Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz faced off in CBS News’ vice presidential debate Tuesday night. It wasn’t a particularly nasty debate, as the two men took an ‘agree to disagree’ attitude toward one another. But we know the truth: the two men have made their mutual dislike for one another well-known.
Walz looks and sounds very, very, very nervous in this first answer
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) October 2, 2024
It was a good night for Republicans, which was evident regarding the liberal media reaction which we’ll get to later today. They had a total meltdown on the usual networks. With all due respect to former President Donald Trump, Vance is probably the best debater in this cycle. While he said he was nervous in the spin room with Sean Hannity, Vance didn’t exhibit any sign of being uncomfortable. He was in command of the facts, knew how to pivot on the question aimed to trip him up, and engaged Mr. Walz on his record well.
Same energy pic.twitter.com/YLw4upHCmz
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) October 2, 2024
Walz was all over the place. He had moments of clarity and precision regarding delivering his lines, but he was bug-eyed, rattled, and wholly unprepared for some discrepancies in his record. He claimed he was in China during the Tiananmen Square Massacre, which is a lie. Even more damning is that there is no pivot; he’s on record in a 2019 radio interview regarding this tall tale. It was a mess of an answer.
Tim Walz is digging himself deeper and deeper.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 2, 2024
This is NOT going well for him. pic.twitter.com/xbQoyGL69P
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malpractice that Walz didn't have a sharp, succinct answer to the Tiananmen Square question ready to go
— Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) October 2, 2024
Vance did well to tie the 2024 Democratic ticket to Joe Biden and his failed policies, ripping away the window dressing that anything the Harris-Walz ticket promotes is anything new—it’s all Biden initiatives. Vance delivered a master class in pivoting on a loaded question about climate change in the wake of the Hurricane Helene disaster.
JD Vance MASTERFULLY pivots from a BAITED question on "climate change..."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 2, 2024
"Clearly, Kamala Harris herself doesn't believe her own rhetoric on this..." pic.twitter.com/zCweiHsAFP
Without being too aggressive, Vance was able to run Walz into a ditch on a host of issues, like Minnesota’s insane abortion law and immigration. Concerning the Second Amendment and gun control, Walz did have a cringeworthy moment where he misspoke, saying he was a friend of school shooters. One of the high points of the debate was when Vance caught Walz flat-footed on trade, the economy, and how to make things better for America’s working class. Even CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell was forced to bring up voters’ preference for Donald Trump when handling the economy.
“I've become friends with school shooters” may be the worst line in any 2024 debate. #VPDebate
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 2, 2024
JD VANCE: "The people that I'm most worried about in Springfield, Ohio are THE AMERICAN CITIZENS who have had their lives destroyed by Kamala Harris' open border!" pic.twitter.com/vvnkX6Xa4Y
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 2, 2024
CBS: What about our polling that shows the majority of Americans support mass deportations?
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 2, 2024
Timothy Walz: *Dodges the question* pic.twitter.com/OPTKKsJl3G
JD VANCE: "The REAL family separation policy in this country is, unfortunately, Kamala Harris' WIDE-OPEN southern border!" pic.twitter.com/DL8augZGTn
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 2, 2024
JD VANCE TO TIM WALZ:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 2, 2024
"You say trust the experts, but those same experts ...LIED!" pic.twitter.com/df8wv4bTLN
Absolutely BRUTAL exchange for Tim Walz. JD Vance absolutely shoved him into a locker #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/jcxPA0ClaZ
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 2, 2024
It wasn't a Joe Biden-like trainwreck, but Walz was the inferior opponent. Will it matter? Who knows, but we understand why this man isn’t allowed to do interviews alone.
WATCH: JD Vance's full closing statement. pic.twitter.com/VxT3BG4mCa
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 2, 2024
Vance is winning the debate.
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) October 2, 2024
He is clearly the best debater of the 4 candidates running for president or vice president.
His abortion answer/pivot was masterful.
Walz has been fine -- but uneven. His answer on the lie that he was in China during Tiananmen Square was AWFUL.
I misjudged JD Vance – he really is a good communicator and a great debater.
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 2, 2024
And Tim Walz has given viewers more details about more policies tonight than his running mate has all year. #VPDebate
CNN: “JD Vance came to land a bunch of punches, and he DID!”
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 2, 2024
“Tim Walz did NOT seem prepared for it!” pic.twitter.com/AdaHENuT5q
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