Sen. J.D. Vance insisted he “doesn't need to do much preparation” for next week's vice presidential debate with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, adding that he won't be taking part in any pre-debate boot camp or crash course.
“We have well-developed views on public policy, so we don't have to do a lot of preparation,” Rep. Vance (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post at a press conference on Wednesday.
The New York Times reported that Walz will take part in a “multi-day debate camp” in rural Michigan later this week to prepare for his showdown with Vance on October 1 in New York, hosted by CBS News.
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have both opted for days of intensive preparation ahead of their respective debates with former President Donald Trump.
“We have no plans to do anything similar,” Vance acknowledged Wednesday.
“Our focus is to be as concise and direct as possible. [an] “I want to educate the American people as much as I can about Donald Trump's successful policies and Kamala Harris' failed policies.”
“Kamala Harris' record is leaving Americans with unattractive groceries, unaffordable housing and no jobs,” Vance continued.
“So I think we don't have to prepare as much, because we don't have to hide our record from the American people. We just have to talk about it.”
Both Waltz and Vance have been taking part in mock debates in preparation for their showdown.
The Minnesota governor has tapped Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to appoint Vance's surrogate, and the Ohio senator is debating House Majority Whip and Walz's fellow Minnesota native, Rep. Tom Emmer, in an effort to prepare for Democrats' “down-to-earth” approach.
A person familiar with the matter previously told The Washington Post that Vance had been conducting most of his preparations from his Cincinnati home with the help of his wife, Usha, and Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign.
