Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s 23-year-old daughter Hope shared the “litmus test” she and her friends use to determine if they should keep talking to a guy. If a potential suitor lets it slip that he follows podcasting phenomenon Joe Rogan, a red flag goes up – immediately. And “we should probably stop talking to them.” Hope says that while the test has “literally never failed us,” she admits it has caused “some heartbreak” and “disappointment.”
Here’s what she shared with her Instagram followers over the weekend:
A litmus test for me and my friends for like years now has been if the guy we’re talking to follows Joe Rogan on Instagram, they’re a red flag, and we should probably stop talking to them. And the times when they do follow him on Instagram, and we haven’t stopped talking to them, which was in the past, obviously, it’s never ended well. So yeah, I just want to say that I stand by that.It’s literally never failed us and, at this point, it’s like the first thing we do when someone starts talking to a new person. If they follow him [Rogan], we’re like, yeah, this person probably isn’t a great person, and probably our values don’t align. So, we’re gonna move on from that, and honestly, it’s worked out well for all of us.Like, obviously there’s been some heartbreak in there because of it, or at least some disappointment, but it truly is a litmus test. And I got you, ladies, you should start doing it. But yeah, I very much stand by that. He’s questionable and unprofessional, in my opinion. Oops, I don’t know how you have the largest podcast in the world and are able to just lie and put out misinformation and straight-up lies on your platform.
The first “red flag” for me while listening to this brief clip is this young woman’s striking resemblance to her father. Unfortunately, it makes me wonder how many men are genuinely interested in engaging with her.
Another thing that stands out about Hope is the irritating upward lilt at the end of every sentence she speaks, which makes each statement sound like a question. This verbal habit, known as “upspeak” or “uptalk,” is, in my opinion, extremely off-putting.
I also have to admit that her nose ring doesn’t appeal to me either.
Regarding Hope’s message, I can understand her perspective to a certain extent. For example, I might struggle to date someone who follows MSNBC hosts Rachel Maddow and Joy Reid, given their far-Left worldviews that often verge on the absurd. But Joe Rogan? He’s widely considered a centrist. Rather than championing radical positions, Rogan is often described as “an everyman.”
What exactly do she and her friends find so objectionable about Rogan? Outside of his last-minute endorsement of Donald Trump, Rogan’s stances are anything but extremist. He has supported same-sex marriage, recreational drug legalization, universal health care, universal basic income, gun rights, and free speech while opposing cancel culture and military overreach. In 2020, he even endorsed progressive Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
While Rogan frequently discusses politics with his guests, his podcasts cover a wide range of topics, from aliens to martial arts.
As for Hope’s accusations that Rogan “straight-up lies on [his] platform” and spreads “misinformation,” it’s worth noting her father’s own questionable relationship with the truth during his recent campaign. Governor Walz fabricated details about everything from his military service to a claim that he was in China during the Tiananmen Square massacre. If pressed to name even one specific lie Rogan has told, I suspect Hope would struggle to provide an answer.
In the end, Hope’s criticisms of Joe Rogan are more like a repetition of Democratic Party talking points than a thoughtful critique of Joe Rogan. Her contempt for Rogan seems rooted in partisan bias rather than a genuine understanding of his views or content. While everyone is entitled to their opinions, dismissing someone with such broad strokes, especially when their perspectives are as diverse as Rogan’s, does little to advance meaningful dialogue. Instead, it highlights the Left’s tendency to judge others based on surface-level assumptions rather than engaging with their ideas. If Hope wants to foster constructive conversations, she might start by examining her own arguments—and her father’s track record—with the same scrutiny she applies to Rogan.
Elizabeth writes commentary for The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation and a member of the Editorial Board at The Sixteenth Council, a London think tank. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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