, former Republican President and GOP standard bearer Donald Trump is 78 and his running mate JD Vance is 40.
Walz is popular among unions and blue-collar workers he's supported, as well as with young people, progressives, and educators.
If age is the main criticism being used against him by conservatives, we're in a good spot.
But the petty mockery is already getting old.
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