Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) held a policy-focused debate Tuesday during which they engaged in civil debate on issues such as immigration, abortion, and the economy, among other issues. went.
While there were many disagreements and attacks, the two also emphasized that they agree with each other on some issues. They shook hands at the beginning of the debate and introduced their spouses at the end of the debate.
Here are some of the best and worst moments for each candidate.
Vance's best moments
Challenge to moderators
Mr. Vance is almost certain to win points from Mr. Trump and other Republicans for his positive interactions with the hosts.
After CBS' Margaret Brennan tried to fact-check Vance's past comments about Haitian immigrants in Ohio, Vance jumped in to dispute her statement.
“My rule was no fact-checking,” Vance said as the hosts moved on to questions about the economy. “And since you're fact-checking me, I think it's important to say what's actually going on.”
Brennan interrupted Vance's attempt to explain, emphasizing, “We have a lot to understand.”
Walz also tried to increase the conversation, prompting moderators to turn off candidates' microphones.
Mr. Vance has appealed to Mr. Trump primarily through his loyalty and willingness to go on the offensive. His decision to challenge the moderator will make sense to the former president, who earlier in the debate accused Brennan and Norah O'Donnell of being “biased.”
introduce yourself to the world
Tuesday's debate was the first time many Americans had a chance to listen closely to the Ohio senator, and Vance used the opportunity to humanize himself and share some of his biography. was outlined.
Vance repeatedly mentioned his mother, who struggled with drug addiction, that night in an effort to sympathize with Americans grappling with their own issues of poverty and addiction.
“I grew up in a working-class family. My mother needed food assistance at times throughout her life. My grandmother needed Social Security assistance to raise me. raised me, but also because my mother struggled with addiction for much of my childhood,” Vance said in his first comments of the night.
“After joining the Marines and serving in Iraq, I went to college on the GI Bill,” he continued. “So I stand here, seeking the office of Vice President, with special gratitude to this country and to the American Dream for making it possible for me to realize my dreams.”
Vance, who has been under persistent attack from Democrats over past statements, is unpopular with voters and is less liked than Walz, according to polls.
agallup pollAccording to a statement released Tuesday, 46% of registered voters said they considered Walz a “good” or “fairly good” running mate, compared to 41% who said they thought Mr. Vance would be a good or good running mate. I answered the same.
This debate could help improve those numbers, both because of the skill Vance has shown as a debater and because he has detailed his background.
While sticking to his strategy of defending Trump, the Ohio senator also pointed out areas on which he agrees with Walz.
All of this suggested that Vance wanted to take advantage of this moment to better present himself to the public.
Vance's worst moment
Climate change skepticism
Vance expressed skepticism about climate change during the debate, questioning the scientific consensus that climate change is primarily caused by human activity and is primarily caused by carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels. did.
“One of the things that I've noticed that our Democratic friends talk about a lot is the concern about carbon emissions. The idea that carbon emissions are causing all of the climate change,” Vance said.
“For the sake of argument, let's just say it's true. So we're not arguing about weird science. Let's just say it's true,” he added. Ta.
O'Donnell fact-checked Vance's response, saying, “Scientists overwhelmingly agree that the Earth's climate is warming at an unprecedented rate.”
Vance then declined to say whether he agreed with Trump's claim that climate change is a “hoax.”
Springfield immigration attack
The senator has come under fire for previous attacks on Haitian immigrants in the town of Springfield, Ohio, including debunked claims by Vance and former President Trump that residents were eating their pets.
Walz cited past comments by Vance, including a recent CNN interview in which the senator suggested he was willing to exaggerate a story if it meant drawing attention to an important issue.
“In Springfield, that resulted in the governor having to send in state police to escort kindergartners to school,” Walz said.
“He's very worried about what I said. [about] Springfield. Look, in Springfield, Ohio and in communities across this country, we have schools that are overwhelmed, we have hospitals that are overwhelmed,” Vance responded. “In Springfield, Ohio, my biggest concern is the American people whose lives have been destroyed by Kamala Harris' open borders.”
Many Haitians, including Springfield, remain in the United States under the protection of Temporary Protected Status, which prevents deportation to countries in turmoil and allows them to work here.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance seek to defend Mr. Harris and Mr. Walz on immigration, but their attacks on Haitian immigrants and the Springfield community have struck some voters the wrong way, despite pushback from local officials. There is a possibility of damage in the direction.
Waltz's best moments
We catch up with Vance about 2020.
Walz pressured Vance on the 2020 election, arguing that the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 was a result of Trump's refusal to concede defeat to President Biden, directly asked whether he had lost the election.
“This was a threat to our democracy in a way we've never experienced. And it came about because Donald Trump couldn't say anything — he still lost the election. I keep saying no,” Walz said.
He asked Vance, “Did he lose the 2020 election?”
“Tim, I'm focused on the future. Did Kamala Harris censor Americans from speaking their minds in response to the 2020 coronavirus situation?” Vance responded. Ta.
Walz responded, “That's terrible, a complete non-answer.”
Vance continued to discuss censorship, claiming that Harris wants to use the power of the government and big tech companies to silence people. Walz responded that the election is a “clear choice” about which candidates will put up a firewall around them and “who respects democracy and who respects Donald Trump.”
access to abortion
The Harris campaign has put abortion rights at the forefront and is trying to make President Trump's appointment of three Supreme Court justices, who overturned Roe v. Wade, a key factor in the election.
On Tuesday, Walz repeatedly stuck to his message on abortion, tying the issue to the former president. He cited multiple examples of women whose lives have been affected by state-level abortion bans, including Amber Thurman, who died of an infection after rare complications from a medical abortion.
Walz also used the abortion debate to launch Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation's conservative policy blueprint that Trump and his campaign have repeatedly distanced themselves from.
“We're pro-women. We're pro-women. We're pro-freedom to make our own choices,” Walz said. “We know the impact of women having miscarriages, of not having access to care, and of doctors feeling like they might be prosecuted for providing that care. ”
The conversation appears to have caught the attention of President Trump, who posted on Truth Social during the debate that he plans to veto the national abortion ban if he becomes president. Trump previously dodged the question during the September 10 debate.
Waltz's worst moment
China's response
Asked about past claims that he was in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protests in China, Walz said he was found to have been traveling to Asia several months after the protests occurred. In response to the news report, he said that he made the mistake of saying that he was “crazy.''
“I'm trying to do the best I can, but I'm not perfect. My joints get dull sometimes,” the governor said.
From there, he detailed a career that saw him become a congressman from Nebraska and eventually governor of Minnesota, saying he “sometimes gets caught up in the rhetoric.”
“I would argue that Donald Trump should have come with us on those trips,” he said, referring to his trips to Asia before and after the student protests.
When Brennan pressed him to explain his past comments, Waltz replied, I will, that's what I said. ”
Walz joked about the issue later in the debate, when the moderator asked Vance about his past comments that he would not have certified the last presidential election.
“I sympathize with misrepresentation of things,” Walz said. Vance replied, “Me too.”
unstable start
Walz got off to a shaky start early in the matchup, taking frequent notes and speaking slowly in his first answers.
The moderator's first question concerned Iran's launch of an attack on Israel on Tuesday, asking the candidates whether they support or oppose Israel's first strike against Iran.
Walz thanked viewers for attending the debate, referenced the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, and quickly turned to criticize Trump, speaking about the size of the crowd and criticizing Trump. They called him capricious.
“What we've seen from Vice President Harris is we've seen stable leadership. We've seen steady leadership that understands that allies matter, and we've seen a levelheadedness that can draw coalitions and bring them together. As our allies watch Donald Trump turn his attention to Vladimir Putin and North Korea, we remain committed even as we begin to see such fickleness in preserving the coalition. “We will continue to do so,” Walz said.
Vance chose to introduce himself in his first response, then began discussing President Trump's foreign policy leadership.
