Tim Walz headlines third night of DNC with help, Bill Clinton, Oprah and Stevie Wonder

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After striding on stage to “Small Town” by John Mellencamp, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president.

Walz’ Midwestern, small-town background has been a major theme of his campaign so far and the story he tells voters about himself and his ideas. Walz ticked through his resume: born in the tiny town of Butte, Nebraska, attending a state university, and becoming a schoolteacher.

When he was elected to Congress from Minnesota, Walz said, “I learned how to compromise, without compromising my values,” he said.

Walz also spoke, as he and his wife Gwen have repeatedly, about their struggle with infertility prior to having their two children, and the “absolute agony when we heard that the treatments hadn’t worked.” Their experience has allowed Walz to speak personally to reproductive rights issues, including fertility care, which have become increasingly central for Democrats since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Walz highlighted another aspect of his personal story - his status as a veteran and his experience as a hunter - describing himself as a “better shot than most Republicans in Congress,” while calling for restrictions designed to prevent gun violence.

He also referenced his background as a high school coach, drawing on football metaphors to describe the urgent task he says Democrats face between now and November.

“Boy, do we have the right team,” Walz said. “Our job for everyone watching is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling.”

Here are his full remarks:

In another high-profile political speech, former President Bill