On Tuesday night, Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz and his Republican opponent JD Vance will engage in a debate. This will be the only face-to-face confrontation between vice presidential candidates in the 2024 election, drawing keen attention from both parties and voters nationwide.
Before becoming vice presidential candidates, Governor Walz of Minnesota and Senator Vance were not widely known. The upcoming debate on Tuesday night presents them with an opportunity to showcase themselves and allow voters to get a better understanding of who they are.
Expectations are that Walz and Vance, along with their aides, will defend themselves and advocate for their respective presidential candidates during the debate. The debate is poised to be closely watched by both supporters of both parties and figures such as Hegeny and Trump.
Prior to the vice presidential debate, here are some key details you need to know:
– The debate will last for 90 minutes and will be hosted by CBS News at their broadcast center in New York City.
– Scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday night, with two 4-minute breaks in between. Similar to the presidential debates held in Philadelphia, the vice presidential debate will also not have a live audience present.
– Live coverage and expert commentary will be provided by media outlets such as Da Ji Yuan and New Tang Dynasty: Warm-up live broadcast from 8 to 9 p.m. Tuesday; Simultaneous translation of the vice presidential debate from 9 to 10:45 p.m.; Commentaries live from 10:45 to 11:30 p.m.
According to CBS, the two vice presidential candidates will not have opening statements. Each candidate will have two minutes to answer the questions posed to them, followed by a one-minute rebuttal. The moderator has the discretion to grant an additional minute to continue debating a particular issue.
At the end of the debate, each candidate will have two minutes for a closing statement. A coin toss held on September 26 determined the order of the closing statements, with Vance winning the toss and choosing to speak last.
Throughout the debate, microphones will remain on, but the organizers retain the right to mute them if necessary. Each participant will be provided with a pen, paper, and water bottle but are not allowed to bring props or pre-written notes. Campaign staff are also prohibited from interacting with Walz and Vance during the breaks.
Potential debate topics are expected to touch on contentious issues such as abortion and family matters. The two major parties hold differing views on abortion rights, with the Democrats advocating for abortion rights as a way to garner support from women and young voters.
Vance has attempted to paint Walz as an extreme advocate for abortion rights, criticizing him for supporting measures allowing abortions until the moment of birth without requiring care for surviving infants from failed procedures. Walz signed a bill into law in early 2023 regarding abortion rights in Minnesota.
In contrast, Walz has mocked Vance as a “weird” and out-of-touch Ivy League graduate. The Democratic party has seized on Vance’s remarks from 2021 regarding “childless cat ladies,” attempting to portray him as a critic of women’s reproductive choices. Vance may be questioned about his 2021 comments as well as his statements about Haitians eating pets in Ohio.
Walz’s years of work in Congress and two gubernatorial campaigns have given him more debate experience, while Vance has garnered more national media exposure since the 2022 Senate elections.
The selection of these two candidates is partly based on their potential to attract support from white working-class voters, especially in battleground states in the northern regions.
In terms of personal appeal, Walz is likely to mention American football (having been a high school coach) and his marksmanship skills in hunting.
Vance may reference his bestselling memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” which chronicles his upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, his family background in Kentucky, and the poverty and cultural issues in Appalachia. His book saw a surge in sales after being chosen as Trump’s running mate.
According to a source familiar with Vance’s preparation, his goal on the debate stage is not necessarily to be the most likable person but to position himself as a reformer capable of improving the economy and addressing illegal immigration, aligned with Trump’s policies.
Normally, vice presidential debates have little impact on public opinion polls. However, the upcoming debate between Vance and Walz on Tuesday night is generating significant interest, with voters eager to see who will come out on top before the November 5th elections.
With no further presidential debates scheduled, the vice presidential debate presents an opportunity for both candidates to make compelling arguments in front of a nationwide audience as early voting increases across the country, representing their respective campaign teams to vie for voters.
The differences between the two candidates are vast. Similar to Trump, Vance advocates for tighter border control, increased tariffs, and government intervention in the economy.
Walz supports providing universal free school meals for students, granting voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals, providing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, and legalizing recreational marijuana. He signed a law making abortion a “fundamental right.”
The candidates may find common ground on certain issues, such as opposing Nippon Steel’s $14.1 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel.
(References: The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and CBS)