NEW YORK – US Senator J.D. Vance, Republican Donald Trump’s pick as his vice-presidential running mate, squared off against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, whom Democrat Kamala Harris tapped to be her No. 2, in a nationally televised debate on Oct 1.
The debate is likely the final one of the 2024 presidential campaign, potentially giving it some additional weight ahead of the Nov 5 election.
Here are some takeaways from the event in New York:
Bob and weave at the opening bell
The first question of the debate related to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, asking both men if they would support a pre-emptive strike by Israel on Iran to disrupt the development of the latter’s nuclear programme.
Neither candidate was eager to answer.
A visibly nervous Mr Walz dodged the question, pivoting to a critique of Trump’s record during his four years in office.
“What’s fundamental here is that steady leadership is going to matter,” Mr Walz said. “It’s clear, and the world saw it on that debate stage a few weeks ago, a nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes is not what we need in this moment.”
Mr Vance appeared to rib Mr Walz for not addressing the question head on, but then segued into a description of his biography.
“My mother required food assistance for periods of her life,” said Mr Vance, who grew up in a working-class Ohio household.
Mr Vance did eventually circle back to the question, saying a second Trump administration would support Israel’s decision on the matter. But not before he offered an extended defence of Trump’s foreign policy, characterising his time in office as extraordinarily peaceful.
In the opening exchange, at least, the candidates were less eager to dive into policy details than they were in litigating Trump’s legacy and introducing themselves to Americans.
Takeaways from the Vance-Walz US vice-presidential debate
