In the sole vice-presidential debate of the 2024 election, Republican Sen. JD Vance and Democratic Gov.
Tim Walz took on key issues like the economy, healthcare, and immigration while representing their respective running mates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
The event, hosted by CBS News in New York City, was marked by sharp exchanges over policy, though both candidates maintained a largely respectful tone.
Debate centers on Trump and Harris
From the very start, it was clear that the real focus of the debate wasn’t on Vance or Walz but on Trump and Harris.
The two men largely served as surrogates, defending their running mates and attacking the opposing side.
Walz was quick to criticize Trump, especially on foreign policy, commenting on Trump’s age and leadership style.
“A nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes is not what we need in this moment,” Walz remarked, before going on to criticize what he called Trump’s “fickle leadership.”
Vance responded by redirecting the criticism toward Harris, asking,
Who has been the vice president for the last three and a half years? And the answer is your running mate, not mine.
He argued that Trump had made the world more secure during his presidency.
The pattern continued throughout the debate, with Walz frequently using questions to attack Trump’s positions on issues such as climate change, saying Trump “called it a hoax,” while Vance focused on Harris’ track record, particularly on immigration.
Vance was critical of Harris’ role in handling the U.S.-Mexico border situation, noting,
I’ve been to the southern border more than our border czar, Kamala Harris, has been.
Despite their differences, the two candidates found a rare moment of agreement, with both acknowledging that they believed each other genuinely wanted to solve the country’s immigration challenges.
Walz commented, “I believe Sen. Vance wants to solve this,” and Vance echoed the sentiment by saying, “I think you want to solve this problem, but I don’t think Kamala Harris does.”
Walz addresses Tiananmen Square misstatement
One of the more awkward moments for Walz came when he was asked about a previous false claim that he had visited Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
Walz initially gave a vague response, referring to himself as a “knucklehead” and discussing his background.
However, after a follow-up question, Walz admitted he had “misspoke” and clarified that he arrived in Hong Kong later that summer, after the protests had already occurred.
Vance explains his past criticism of Trump
Vance, who had previously been a vocal critic of Trump, was asked about past comments in which he had likened Trump to “America’s Hitler.” Vance didn’t shy away from addressing his change in stance, admitting that he was wrong about Trump.
“Sometimes, of course, I disagree with the president, but I’ve been extremely open about the fact that I was wrong about Donald Trump,” Vance said.
He explained that his initial beliefs were shaped by media reports that he now views as misleading.
He also highlighted Trump’s successes, particularly in boosting wages and securing the southern border, adding,
When you screw up, when you misspeak, when you get something wrong, and you change your mind, you ought to be honest with the American people.
Economic policy takes center stage
Much of the debate focused on the economy, a key issue for both campaigns. Walz criticized Trump’s handling of the economy, especially in the lead-up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He argued that the economy was already struggling before the pandemic hit, saying,
We were already, before COVID, in a manufacturing recession — about 10 million people out of work, largest percentage since the Great Depression.
Vance defended Trump’s economic policies, calling the current Biden-Harris administration’s performance “atrocious.” He praised Trump for lowering inflation and increasing wages, and accused Walz of dodging the real issue by blaming Trump. Vance said,
Honestly, Tim, I think you got a tough job here, because you got to play Whac-A-Mole.
Walz also took aim at Trump’s tax policies, suggesting they disproportionately benefited the wealthy. He criticized Trump’s approach, telling voters, “If you’re listening tonight and you want billionaires to get tax cuts, Trump is your candidate.”
Vance did not address this claim directly, instead steering the conversation back to Trump’s overall economic achievements.
Healthcare: A point of contention
Healthcare also emerged as a contentious issue during the debate.
Vance defended Trump’s record on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), claiming that Trump had worked in a “bipartisan way” to ensure that Americans had access to affordable healthcare.
Walz, however, rebutted this by pointing out Trump’s multiple efforts to dismantle the ACA, suggesting that Trump’s healthcare policies had favored the wealthy at the expense of ordinary Americans.
A preview of what’s to come
While the debate between Vance and Walz remained civil, it was clear that the major focus was on their respective running mates.
The two candidates used the stage to both defend their leaders and criticize the opposing party’s policies.
With just weeks left in the campaign, the vice-presidential debate gave voters a glimpse of the stark contrasts between the two tickets on key issues like the economy, immigration, and healthcare.
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