Tim Walz claims he misspoke about military record, blames ‘grammar’

CNN host Dana Bash asked if he misspoke, to which Walz pivoted to school shootings. He answered, "I'm incredibly proud and I've done 24 years of wearing the uniform of this country and equally proud of my time in a public school classroom.” He added, “My record speaks for itself but people are getting to know me and I speak like they do.”

He then claimed, “I speak candidly, I wear my emotions on my sleeves. I speak especially passionately about our children being shot in schools around guns...People know where my heart is. My record has been out there for over 40 years."

When Bash pressed and asked again if Walz misspoke, he admitted he did and blamed it on his "grammar" which "isn't always correct." He added, "If it’s not this it’s an attack on my children for showing love for me or it’s an attack on my dog."

Walz served in the National Guard from 1981-2005 and retired as a master sergeant in 2005. However, critics, including veterans who served with Walz, have accused him of retiring when he discovered that his battalion would be deployed to Iraq following the 9/11 attacks. The Minnesota National Guard has said that Walz put in his papers for retirement at least five months before his battalion received deployment orders.

Walz has also been accused of “stolen valor” after claiming he retired as a "Command Sergeant Major," despite not retiring with the title from the military. Walz retired in 2005 without fulfilling the obligations of the rank and was reduced to Master Sergeant.

Walz also claimed during Thursday's CNN interview that "I own my mistakes." However, Walz has continued to insist he was "not drunk" during a 1995 DUI arrest and blamed a "misunderstanding" with police and "deafness."