NEW YORK — Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota faced off on Tuesday night in the only vice presidential debate, and likely the final ever debate of the 2024 election.
The surprisingly civil 90 minutes saw the two men face off in a cordial manner as they debated on key issues in the Middle East, healthcare, and more.
Here are three key takeaways from the Vice Presidential debate:
Vance deflects on January 6
One of the biggest moments of the night — if not the biggest — was on the topic of January 6, 2021. Walz put Vance on the spot, asking if the former president lost the 2020 election but Vance refused to answer.
“Did he lose the 2020 election?” Walz asked Vance.
“Tim, I’m focused on the future,” Vance answered.
“That is a damning nonanswer,” Walz shot back.
“On January 6, what happened? Joe Biden became president; Donald Trump left the White House,” Vance said.
Walz was not having it, instead going into detail about January 6 and what happened that day.
“He lost this election, and he said he didn’t. One hundred and forty police officers were beaten at the Capitol that day, some with the American flag, and several later died,” he said. “The democracy is bigger than winning an election.”
A (mostly) civil debate
For the first time in nine years in a debate, there was no name-calling, few zingers and a clear directive for both Vance and Walz not to get personal. Instead of attacking each other, Vance and Walz agreed with much of what each other were saying in key parts.
“I agree with a lot of what Sen. Vance said about what’s happening – his running mate, though, does not,” Walz said on abortion. “And that’s the problem.”
“Tim just mentioned a bunch of ideas. Now some of those ideas I actually think are halfway decent, and some of them I disagree with,” Vance said, before regaining his focus and adding, “But the most important thing here is: Kamala Harris is not running as a newcomer to politics. She is the sitting VP.”
Walz clears up the story on Tiananmen Square
Reporting from Minnesota Public Radio News and APM Reports called into question Walz’s claim he visited Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests in the spring of 1989.
“I’ve not been perfect, and I’m a knucklehead at times,” Walz said.
When pushed by the moderators, Walz gave a little more clear answer but still did not answer fully.
“I got there that summer and misspoke,” he said.
