Paw-litical Theater: The GOP's Laughable 'Two-Dog' Conspiracy Against Tim Walz
Paw-litical Theater: The GOP's Laughable 'Two-Dog' Conspiracy Against Tim Walz
The right's latest conspiracy theory about Tim Walz's dog Scout reveals a pattern of increasingly desperate attacks on the Harris-Walz ticket.
Another day, another batch of desperate right-wing lies to debunk. This time, the MAGA crowd has set its sights on an unlikely target: Tim Walz's dog, Scout. Yes, you read that correctly. In their frantic attempts to discredit the Harris-Walz ticket, conservatives have resorted to canine conspiracy theories.
The doggy drama began on August 26, 2024, when social media erupted with a bizarre claim about the Democratic vice presidential nominee. "Yes, this is Tim Walz tweeting about his dog Scout. Only problem is that these are two completely different dogs," wrote Dustin Grage, a self-described "Minnesota GOP Hype Man." Grage's post, which contrasted two images of Walz with different dogs, quickly went viral, racking up millions of views and shares across various platforms.
Within hours, the conspiracy theory was being parroted by prominent right-wing figures. Charlie Kirk, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and even U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt jumped on the bandwagon, seemingly eager to believe that Walz was engaged in some sort of elaborate canine cover-up.
But as is often the case with these half-baked theories, the truth was far less exciting. A quick visit to Walz's Instagram page revealed a video showing Scout playing with other dogs at the park — including the very dog that conspiracy theorists claimed was a "fake Scout."
This latest attempt to manufacture scandal would be laughable if it weren't so indicative of a broader problem. As the Harris-Walz ticket continues to gain momentum, their opponents seem increasingly desperate to land a hit — any hit — no matter how absurd or easily disproven.
As the dust settled and the debunking spread, one might have expected the originators of this conspiracy to sheepishly admit their mistake and move on. But in the world of right-wing social media, doubling down seems to be the preferred strategy.
Grage later acknowledged that he was deliberately misleading people in trying to stoke fake outrage, tweeting, “One of the best parts about Scout Gate is that it exposes the left’s manufactured outrage. They will happily make up a story about JD Vance. The actual a candidates saying this stuff on stage, but lose their minds over online trolls making fun of Tim Walz’s trail of lies.”
This admission is revealing on multiple levels. For one, it exposes the cynical tactics employed by some political operatives who view misinformation as a legitimate tool for scoring points against opponents. Beyond that, it demonstrates a willingness to equate deliberate deception with genuine political criticism, blurring the lines between fact and fiction in a way that's become all too common in our current political landscape.
Moreover, Grage's attempt to flip the script by accusing the left of "manufactured outrage" while admitting to manufacturing a controversy himself is a textbook example of projection. It's a tactic we've seen time and again from the MAGA crowd: accuse your opponents of the thing you're guilty of doing.
But perhaps most tellingly, this episode highlights the increasingly desperate attempts by the right to land any kind of blow on the Harris-Walz ticket. When your strongest line of attack is a made-up controversy about a politician's dog, it's a clear sign that you're scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Misc.
“Lifestyle?”
A Sunday New York Times article by Serge Kovaleski referred to LGBTQ people as living an “L.G.B.T.Q. lifestyle,” an anachronistic and offensive term used exclusively by opponents of gay and trans rights. Writing on Threads, commentator Michelangelo Signorile said, “The NYT is using ‘the LGBTQ lifestyle.’ WTF? We’re back in 1985.”
The Times eventually updated that line to read “the L.G.B.T.Q. community,” but didn’t explain how this line made it into print in the first place. The Present Age has reached out to Kovaleski for comment, but has not heard back.
“How Telegram's Founder Pavel Durov Became a Culture War Martyr” (404 Media, Jason Koebler, 8/26/24)
Conservatives reacted with outrage over the weekend after Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France for vague reasons. Jason Koebler at 404 Media has a great look at how the messaging app became synonymous with right-wing politics.
“The toll of America’s anti-trans war” (The 19th, 8/26/24)
The 19th has a great new series about the years-long attack on trans rights and how that negatively impacts all sorts of people, not just those who are trans. They’re updating it throughout the week, so check that out.
"The left can't meme" as a right -wing trope is just...weird. If it were a good meme, it would have convinced them?
Right-Wing Troll: TIM WALZ IS LYING ABOUT HIS DOG.
Discerning Individual: Yeah, you're obviously trying to start a controversy where none exists.
Right-Wing Troll: I WAS MEMEING. YOU PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND MEMES.