Watch: Ex-GOP lawmaker busts out laughing at Vance's stumbles as Trump's running mate
Appearing on CNN Wednesday to discuss the selection of Gov. Tim Walz as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, one of his Republican Party predecessors in Minnesota's governor's office ended the interview trying to put a positive spin on Ohio Republican Sen. J. D. Vance's bumbling entry into the race.
But before he got to that point, Tim Pawlenty laughed when CNN's John Berman mentioned Donald Trump's roll-out efforts when Vance was introduced to the nation.
After pointing out the celebratory nature at a Philadelphia rally Wednesday where Walz first spoke as the presumptive nominee, Berman asked, "How do you think the rollout has been on the Republican side for Senator J.D. Vance over the last two weeks?"
Pawlenty, who left office in 2011 and had presidential aspirations of his own, immediately laughed and attempted, "Well, uh..."
"That was a laugh, let the record show that your first reponse was an uncontrolled laugh there," host Berman interjected.
"It was joy, it was joy, " Pawlenty joked. "It was clunky, it was clunky. He's got a great life story, like a lot of politicians do, but, you know, his initial rollout presentation reception, and some of the awkwardness of his responses and record, you know, it's clunky."
"Clunky, awkward," Berman repeated. "I notice you didn't use weird, but you said awkward and clunky is what the Democrats have called a weird. What do you see or how would you describe the contrast between Walz and Vance? What might we see if we see them on stage together?"
"With Governor Walz he's an energetic campaigner, he can communicate, give a speech. I used to say he could talk a dog off a meat wagon. He's sort of like Bernie Sanders in hunting gear and J.D. Vance got off to a tough start for the reasons we just mentioned, but he's very capable," Pawlenty replied.
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