### Walz Addresses Criticism in Media Blitz for Final Campaign Push

Tim Walz, a Democrat, appeared on "Fox News Sunday" to tackle criticisms regarding his stance on abortion rights and to rectify past misstatements. This appearance is part of a broader media effort by the Democratic ticket of Kamala Harris and Walz, aiming to capture public attention in the last 30 days of the campaign against Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance.

Kamala Harris has been actively engaging with the media, featuring in a pre-recorded interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," set to air Monday night. She is also scheduled to appear on Howard Stern's satellite radio show, ABC's "The View," and "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert on CBS. Additionally, an interview with the podcast "Call Her Daddy" is expected to be released later Sunday. Walz is also scheduled to appear on Jimmy Kimmel's show on ABC on Monday.

During his Fox News appearance, Walz also addressed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Pressed by anchor Shannon Bream about Israel’s right to preemptively strike Iran’s nuclear and oil facilities in retaliation for Tehran firing missiles at Israel, Walz maintained his stance that "specific operations will be dealt with at the time" and emphasized that Israel has the right to defend itself. He added that Kamala Harris had recently worked with Israel to repel the Iranian attack. This position seems to diverge from President Joe Biden's, who stated he would not support such preemptive Israeli strikes.

Walz stood by a law he had signed as governor to ensure abortion protections, stressing that it places the decision in the hands of women and their health care providers. Addressing Trump’s claims that he would not sign a national abortion ban into law, Walz bluntly called it "a flat-out lie."

On economic matters, Walz championed Harris' proposals, which include the construction of 3 million new homes and the expansion of tax credits for parents, as measures aimed at making life more affordable for the middle class. He criticized proposed tariffs by Trump, arguing they could lead to an estimated $4,000 increase in annual costs for a typical family.

Walz also took the opportunity to address questions about past misstatements, including aspects of his military service, a drunken driving arrest, infertility treatment for his family, and his claim to have been in Hong Kong before the Tiananmen Square massacre. "I will own up when I misspeak," Walz said. "I will own up when I make a mistake."

He juxtaposed these personal missteps with what he saw as more troubling issues, such as Vance’s refusal to acknowledge Trump's loss in the 2020 election and potential restrictions on infertility treatments like intrauterine insemination, which his wife had undergone. Walz argued that these matters are likely to be of greater concern to voters.

Shannon Bream concluded by noting Trump's support for fertility treatments, despite his stance that abortion issues should be determined at the state level.