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Tuesday night's largely civil and perhaps very informative discussion between Democratic candidate Gov. Tim Walz and Republican candidate Sen. J.D. Vance emphasized one thing. We need another presidential debate.
Both Mr. Walz and Mr. Vance stuck to their familiar positions on issues like the economy, health care, energy and immigration. No new ground was broken and no dramatic changes in policy were revealed.
Still, in my estimation, this discussion was very important for fundamental reasons. It was civil, it was informative, and it included a surprisingly high degree of bipartisan input that was sorely lacking in the 2024 presidential election.
It's true that Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump watched the debate. And I'm sure they both concluded that their respective running mates did a great job of both emphasizing their core positions and attacking their rivals.
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But most importantly, there were comments Tuesday night that both candidates seemed to highlight in their own ways. That we can do better as Americans, that we can solve problems, that we can disagree, and that we can provide leadership as people of opinion, sometimes fiercely. A broader purpose that goes beyond our narrow partisan interests.
The nearly two-hour event emphasized this important point. You can't run solely out of joy, and you can't run only out of bitterness about what happened in the past.
This is not just a sermon. It's more than that. This is a massive call, even if implicitly expressed by both candidates, for a different kind of politics and the extraordinary challenges we face at home and abroad in the wake of Iran's attack on Israel. This is a recognition of the issue. And above all, this explains why both presidential candidates should immediately accept invitations from various news networks to hold another debate or more debates in the final 35 days of the campaign. is emphasized.
He almost certainly didn't change his mind Tuesday night.
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To be sure, pundits will scrutinize what candidates say or don't say about immigration and abortion. Two topics on which they vehemently disagree. But the two vice presidential candidates primarily reiterated and emphasized what each candidate has said and believed.
What is important now is that the media focus on what the American people want and demand as this extraordinary race approaches the finish line. The two presidential camps will need to face off at least once, if not more, to discuss and debate their respective positions on issues with more specificity and precision than they have in the past.
The 2024 presidential election is now effectively a statistical tie. This is especially true when looking at the seven key battleground states in this election. After last month's tumultuous presidential debate, which was more personally divisive than informative, it's clear where exactly the candidates stand on the important issues facing our country. There is some degree of uncertainty.
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If we are to make informed choices as Americans, we need to replicate what happened with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on Tuesday night. The two presidential candidates have programmatically announced how they will approach the economy, immigration, crime, health care, energy, and, of course, an important topic that has received little attention: foreign affairs. It is necessary to tell us from this perspective. It is natural and necessary.
The level of dissatisfaction among American voters with candidates and the political process cannot be overestimated. We saw in this presidential election what the American people deserved, but never received.
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The nearly two-hour event emphasized this important point. You can't run just out of joy, and you can't run just out of bitterness about what happened in the past.
Both vice presidential candidates looked likable Tuesday night. Vance had never been seen that way before. In debates, I couldn't help but sympathize with him, even if I disagreed with his opinion. Similarly, Waltz came across as a likable, people-like character.
I returned from a presidential debate last month and didn't want to have dinner with Mr. Trump or Ms. Harris. After the vice presidential debate, I wanted to know more about both candidates.
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What I learned from Tuesday night is that, for virtually the first time this election cycle, Vance and Walz have quietly acknowledged that voters need something more before Election Day. It's up to Trump and Harris to communicate that, at least once more, and perhaps more directly.
This country is no less.
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