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Accessibility statementSkip to main content Democracy Dies in Darkness SubscribeSign in Democracy Dies in Darkness politicsBiden administrationThe FixThe BriefsPollingDemocracy in AmericaElection 2024 politicsBiden administrationThe FixThe BriefsPollingDemocracy in AmericaElection 2024 5 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 2024 VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE Walz struggled, Vance tried to soften Republicans’ stance on abortion, both men played nice, and other takeaways. 9 min 2678 Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), left, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) take part in the vice-presidential debate at CBS Studios on Tuesday. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) Analysis by Aaron Blake Updated October 1, 2024 at 11:56 p.m. EDT|Published October 1, 2024 at 11:31 p.m. EDT Welcome to The Campaign Moment, your guide to the biggest moments in the 2024 election, including when politicians occasionally agree on some things. (Did a friend forward this to you? If so, sign up here. And make sure you’re subscribing to the Campaign Moment podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else.) Cut through the 2024 election noise. Get The Campaign Moment newsletter. THE BIG MOMENT Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) took part Tuesday night in the only scheduled vice-presidential debate of the 2024 election — and what for now looks to be the final debate, period. It was a chance for the long-unpopular Vance to try to right the ship, while it presented Republicans with a chance to lay a glove on Walz in ways they’ve thus far failed to. And of course, the name of the game was not so much building themselves up as helping their tickets. Advertisement Story continues below advertisement So how did they do? And what were the key moments? 🏛️ Follow Politics Follow Below, my takeaways. 1. Walz struggled, Vance tried to recast himself Before the debate, word leaked out of Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign that they were worried about Walz as a debater. It could have been dismissed as lowering expectations, but they clearly had at least some reason to worry. It wasn’t great. And Vance appeared much more comfortable in his own skin, pitching a more broadly acceptable version of himself than what we’ve seen so far in his political career. Walz began with a strained answer on the Iran-Israel tensions, repeatedly stumbling over his words at a time when many voters were first being introduced to him. He often looked down right after giving an answer. He seemed nervous, especially early on. Story continues below advertisement Even when delivering attacks on former president Donald Trump and Vance, Walz often didn’t explain what he was talking about in a way that was intelligible to casual viewers. (For instance, he cited Vance saying he would “create stories” about migrants in Springfield, Ohio, without saying he was talking about Vance’s defense of his false claims about Haitian migrants eating Springfield residents’ pets.) Advertisement It was especially awkward for Walz, though, when the debate turned to his apparently false statements about being in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing. On Oct. 1, Gov. Tim Walz (D) circumvented a question about whether or not he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests in the spring of 1989. (Video: CBS News) Walz tried to talk around the question and focus on his biography and work in China, before trying to get past the question with, “I’ve not been perfect, and I’m a knucklehead at times.” Story continues below advertisement But moderator Margaret Brennan wanted a firmer answer. “All I said on this was — is I got there that summer and misspoke on this. So I will just — that’s what I’ve said,” Walz said. When things turned silent, Walz added that he was in the area during democracy protests and added, “And from that I learned a lot of what needed to be in governance.” (Walz appears to have traveled to Hong Kong several months after the Beijing protests ended in a massacre.) Advertisement That should be one of the lasting moments of the debate. Vance’s performance was mostly confident, and he seemed to take care to appear as a relatively standard-issue conservative Republican — to borrow a phrase from George W. Bush, a “compassionate conservative.” That included repeatedly emphasizing empathy — in contrast to the culture warrior he has fashioned himself as in recent years with his comments on “childless cat ladies” and the like. Vance even seemed to suggest Obamacare was working (while suggesting Trump had somehow saved it, despite failing in his efforts to replace the health-care law). Story continues below advertisement Whether this has an impact on the popularity gap between the two, we’ll have to see. 2. Vance tried to massage the abortion issue Perhaps no issue has troubled the Republican ticket like abortion, which has swung significantly in Democrats’ direction since the Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade. Trump has strained to avoid taking specific positions, saying it should be a state issue and trying to leave it at that. Advertisement And Vance’s handling of it really drove that home. Vance went for a moderate tone, without going into too many details. Vance cited a woman he knew who was in an abusive relationship who said that an abortion likely saved her life. Story continues below advertisement He added that “as a Republican who proudly wants to protect innocent life in this country, who proudly wants to protect the vulnerable … my party — we’ve got to do so much better of a job at earning the American people’s trust back on this issue where they, frankly, just don’t trust us.” But rather than moderate on abortion, Vance pitched policies that make having children easier. When pressed to square his comments about winning back trust with his past hard-line abortion stance, Vance claimed, “I never supported a national ban.” He said he just wanted a “minimum national standard.” But Vance also described himself in recent years as “100% Pro-Life.” Advertisement Story continues below advertisement 3. Vance wouldn’t let go of the Haitian migrants issue One moment where Vance might have gotten a little over his skis was when the topic turned to the Haitian migrants in Springfield. Vance and Trump have spun a baseless tale about the Haitian migrants stealing and eating pets, and Walz broached it early in the debate. But Walz didn’t go into detail or really say what the claim was. Vance, though, repeatedly sought to litigate the issue and defend his comments and his focus on problems brought on by migrants, even when he could have turned to other things and when the question posed to him was about Congress’s role on the border. On Oct. 1, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) alleged that “illegal” migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were burdening the local economy. (Video: CBS News) When Brennan tried to conclude the segment by noting that the Haitian migrants are legal ones with temporary protected status, Vance again wouldn’t let it go. He accused Brennan of fact-checking — which CBS said before the debate that it wouldn’t do — and dove into the technical details of immigration status. Advertisement Story continues below advertisement “The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check,” Vance said. (Vance hadn’t specifically called the Haitian migrants “illegal,” but he has in the past.) Ultimately, when Vance and Walz continued to argue about the point, their microphones were shut off. Again, a moment that will live on. Americans believe Trump’s and Vance’s claims about Springfield are false by a margin of 2-1, and Vance could easily have skirted the issue. It probably would have passed viewers by. But he made the exchange a centerpiece of the debate. Skip to end of carousel ELECTION 2024 arrow leftarrow right Follow live updates on the 2024 election and Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump. Here are the key takeaways from the vice presidential debate and what swing-state voters had to say on who won. Check out how Harris and Trump stack up according to The Washington Post’s presidential polling averages of seven battleground states. We’ve identified eight possible paths to victory based on the candidates’ current standing in the polls. We’ve collected Harris’s and Trump’s stances on the most important issues including abortion, economic policy, immigration and more. Senate Democrats are at risk of losing their 51-49 majority this fall. The Post breaks down the eight races and three long shots that could determine Senate control. Sign up for The Campaign Moment, reporter Aaron Blake’s guide to what you really need to know about the 2024 election. 1/5 End of carousel 4. It was a remarkably civil debate Running mates are often tasked with being attack-dogs for their tickets. And both Vance and Walz got their licks in as the debate wore on — including a testy exchange on democracy and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the end. Story continues below advertisement But it was also a remarkably substance-focused and largely civil debate. Advertisement One of Walz’s most interesting strategies was in not so much attacking Vance, but in casting him as someone who might actually be reasonable — in contrast to Trump. “I believe Sen. Vance wants to solve this,” Walz said of immigration, “but by standing with Donald Trump and not working together to find a solution, it becomes a talking point.” After Vance’s comment on abortion, Walz responded: “I agree with a lot of what Senator Vance said about what’s happening. His running mate, though, does not. And that’s the problem.” Walz also repeatedly cited Vance’s past strong criticisms of Trump and suggested he knows better about his running mate. “Senator Vance has said that there’s a climate problem,” Walz said. “In the past, Donald Trump called it a hoax and then joked that these things would make more beachfront property.” Advertisement It was notable that Walz would suggest Vance isn’t actually that bad, given Vance’s high unpopularity. But the name of the game seemed to be defining Trump rather than Vance — pitching Trump as too extreme and unwieldy even for his running mate. Vance also said he agreed Walz wanted to solve the country’s immigration problems, and he largely passed on opportunities to drive home Walz’s less-resounding moments, including on Hong Kong. It seemed both candidates believed the debate was unlikely to move the needle too much in the race, and the name of the game was in pitching their own competencies and not getting tripped up in angry exchanges. “I’ve enjoyed tonight’s debate, and I think there was a lot of commonality here,” Walz said. “And I’m sympathetic to misspeaking on things.” “Me too, man,” Vance responded. 5. Walz landed a moment on Jan. 6 Toward the end of the debate, Walz had some of his strongest moments, and they related to the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Vance compared Jan. 6 to Democrats’ past claims about Russian interference, saying this “has been going on for a long time, and if we want to say that we need to respect the results of the election, I’m on board.” Walz took the cue to press Vance on whether Trump actually lost the 2020 election, and Vance avoided the question by talking about the Biden administration’s efforts to crack down on covid misinformation. “January 6th was not Facebook ads,” Walz shot back, citing Russian efforts to help Trump in 2016. Walz added: “That is a damning non-answer.” It was indeed tough to see how Vance squared his emphasis on respecting election results with Trump’s many false claims about voter fraud, which Trump continues to focus on to this day. And Walz drove that home. Walz added of Vance’s predecessor as Trump’s VP nominee: “When Mike Pence made that decision to certify that election, that’s why Mike Pence isn’t on this stage.” TAKE A MOMENT TO READ: * “If Helene affects voting, Trump may pay the price” (Washington Post) * “24 hours of MAGA misinformation” (Washington Post) * “Polls show big increase in Republicans planning to vote for abortion rights” (Washington Post) * “JD Vance vowed to ‘never forget’ Middletown. Some say he already has.” (Washington Post) * “Tim Walz’s bubble-wrapped campaign” (Washington Post) * “Walz’s claim that he was in Hong Kong during Tiananmen Square protests undercut by unearthed newspaper reports” (CNN) * “What Democrats don’t understand about JD Vance” (Atlantic) ELECTION 2024 Follow live updates on the 2024 election and Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump from our reporters on the campaign trail and in Washington. VP debate: Here are fact checks and key takeaways from the vice-presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz. The Washington Post once again asked swing-state voters for their real-time reactions to the debate, here’s what they had to say on who won. Policy positions: We’ve collected Harris’s and Trump’s stances on the most important issues — abortion, economic policy, immigration and more. Presidential polls: Check out how Harris and Trump stack up, according to The Washington Post’s presidential polling averages of seven battleground states. We’ve identified eight possible paths to victory based on the candidates’ current standing in the polls. Senate control: Senate Democrats are at risk of losing their slim 51-49 majority this fall. The Post breaks down the eight races and three long shots that could determine Senate control. Show more Share 2678 Comments Election 2024 HAND CURATED * Election 2024 live updates: Following civil VP debate, Harris heading to Georgia to address Helene damage 12 minutes ago Election 2024 live updates: Following civil VP debate, Harris heading to Georgia to address Helene damage 12 minutes ago * Who is ahead in Harris vs. Trump 2024 presidential polls right now? October 1, 2024 Who is ahead in Harris vs. Trump 2024 presidential polls right now? October 1, 2024 * Vance, Walz square off in what could be final meeting of presidential campaigns October 2, 2024 Vance, Walz square off in what could be final meeting of presidential campaigns October 2, 2024 View 3 more stories NewsletterWeekdays Early Brief The Washington Post's essential guide to power and influence in D.C. Sign up Subscribe to comment and get the full experience. Choose your plan → Advertisement live updatespolitics2:46 AM BIDEN, HARRIS TO TOUR STATES DAMAGED BY HELENE 2:30 AMAnalysis: Civility and moderation. An October surprise. 2:14 AMAs Harris shifts to the center, progressives hold their fire — for now 2:01 AMVance in Michigan, Walz with Fetterman in Pennsylvania after VP debate 1:51 AMAnalysis: The Vance-Walz VP debate was overshadowed by war and disaster Skip Ads by Advertisement Advertisement Company About The Post Newsroom Policies & Standards Diversity & Inclusion Careers Media & Community Relations WP Creative Group Accessibility Statement Sitemap Get The Post Become a Subscriber Gift Subscriptions Mobile & Apps Newsletters & Alerts Washington Post Live Reprints & Permissions Post Store Books & E-Books Today’s Paper Public Notices Contact Us Contact the Newsroom Contact Customer Care Contact the Opinions Team Advertise Licensing & Syndication Request a Correction Send a News Tip Report a Vulnerability Terms of Use Digital Products Terms of Sale Print Products Terms of Sale Terms of Service Privacy Policy Cookie Settings Submissions & Discussion Policy RSS Terms of Service Ad Choices washingtonpost.com © 1996-2024 The Washington Post * washingtonpost.com * © 1996-2024 The Washington Post * About The Post * Contact the Newsroom * Contact Customer Care * Request a Correction * Send a News Tip * Report a Vulnerability * Download the Washington Post App * Policies & Standards * Terms of Service * Privacy Policy * Cookie Settings * Print Products Terms of Sale * Digital Products Terms of Sale * Submissions & Discussion Policy * Sitemap * RSS Terms of Service * Ad Choices 5.25.2 Collapse STAY INFORMED WITH A SUBSCRIPTION TO THE WASHINGTON POST 24/7 coverage from 1,000+ journalists. 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