WASHINGTON (AP) — Tim Walz and JD Vance will meet for their first and possibly only vice presidential debate Tuesday, in what could be the last debate for both campaigns to argue their case before the election.
The debate in New York hosted by CBS News will give Vance, a Republican freshman senator from Ohio, and Walz, a two-term Democratic governor of Minnesota, the chance to introduce themselves, make the case for their running mates, and go on the attack against the opposing ticket.
Tuesday’s matchup could have an outsized impact. Polls have shown Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump locked in a close contest, giving added weight to anything that can sway voters on the margins, including the impression left by the vice presidential candidates. It also might be the last debate of the campaign, with the Harris and Trump teams failing to agree on another meeting.
The role of a presidential running mate is typically to serve as an attack dog for the person at the top of the ticket, arguing against the opposing presidential candidate and their proxy on stage. Both Vance and Walz have embraced that role.
Vance’s occasionally confrontational news interviews and appearances on the campaign trail have underscored why Trump picked him for the Republican ticket despite his past biting criticisms of the former president, including once suggesting Trump would be “America’s Hitler.”
Walz, meanwhile, catapulted onto Harris’ campaign by branding Trump and Republicans as “ just weird,” creating an attack line for Democrats seeking to argue Republicans are disconnected from the American people.
A new AP-NORC poll found that Walz is better liked than Vance, potentially giving the Republican an added challenge.
After a Harris-Trump debate in which Republicans complained about the ABC News moderators fact-checking Trump, Tuesday’s debate will not feature any corrections from the hosts. CBS News said the onus for pointing out misstatements will be on the candidates, with moderators “facilitating those opportunities.”
Both sides are trying to lower expectations
Ahead of the debate, allies of both men were lowering expectations that their candidate will have a decisive performance.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., called Vance “an accomplished debater” and contrasted that with Walz, saying he was “not a lawyer-debater type.” Klobuchar said Walz spent time growing up thinking about football, not debating.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, portrayed Walz much differently than Klobuchar.
“Tim Walz is very good in debates, really good. He’s been a politician for nearly 20 years. He’ll be very well prepared for tomorrow night,” Miller told reporters Monday. He predicted the Democratic governor of Minnesota will be much more “buttoned up” than he is on the campaign trail and ready to defend his record, but added, “That’s not to say that JD Vance won’t be prepared tomorrow, or that somehow he isn’t up to the challenge.”
Vance, speaking to reporters last week, said he didn’t “have to prepare that much” for the debate because he had “well-developed views on public policy.”
But Vance has been doing debate prep sessions where he’s been joined by his wife, Usha Vance, Miller, senior Vance aides, and Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who has played Walz, according to a person familiar with his preparations who requested anonymity to discuss strategy. Moderating their mock debates was Monica Crowley, who served in the Trump administration, hosts a podcast and contributed to Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for remaking government that Trump claims he knows " nothing about.”
“JD Vance is prepared to wipe the floor with Tim Walz and expose him for the radical liberal he is,” Emmer told reporters on Monday.
Walz’s debate prep has included sessions hunkered down in a Minneapolis hotel, with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg standing in for Vance, according to a person familiar with the process who requested anonymity to discuss the campaign’s internal dynamics. Others helping in the preparations include Rob Friedlander and Zayn Siddique, who helped Harris prepare for her debate with Trump, along with other aides to Walz and the campaign.
Klobuchar said Walz will show the American people “a real person” who brings “buoyancy” and positivity to the debate stage that will contrast with Vance, but “he is not going to be shy about pointing out the problems.”
“Just because he’s an optimistic, positive person doesn’t mean he’s a pushover,” she said.
this debate looks like it's gonna be a good one, i would expect Walz to walk off with it, and Vance taking it in the short.....so we'll see
Im not sure what Waltz brings to the table, I have purposefully stayed away from watching him much so I can take in tonight without much expectations outside of trusting Harris picked him for a very good reason.this debate looks like it's gonna be a good one, i would expect Walz to walk off with it, and Vance taking it in the short.....so we'll see
Like you i do not how Walz will fair at the debate, i haven't seen him in a debate setting, and i do agree that Mrs Harris did pick him for a reason, so i do expect for him to bring his Coach qualities and his new Gov qualities......Vance on the other hand, all i can see with him is BS, MAGA BS and with more BS to sugar top it...imho if the orange avenger looses (which i suspect he will), the scapegoat will be Vance. Keep in mind i haven't seen Vance on a debate stage either.......so let see what happens.....hey even if i don't get to see it, i still have access to YT and X........Im not sure what Waltz brings to the table, I have purposefully stayed away from watching him much so I can take in tonight without much expectations outside of trusting Harris picked him for a very good reason.
Vance though is like a shitty INCEL version of mayor Pete. So I am not sure he wont give the cult exactly what they want to see to get all foamy at the mouth and declaring him good enough until the next time they want to throw him under the bus. It is going to be interesting how Waltz decided to play the inevitable troll traps Vance will set up.
Like the crazy eating animals shit, Vance will come in all haughty touty (can't spell for shit and keeps getting autocorrected) with some troll like Harris is letting murders into our country to kill your women and suburban people should be scared shitless and only the Orange Avenger can save you!!!
Talking about how Trump is selling out our allies would trigger fake outrage about how Ukraine is causing world war 3 by being not just bending over and taking being slammed nonstop for years by Putin.
Talk about the propaganda attack and Trump's cult will hear "Russia Russia Russia" and say they know all about propaganda and that it is everyone else that is being lied to and just go full Pee Wee Herman troll with "I Know You Are But What Am I" logic.
etc. There is no winning against a troll. You can outwork them for a while as they move goalposts, but eventually they just turn on the bot and tune out.
So I am really curious how Waltz handles it, because it really is a shit job to debate these assholes.
But a very important job, because the more steady doses of reality our fellow Americans who happen to be in Trump's cult get, the easier it will be for them to see through the fog of lies Trump and the Nepo-brats of the world (dictators and shit heads like Musk/Koche/Leonard Leo) have placed around them.
We all appreciate the mod team. Im surprised this thread is still going.there are 4 of us here we have C2G , Myself, GWN, Rswar moderating the forum, there are 1/2 fucking million users on Rollitup.
We dont remove for misinformation because it is an impossible task, we simply mod tos.thats neither here nor there tbh in the point im trying to make
I think Walz did a damn fine job last night. He didn't give up any troll bait, even when Vance dropped 'weird' and it became obvious he wanted to bait the word. And Vance was left with nothing but his trying to out nice someone that is basically Canadian. Which he did well enough until Walz turned and dropped the 'Did Trump win the election' and punked Vances' anti-American answer.
When Vance was talking about funneling more tax free tax dollars into churches was new to me though. It was when he was talking about childcare. That would be a nice little racket, you can basically keep that kid from birth to adulthood in your church and have the federal government pay for it the entire time.
Don't vote.We all appreciate the mod team. Im surprised this thread is still going.
I am honestly baffled by the effects of politics. The more I research the policies of both parties, the more confused I become.
Ive never voted ... Not once.Don't vote.
You gotta' be proud.Ive never voted ... Not once.
Or joking...You gotta' be proud.
I will now be exiting this thread.
Why are you surprised it is still going?We all appreciate the mod team. Im surprised this thread is still going.
I would be confused too if I went by the slick quick edit bullshit artists like that guy is in the video.I am honestly baffled by the effects of politics. The more I research the policies of both parties, the more confused I become.
I agree with you here being as though media can be anything. The reality people spinets pretty out there when they live in a world without any pushback."Propaganda definitely plays a significant role in the divisiveness we're seeing in politics today. The media landscape has become increasingly polarized, with some outlets promoting biased or misleading information to advance their agendas. This can lead to a distorted view of reality, fueling mistrust and hostility towards opposing groups."
I would smoke a fat joint with all of you. No political party can ever represent me. I want world peace before anything else.
I will now be exiting this thread. Its clear to me that no one here wants to hold hands and sing kumbaya. Enjoy your political games.