US Vice Presidential Debate: Walz "Trump Has Many Flaws" vs Vance "Realizing the American Dream"

"Donald Trump is a deeply flawed person. We need stable leadership (Kamala Harris)."

"If Trump returns to the White House, the 'American Dream' can be achieved once again."

With the U.S. presidential election coming up this November, on the 1st (local time), a vice presidential candidate TV debate was held where Democratic candidate Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, clashed with Republican candidate Senator J.D. Vance. As this year's election is shaping up to be a neck-and-neck race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump, the running mates launched attacks against each other on issues ranging from the Middle East to immigration and the economy.

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The debate, hosted by CBS News, took place at the New York Broadcast Center and lasted about 90 minutes. Given that Iran had launched a large-scale missile attack targeting Israel on the day of the debate, Middle East issues were raised from the very first question. Governor Walz said, "Let's keep in mind where this started," referring to the October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas last year. He also stated, "Israel's right to self-defense is absolute," adding, "What we experienced today shows the importance of stable leadership. The whole world witnessed this a few weeks ago on the (presidential candidate) debate stage," immediately turning his attack toward former President Trump.

Governor Walz pointed out, "Trump, who is nearly 80 years old, does not need to talk about crowd sizes," highlighting that even members of the Trump administration have given him harsh criticism such as 'the most flawed person.' He continued, "Trump turned his back on Vladimir Putin (President of Russia) and North Korea, showing a capricious attitude toward our allies, but we (the Democrats) have remained committed to our alliances," emphasizing, "We see consistent leadership in Harris." He also noted that even allied countries are uneasy about former President Trump's erratic leadership.

Similarly, Senator Vance, who supported Israel's right to self-defense in the first question, began by introducing himself. He said, "I grew up in a working-class family, joined the Marine Corps, went to college, and realized the American Dream," adding, "I know many people worry that the American Dream is no longer achievable. If Trump returns to the White House, I will convince you over these 90 minutes tonight that the American Dream can be achieved again." He also claimed, "Iran, which started the attack today, secured over $100 billion in unfrozen assets thanks to the Harris administration, and used that money to buy weapons," asserting, "Trump understood the need for peace through strength. He made the world safer."

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

In response to a question about hurricanes, Governor Walz said, "Climate change is real," criticizing former President Trump for previously calling climate change a 'hoax.' Senator Vance expressed skepticism again about the reality that carbon emissions cause global warming, stating, "The answer to climate change is investing in more energy production in the U.S." He diverted by saying, "If Harris really cared about climate change, she would bring manufacturing jobs back to America."

Regarding a question about whether illegal immigrant parents would be deported and separated from their children, Senator Vance blamed Vice President Harris for causing a "historic immigration crisis." Mentioning his mother’s struggle with addiction, he said, "Harris has brought fentanyl into our communities at record levels," and raised his voice, saying, "We need to reinstate Trump's border policies, build the wall, and resume deportation policies." In contrast, Governor Walz countered that Vice President Harris, during her time as California Attorney General, worked to address human trafficking and drug problems in border areas.

On economic issues, Governor Walz criticized the Trump campaign’s pledge to give tax benefits to the wealthy and wage large-scale tariff wars, saying it would worsen inflation. Senator Vance responded, "When people say Trump’s economic plan doesn’t make sense, I want to tell them to look at the record he has set," emphasizing, "It’s not just a plan, it’s a record."

Both candidates share commonalities as self-made white men from working-class Midwestern backgrounds with military service experience. However, Governor Walz, a former football coach, has the image of a 'down-to-earth neighbor,' while Senator Vance is seen as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Typically, vice presidential debates attract relatively less public attention, but this year, with Vice President Harris and former President Trump locked in a razor-thin race, this debate was expected to have an impact on the final voter sentiment.