With the stakes elevated heading into Tuesday’s primary (and solitary) vice presidential debate between Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and Republican Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, considering the 2024 presidential election is merely weeks away. Although the clash between the two vice presidential contenders was unlikely to sway political dynamics comparable to a Kamala vs. Trump scenario, Tuesday’s gathering still provided noteworthy moments. Below, discover the five major takeaways from the Walz versus Vance exchange.
The mute button was utilized
Despite the Walz-Vance confrontation being noticeably more courteous than Harris and Trump’s encounter last month, it was nonetheless somewhat gratifying to witness two women—in this instance, CBS moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan—employ the mute button on both men when they interrupted.
Vance and Walz were scrutinized on previous errors
While Walz encountered some rigorous inquiry regarding newly discovered contradictions to his assertion of being in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, Vance faced questions about once comparing Trump to “America’s Hitler.” Subsequently, Walz directly questioned Vance on whether Trump had lost the 2020 election—to which the senator offered what could only be considered a non-response.
Walz (shrewdly) mentioned his state’s track record on reinstating post-Roe abortion rights
“We are ranked first in healthcare for a reason. We trust women; we trust doctors,” Walz stated regarding Minnesota after citing real-life scenarios of abortion rights advocates like Hadley Duvall being refused essential reproductive care. Walz enacted a law intended to incorporate the right to abortion into the Minnesota state constitution in January 2023—enhancing the contrast between his achievements on reproductive rights and the Trump-Vance campaign’s extravagant abortion claims.
Childcare expenses were finally highlighted
Walz and Vance managed to converge (to some degree) on the necessity for more and improved childcare options for working families. Although their proposals differ, it was pleasant to hear the American childcare crisis—an issue that disproportionately impacts women—discussed on a national level.
The politeness of the entire debate was somewhat unsettling
It might easily be overlooked, considering the rarity of proceeding through a debate without one candidate declaring another “mentally impaired,” but Vance’s skillful twist on Trump’s agenda remains…the same plan.
Here, Vogue’s political correspondent Jack Schlossberg provides his personal key insights from Tuesday’s debate: