On October 1, 2024, J. D. Vance of the Republican Party sparred against Tim Walz of the Democratic Party at the United States Vice Presidential Debate. Despite a unanimous agreement that the VP debate was much more civil, the result was still a heated debate. However, in case you missed it, here is a bite-sized recap on key moments of the debate.
- Abortion rights, one of the top issues in the 2024 election, sparked a heated exchange between Vance and Walz. Walz has been a clear supporter of abortion, to no surprise. However, Vance stated that his opinion has changed. Despite the fact that he previously supported some type of national ban on abortion, Vance declared his shift in position after many women in Ohio supported abortion.
- Another topic brought up at the debate was whether Trump lost the 2020 election. Vance refused to admit that Trump lost, instead stating that it was an example of Harris’s censorship. Walz ended the night by stating that it was a “damning non-answer.”
- Immigration was again a key topic in the debate. After debating about Trump’s bipartisan immigration legislation, the conversation took a tense turn. When Vance was asked about the false claims of Haitian immigrants eating pets in Ohio, the senator stood his position and interrupted the fact check, ultimately resulting in his mic being muted.
- During this debate, one of Walz’s claims was debunked: Walz was not in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre. Walz admits that he was influenced by the events since he was in China last summer.
- Despite the tensions that appeared in this debate, most of the conversation was civil. Attacks were focused on the presidential candidates, and there were several points where the vice presidential candidates agreed upon, such as the necessary restriction of guns.
Historically, the Vice Presidential Debate has not significantly affected election results. Since it is unlikely that there will be another debate, this is the last word that both parties will have. The full Vice Presidential Debate is available on Youtube.
