On Tuesday night, Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz had a calm vice-presidential debate about important issues for American voters in the 2024 campaign. This debate was different from the two presidential debates earlier this year.
There were some tense moments, with Vance reacting to what he thought was unfair fact-checking by the CBS moderators, and at one point, both candidates’ microphones were muted. However, most of the time, their conversation was respectful.
They even agreed on some points. Walz said, “There’s a lot of commonality here,” near the end of the debate. When they talked about affordable housing, both candidates showed they cared. Walz shared a story about his son witnessing a shooting, and Vance expressed genuine concern, saying, “I’m sorry about that and I hope he’s doing OK.”
The two candidates had different styles. Vance was smooth and looked more experienced on TV, while Walz felt more like an everyday person. Early in the debate, Vance spoke clearly and confidently, while Walz seemed a bit uncomfortable and unsure about some topics.
The debate’s calm tone worked in Vance’s favor, allowing him to defend his running mate, Donald Trump. Vance presented a polite image, saying, “Something these guys do is they make a lot of claims about if Donald Trump becomes president, all of these terrible consequences are going to ensue. But in reality, Donald Trump was president. Inflation was low. Take home pay was higher.”
Cordial – with a few clashes
The biggest arguments happened at the end of the debate when they talked about Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
When asked if Trump lost, Vance avoided the question and criticized Kamala Harris for censorship.
Walz quickly said this was a “damning non-answer.” He added, “To deny what happened on January 6, when someone tried to overturn an election, this has to stop. It’s tearing our country apart.”
Walz also pointed out that the only reason Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice president, was not there was because he certified Biden’s win.
Vance had no response to that, showing that even with his friendly attitude, he wouldn’t break from Trump’s false claims.
Two different styles
Vance and Walz came into the debate with different skills. Vance has experience sparring with journalists on TV, while Walz is more comfortable on the campaign trail, using his down-to-earth style.
At the start of the debate, Vance seemed much more at ease. His answers were smooth and focused, constantly reminding viewers that Democrats have held the White House for the last three and a half years. “If Kamala Harris has such great plans for middle-class problems, then she ought to do them now,” he stated.
In contrast, Walz appeared hesitant and unsure when discussing the Iranian missile attack on Israel. He rarely talks about foreign policy, and his discomfort was clear.
As the debate progressed, Walz found his footing, especially during the immigration discussion—an area where Republicans usually excel. Vance responded to accusations about false claims regarding Haitian immigrants with confidence. “The people I’m most worried about in Springfield, Ohio are the American citizens who have had their lives ruined by Kamala Harris’s border policies,” he said, pointing out that undocumented migration puts a strain on city resources and lowers wages.
Walz countered by highlighting Trump’s rejection of bipartisan immigration efforts earlier in the year. “I believe Senator Vance wants to solve this, but by aligning with Donald Trump and not working together, it just becomes a talking point. This dehumanizes and villainizes other people.”