Gaming and Politics Collide on Twitch
On Sunday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez engaged in a lively session of Madden NFL 25 and Crazy Taxi while discussing pressing political issues on the streaming platform Twitch. Walz, donning a camouflage Vikings hat, opened the stream by playfully asking the audience if they were ready for the game, humorously admitting he was prepared to lose. During the session, Ocasio-Cortez played as the Buffalo Bills, while Walz, a former high school football coach, represented the Minnesota Vikings.
As they played, the two politicians delved into the intricacies of Congressional politics, comparing the House of Representatives to “public school” and the Senate to “private school.” Walz, who previously served in the House, expressed pride in his support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a key achievement of President Biden’s administration, emphasizing the House’s role in shaping national policy.
Filibuster Discussion
The conversation soon shifted to the contentious issue of the Senate’s filibuster. Walz, intuitively sensing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s stance, remarked, “I don’t know where you stand, but I’m going to guess you and I are probably the same on the filibuster.” Ocasio-Cortez responded emphatically, stating, “Oh yeah, we have got to get rid of that thing.” As an early advocate for eliminating the filibuster, she echoed sentiments shared by Vice President Kamala Harris, who expressed support for abolishing it to codify Roe v. Wade. Following their discussion, a Walz campaign official confirmed that he aligns with the vice president’s position on this matter.
Throughout their Madden matchup, which remained scoreless during the first half, the pair also tackled issues like housing policy. Ocasio-Cortez probed Walz on how he would address voter frustrations regarding the overwhelming influence of money in politics and the Biden administration’s approach to the ongoing war in Gaza. Though Walz did not directly comment on the conflict, he emphasized the need for tangible results to alleviate public frustration, stating, “For people who are most frustrated, they need to see stuff getting done.” The Twitch stream attracted an audience of approximately 12,500 viewers on Ocasio-Cortez’s channel.
Building Coalitions and Unique Moments
The duo highlighted the importance of coalition-building in politics. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that Vice President Harris’s presidential campaign aims to engage Republicans disillusioned by former President Donald Trump, alongside energizing core Democratic voters. She remarked, “I do not think Governor Walz would have hopped on here if he didn’t value the power of the coalition we have here,” positioning herself as a bridge to skeptical young progressives for the Harris campaign.
As the stream wrapped up, Walz shared his enthusiasm for a game called Crazy Taxi, humorously illustrating his driving skills while picking up fares in the game. Ocasio-Cortez jokingly inquired if his driving mirrored real life. In a light-hearted moment, Walz pondered whether any vice president had ever gamed before, remarking that he doubted Dan Quayle engaged in such activities. Following the stream, Walz headed to a local Mexican restaurant to watch the Las Vegas Raiders in action, concluding a unique blend of gaming and political discourse.
