Tim Walz admits he is a 'knucklehead' at times and insists he 'misspoke' when he said he was in Hong Kong during Tiananmen Square protests

Gov. Tim Walz tried to explain during the vice presidential debate why he falsely claimed he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests in June 1989.

During the debate, Walz tried to dismiss his comment as the product of being a 'knucklehead,' but ultimately conceded that he 'misspoke' when pressed by the CBS debate moderator. 

Walz repeatedly claimed throughout his political career that he was in China during the protests, but reports from Minnesota Public Radio revealed Walz did not leave for China until August. The protests began in the Spring of 1989 and ended in early June. 

When one of the debate moderators asked him to explain his claim, Walz dodged and started reminding the audience where he was from.

'I grew up in small rural Nebraska, town of 400, town that you rode with your buddies till the streets came on and I'm proud of that service...' he began before moving on to describe his service in the National Guard.

'I have poured out my heart in my community I've tried to the do the best I can and but I have not been perfect and I have been a knucklehead at times, but it's always been about that,' he continued.

He went on reminding viewers that was elected to Congress despite his mistakes and ultimately was elected as Governor of Minnesota.

'Many times I will talk a lot, I will get caught up in the rhetoric, but being there, the impact it made, the difference in made in my life, I learned a lot about China,' Walz continued.

When CBS News debate moderator Margaret Brennan pressed him on the answer, Walz said he could not explain his comment but that he was in China the Summer of 1989 and 'misspoke.' 

'So I was in Hong Kong in China during the democracy protests went in,' he said. 'And from that I learned a lot of what needed to be in governance.'

Walz repeatedly claimed he was in China during the Tiananmen Square protests happened, including as recently as June 2019.

'I was in Hong Kong on June 4, 1989, when, of course, Tiananmen Square happened,' Walz said.

He made a similar claim during a 2009 congressional hearing to mark the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests.  

'Twenty years ago today, I was in Hong Kong preparing to go to Foshan to teach at Foshan No. 1 Middle School,' he said on June 4, 2009.