Gov. Walz hears praise, criticism during visit to vaccination center

From the moment Gov. Tim Walz walked into a public vaccination center for people 65 and older on Thursday, he heard praise, criticism and even desperate requests.

"Governor, I need a shot for my 94-year-old mom. Can you help me out?," a woman inside the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center asked. "I don’t mean to bug you. I know you’ve done a pretty good job, but I worked really hard to get you elected. Help me save my mom."

The governor hears stories like that frequently, especially since the COVID-19 vaccines began arriving in December. He pointed out to that woman and others that even his 87-year-old mother is still waiting to get a vaccine so he understands the frustration.

"I got the opportunity really to listen to those folks in the line happy to be getting the shot, listening to their concerns. Some are fine and some are madder than heck that it’s taken them as long as it has," Walz told reporters after his tour.

The Brooklyn Center site is one of two in the Twin Cities and nine across the state where people 65 and older have been able to get vaccines through a lottery system.

The governor learned this week the state’s allotment of vaccines will be increasing 16% over the next three weeks, about 11,000 more doses per week on top of the 60,000 to 70,000 the state is getting now.

"I’m pretty encouraged by this," Walz said. "I’m pretty encouraged that there’s a strategic national plan."

However, not everyone is impressed with how the governor has handled the pandemic from the economy to the vaccine rollout.

The governor engaged in a pointed conversation with a man who said he thinks states like Florida and North Dakota have done a better job during the pandemic.

"My goal as governor is certainly to protect the well-being of people and to measure it against the economic impacts," Walz explained to the man who had just gotten his first dose of vaccine.

"And you’ve destroyed two industries so far, the restaurant industry—"

Before he could continue, a communications aide tried to usher the governor away.

"Yea, go ahead, get him out of the hard questions," the man replied as he started to walk away.

"No, no, I’ll answer the hard questions. I’m glad to answer the questions, sir," Walz told him.

But the man walked away, saying to Walz’s communication aid "find some Democrats who answer questions."

The governor replied, "Well, I’m still glad you got the vaccine."