A Full Recap of the Vice Presidential Debate
Last week, JD Vance and Tim Walz faced off in a historic debate hosted by CBS. We summarized every single question in case you missed the debate or needed a review. The full transcript is available on CBS.
The debate started off with moderators, Margaret Brennan and Norah O'Donnell, posing Walz with the question of if he would support an Israeli preemptive strike on Iran. In what was largely seen as his low point in the debate, Walz deflected the question, instead questioning Trump’s history of foreign policy. When posed with the same question, Vance answered, “Look, it is up to Israel what they think they need to do to keep their country safe. And we should support our allies wherever they are when they're fighting the bad guys.” Walz responded by pointing out Donald Trump's pulling of the Iranian nuclear deal.
Next, the moderators turned to the issue of climate change, asking Vance what a Trump administration would do. Vance responded by assuring them the Republican ticket cared about clean air and water. He then continued “[…] one of the things that I've noticed some of our democratic friends talking a lot about is a concern about carbon emissions. This idea that carbon emissions drives all the climate change. Well, let's just say that's true, just for the sake of argument, so we're not arguing about weird science. Let's just say that's true. Well, if you believe that, what would you, what would you want to do?” Vance went on, suggesting that “you'd want to produce as much energy as possible in the United States.” However, the US the world's leading producer of total energy, exporting significantly more energy than it imports, and is largely considered an energy superpower. Vance and Walz than briefly argued over foreign manufacturing and Trump’s denial of climate change.
Moving on, Margaret Brennan brought up immigration, asking Vance to specify how the Trump campaign would handle immigration and deportation. JD Vance criticized Kamala’s border policy and mentioned the illegal import of fentanyl. In Walz’s response, he pointed out the progress in the dropping of the death rate but acknowledged there was still more work to go. Walz also criticized the Trump administration for killing the bipartisan immigration bill. Walz explained that the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act was thrown out because Trump “told them to vote against it because it gives him a campaign issue”. Vance replied critiquing Kamala’s border policy.
Tim Walz was then asked about polls showing more than 50% of Americans support mass deportations. In his response, Walz highlighted false claims made by JD Vance about Springfield immigrants and emphasized the harmful impacts of the misinformation. Vance rebutted by saying, “Look, in Springfield, Ohio and in communities all across this country, you've got schools that are overwhelmed, you've got hospitals that are overwhelmed, you have got housing that is totally unaffordable because we brought in millions of illegal immigrants to compete with Americans for scarce homes.” Walz once again brought up the bipartisan immigration bill and then countered Vance’s claim, stating, “On housing, we could talk a little bit about Wall Street speculators buying up housing and making them less affordable.” Margaret Brennan than noted to the viewers, “And just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status. Temporary protected status.” Vance interrupted, “Margaret. The rules were that you guys weren't going to fact check, and since you're fact checking me, I think it's important to say what's actually going on.” He then continued by making claims about the CBP One app. CBS cut the mics to both candidates after they began arguing past the allotted time.
Next, Norah asked Walz about the deficit, which could increase by 1.2 billion under Kamala’s policies. Walz answered by explaining proposed increase in new housing, which he claimed would lower rent, and a $6,000 child tax credit, which he also claimed reduced child poverty by a third in Minnesota. Walz than attacked trump, saying “Donald Trump made a promise, and I'll give you this. He kept it. He took folks to Mar-a-Lago. He said, “You're rich as hell. I'm going to give you a tax cut.” He gave the tax cuts that predominantly went to the top caste.” Norah than posed the same question to Vance about the deficit under Trump, which could increase by 5.8 trillion. Vance responded by posing the question of why Kamala hasn’t already implemented suggested policies. Vance continued, “A lot of those same economists attack Donald Trump's plans, and they have PhDs, but they don't have common sense and they don't have wisdom, because Donald Trump's economic policies delivered the highest take home pay in a generation in this country, 1.5% inflation, and to boot, peace and security all over the world.” On response, Walz noted “Kamala Harris' day one was Donald Trump's failure on COVID that led to the collapse of our economy. We were already before COVID, in a manufacturing recession. But 10 million people out of work, largest percentage since the Great Depression, 9 million jobs closed on that. That was day one.” Walz and JD than debated about trusting economists. Then, they argued about American jobs going overseas, which Walz responded with “Much of what the senator said right there, I'm in agreement with him on this. I watched it happen, too. […] But we had people undercutting the right to collectively bargain. We had right to work states made it more difficult. We had companies that were willing to ship it over, and we saw people profit. […] Folks that are venture capital, in some cases, putting money into companies that were overseas, we're in agreement that we bring those home.”
After a brief back and forth between Walz and Vance, Margret moved on, asking Walz about his trip to Hong Kong, which Walz previously claimed happened during the Tiananmen Square, when records show he visited later in August. Walz slightly stumbled upon his words, explained he misspoke but still learned a great deal about China from that trip. Margret than asked Vance about his comments about Trump in 2016, which he called Trump “unfit” for office and “America’s Hitler.” She than cited 2020 text messages in which Vance declared that Trump had “failed to deliver his economic populism.” Vance replied by explaining how his beliefs on Trump have changed and critiquing Trump’s first term.
Onto the issue of abortion, the moderators asked Walz his stance on abortion in the 9th month. Walz argued that was not what was in the bill and argued that abortion needs to be protected, citing instances of needed emergency intervention and in the case of rape and incest. In response, Vance argued that states should have the right to choose. Walz rebutted, “The fact of the matter is, how can we as a nation say that your life and your rights as basic as the right to control your own body is determined on geography?” Margret than asked about Vance’s support of a national ban. Vance reiterated he didn’t support on one and argued “So many young women would love to have families. So many young women also see an unplanned pregnancy as something that's going to destroy their livelihood, destroy their education, destroy their relationships. And we have got to earn people's trust back.” Walz replied, “We know what the implications are to not be that women having miscarriages, women not getting the care, physicians feeling like they may be prosecuted for providing that care. And as far as making sure that we're educating our children and giving them options.” Vance and Walz briefly went back and forth before CBS turned to commercial break.
When they returned, Norah begun on the topic of gun violence, briefly going over Vance’s beliefs against gun control, before asking if parents should be held responsible for negligence. Vance responded, “I think in some cases the answer is going to be yes, and in some cases the answer is going to be no. And the details really matter here.” Then, he argued that there was a large illegal market of guns smuggled through the border. Vance also argued, “We have to make the doors lock better. We have to make the doors stronger. We've got to make the windows stronger.” As a school newspaper, we’ve seen these changes in our own school, new locks on the doors, frosted glass, and more resource officers. However, experts agree that in order to properly curb gun violence, we need some level of gun control. On response, Walz poked at Vance’s argument, saying “I ask all of you out there, do you want your school's hardened to look like a fort?” He then drew comparison to Finland, which also has firearms, but hasn’t had widespread mass shootings. Vance argued, “Okay, first of all, we have way higher rates of mental health abuse or mental health substance abuse. We have way higher rates of depression, way higher rates of anxiety.” Walz responded by talking about his own personal history with the NRA. He than addressed Vance’s argument, saying “But I want to be very careful. This idea of stigmatizing mental health, just because you have a mental health issue doesn't mean you're violent. And I think what we end up doing is we start looking for a scapegoat. Sometimes it just is the guns. It's just the guns. And there are things that you can do about it.”
“We have to make the doors lock better. We have to make the doors stronger. We've got to make the windows stronger.” “Do you want your school's hardened to look like a fort?”
Next, Margret raised concerns about inflation and asked Walz if down payment assistance will just raise house prices further. Walz answered by emphasizing how it will help give more assistance to ordinary people over commodity buyers. Margret than asked Vance who first clarified that he didn’t want to blame immigrants for higher housing. He than blamed illegal immigrants for raised housing prices, saying “Twenty-five million illegal aliens competing with Americans for scarce homes is one of the most significant drivers of home prices in the country. It's why we have massive increases in home prices that have happened right alongside massive increases in illegal alien, alien populations under Kamala Harris's leadership.” Vance also explained the Trump administration’s plans to repurpose federal land for housing.
Norah than moved onto healthcare, where she asked about confirming patients with pre-existing conditions rates wouldn’t be raised. Vance affirmed that they wouldn’t, then saying “And I think you can make a really good argument that it salvaged Obamacare, which was doing disastrously until Donald Trump came along.” On response, Walz argued, saying “He [Donald Trump] ran on, the first thing he was going to do on day one, was to repeal Obamacare. On day one, he tried to sign an executive order to repeal the ACA (Affordable Care Act). He signed onto a lawsuit to repeal the ACA, but lost at the Supreme Court.” Walz also argued that Vance would allow insurance providers to selectively chose who to cover based on pre-existing conditions and raise their rates. Walz argued that pooled insurance is a necessity, saying “I think the idea of making sure the risk pool is broad enough to cover everyone, that's the only way insurance works. When it doesn't, it collapses. […] When we incentivize people to be in the market, when we help people who might not be able to afford it get there, and we make sure then when you get sick and old, it's there for you.”
Continuing on to the next question, Margret asked Walz about Kamala's plans on paid leave. Walz reaffirmed his support for a paid family medical leave standard. Vance agreed that there may be a bipartisan solution and agreed that America needs to improve childcare. Walz, in response to a question from Margret, confirmed his support for child tax credits.
Norah than posed Vance an essential question, asking “Would you again seek to challenge this year's election results, even if every Governor certifies the results?” Vance replied, “Well, Norah, first of all, I think that we're focused on the future. [...] Look, what President Trump has said is that there were problems in 2020. And my own belief is that we should fight about those issues, debate those issues peacefully in the public square. And that's all I've said. And that's all that Donald Trump has said. Remember, he said that on January 6th, the protesters ought to protest peacefully. And on January 20th, what happened? Joe Biden became the President. Donald Trump left the White House.” In what was largely seen as Walz’s high point in the debate, he pushed back on Vance's rhetoric, “Donald Trump refused to acknowledge this. And the fact is, is that I don't think we can be the frog in the pot and let the boiling water go up. He was very clear. I mean, 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. Several later died.” Shortly after, he added “A President's words matter. People hear that. So I think this issue of settling our differences at the ballot box, shaking hands when we lose, being honest about it, but to deny what happened on January 6, the first time in American history that a President or anyone tried to overturn a fair election and the peaceful transfer of power. And here we are four years later in the same boat. I will tell you this, that when this is over, we need to shake hands, this election, and the winner needs to be the winner. This has got to stop. It's tearing our country apart.” Vance briefly responded, criticizing the democratic reaction to the 2016 election. Walz than pushed further, saying “This was a threat to our democracy in a way that we had not seen. And it manifested itself because of Donald Trump's inability to say, he is still saying he didn't lose the election. I would just ask that. Did he lose the 2020 election?” Vance responded, “Tim, I'm focused on the future. Did Kamala Harris censor Americans from speaking their mind in the wake of the 2020 COVID situation?” Walz interrupted, “That is a damning non answer.” Vance responded, arguing that the Harris campaign used Big Tech to censor Republican speech. Walz responded, exclaiming “Yeah, well, I don't run Facebook. […] He lost the election. This is not a debate. It's not anything anywhere other than in Donald Trump's world, because, look, when Mike Pence made that decision to certify that election, that's why Mike Pence isn't on this stage.”
“Did he lose the 2020 election?” “Tim, I'm focused on the future.” “That is a damning non answer.”
After a brief intermission, the candidates were given the opportunity to give a brief conclusion. Tim Walz talked of opportunity and a brighter path forward with Kamala, while JD Vance talked about immigration and attacked Kamala’s policies. Both thanked CBS and viewers.
Overall, the reception of the debate was overwhelmingly positive. Both candidates performed well with very few slip-ups. It was a nice refresher to see actual policy being talked about and CBS did a great job of asking pointed important questions. Post-debate polls showed Vance slightly leading, but many argued that it was a tie. Either way, the debate wasn’t likely to influence anyone who hasn’t already made up their mind. We also asked SJC about their voting preferences, that story will be out shortly, so signup for our mailing list if you’d like to see it.
