JD Vance and Tim Walz: A Civil Debate with Unexpected Turns
No. As it turned out, Vance stood there lying the whole time while Walz told the truth. This was clear for many who watched the debate.
Comparing the Two Candidates
During the debate hosted by Rest is Politics and featuring Anthony Scaromucci and Kaddy Kaye, it became evident that Vance won the battle but may have lost the war. Vance came across as competent, eloquent, and well-informed. However, his ability to switch personas at will from a campaign trail image that appears aggressive and deceitful to a more polished one made him seem like a sociopath. On the other hand, Walz presented himself as a Midwestern guy who might be out of his depth on foreign policy but demonstrated consistent campaigning skills.
Other critical issues for Vance include his reference to Trump as “his running mate,” which created a gap between Trump's positions and his own. This move did not sit well with Trump, who will likely hate it. It is clear that Trump doesn’t see Vance as a colleague but rather as an employee, someone he wouldn’t want to see outperform him in any way.
One Team to Make America Great Again?
Moreover, there is no doubt that there is only one team that can actually Make America Great Again! This sentiment, catchy and powerful, is certainly one that supports a Trump/Vance2024 ticket.
However, it depends on your perspective. If you are either a Trump or Harris supporter, you likely remain satisfied with the performance of each and won’t be swayed. If you are undecided, it hinges on whether you sought to follow up with fact-checks. If you did, you may conclude that Vance is no more trustworthy than Trump, which could reaffirm your initial stance as a Trump voter.
Two Paths to Victory in Debates
There are always two primary approaches to these debates: 1. Who was the better debater/made the best impression; 2. Who did what they needed to do better. The first is the one we often jump to, but it’s not always the most straightforward. The last few presidential debates have demonstrated that Biden looked better than Trump in 2020, Trump looked better than Biden in 2024, and Kamala looked better than Trump in 2024. They demonstrated eloquence, presented better points, or showed mental fitness.
The 2024 vice-presidential debate was not as clear-cut. Kamala earned slightly better ratings than Mike Pence in 2020, but it was close enough that both sides claimed victory. This debate was even more nuanced.
According to CNN and YouGov polling, JD Vance claimed a marginal victory, favored by 1 of the respondents. While that is close to declaring a victory, it is encouraging for Vance. This second approach helps to assess whether Vance had more ground to make up and did so effectively.
JD Vance's debate performance refuted the labels of “weird” and “antisocial” ascribed to him. He was calm, collected, and articulate, humanizing both him and Walz in unexpected ways. Sure, he dodged some questions, including whether Trump lost the 2020 election, which was a non-answer. However, otherwise, his presentation was strong.
Camaraderie and Civil Debate
What we noticed most, however, was the camaraderie between the two. Maybe it’s because these are two Midwestern guys, maybe it’s because neither thrives on bullying tactics. Either way, this debate was the most civil in recent American history. This civil tone is a positive sign for the future of American politics, showing a willingness to engage in discourse without resorting to provocative tactics.