Ohio Senator James David (JD) Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz exchanged views in a 90-minute vice presidential debate that took place on Oct. 1 at the CBS Broadcast Center, according to CBS News.
Chief foreign affairs correspondent and moderator Margaret Brennan began the debate regarding a strike by Israel on Iran. Walz responded by referencing the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel to reaffirm his support for Israel’s defensive capabilities before criticizing former president Donald Trump for his alleged inability to provide steady leadership during previous conflicts in the Middle East.
Vance countered Walz by claiming that another Trump presidency would benefit American diplomacy by maintaining peace through strength, according to The New York Times.
Discussion of further foreign affairs was absent from the debate, according to social studies teacher Daniel Hunter.
“There was no talk about the Ukraine war or policies regarding that,” Hunter said. “No discussion of the policies that we have around Taiwan or NATO, or a lot of foreign policy issues that I would have liked to see.”
Vance then criticized the federal disaster response to Hurricane Helene and Democrats’ focus on carbon emissions, advocating instead for investing in American workers to produce more clean energy to address climate change. In response, Walz discussed job creation in green energy sectors and the success of the Inflation Reduction Act in creating said jobs.
From the perspective of a political newcomer, both candidates seem solution-oriented, according to senior Atharva Patil. As a first-time observer, his reaction reflects how such debates can influence the views of those learning about the political landscape.
“Vance wants to reduce taxes and reduce overall government, while Walz is going for more income for every American, and I think they both have valid points in that sense,” Patil said.
Both candidates agreed to maintain the Affordable Care Act and its protections for pre-existing conditions, although Vance made a contradictory statement regarding the act, according to NPR. Vance focused on decreasing government spending and taxes, while Walz aimed to increase investments in social programs, including paid parental leave.
Additionally, Vance falsely claimed that the Biden administration allowed 25 million illegal immigrants into the United States and that vice president Kamala Harris was responsible for the exploitation of immigrant minors, then advocated for mass deportations, according to BBC News. Both candidates misspoke about or mischaracterized subjects during public addresses such as the debate, according to senior Aaron Owens.
“At least in my opinion, the current Republican candidates do that more often than the Democratic candidates,” Owens said. “As a member of the electorate, as a voter, that’s pretty honorable for [Walz] to just say, ‘Hey, I made a mistake. I misspoke.’”
Walz mentioned a proposed bipartisan immigration bill that would have installed more guards at the border but failed to pass in 2024 after former president Donald Trump expressed disapproval, suggesting that Trump had not done enough during his tenure as president to fix the issue.
Transitioning to election results, Vance evaded the question of whether he would challenge the 2024 election results by claiming Trump peacefully transferred power on Jan. 20 and that Harris censored Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic. Walz emphasized that Trump undermined democracy by downplaying the severity of the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Given the close divide in viewer opinions — 42 percent favoring Vance and 41 percent favoring Walz from a CBS News Poll — there is potential for increased engagement from both candidates’ bases. While the discussion allowed voters to gain familiarity with both candidates, evidence suggests that vice presidential debates rarely influence voting choices, according to The New York Times.
The Vice Presidential Debate marked the last significant forum held before the presidential election on Nov. 5. The election results will be announced on Jan. 6, 2025.
