"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."
On the 1st (local time), ahead of the November U.S. presidential election, Democratic candidate Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, and Republican candidate Senator J.D. Vance clashed in a vice presidential candidate TV debate. With this year's election shaping up as 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.
First question on Iran-Israel issue
The debate, hosted by CBS News, took place at the New York broadcast center starting at 9 p.m. 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 the focus 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.
Walz pointed out that "Trump, who is almost 80 years old, does not need to talk about crowd sizes," highlighting that Trump has been criticized as "the most flawed person" even by members of his own administration. He continued, "Trump turned his back on Vladimir Putin (President of Russia) and North Korea, showing a capricious attitude toward our allies, but we (Democrats) have remained committed (to our alliances)," emphasizing, "We see consistent leadership in Harris." He also noted that even allied countries are uneasy about Trump's unpredictable leadership.
Senator Vance 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," emphasizing, "I know many people worry that the American Dream is no longer achievable. If Trump returns to the White House, I will assure you over these 90 minutes tonight that the American Dream can be achieved again." He also claimed, "Iran, which started attacks today, has secured over $100 billion in unfrozen assets thanks to the Harris administration, and they used that money to buy weapons," asserting, "Trump understood the need for peace through strength. He made the world safer." Supporting Israel's right to self-defense, Vance said that whether to launch a preemptive strike against Iran depends on Israel.
On the subsequent question about hurricane damage, Governor Walz said, "Climate change is real," criticizing former President Trump for previously calling climate change a "hoax." In response, Senator Vance expressed skepticism 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."
Heated debate on immigration, economy, abortion, and other key issues
Additionally, when asked whether illegal immigrant parents would be deported and separated from their children, Senator Vance avoided a direct answer and 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 called for reinstating Trump's border policies, building walls, and resuming deportation policies. In contrast, Governor Walz countered that Vice President Harris, during her tenure as California Attorney General, addressed human trafficking and drug issues in border areas. He also criticized the Biden administration’s comprehensive border control bill for being stalled due to opposition from Trump and the Republicans.
Regarding economic issues, Governor Walz criticized the Trump camp’s promises to give tax benefits to the wealthy and wage large-scale tariff wars, saying these would worsen inflation. He described himself and Vice President Harris as "middle class" and supported Harris camp’s economic policies aimed at revitalizing the middle class. Senator Vance responded, "When people say Trump’s economic plan doesn’t make sense, I want them to look at his record," adding, "It’s not just a plan, it’s a record." He claimed that Trump would solve the cost-of-living crisis on his first day in office and accused Harris of causing food prices to rise by 25% and housing prices by 60%. He also challenged, "If Harris has a great plan to solve middle-class problems, why isn’t she implementing it now?"
On the abortion issue, one of this year’s major election topics, the two engaged in a heated exchange. Governor Walz called it "a fundamental human rights issue," attacking former President Trump for the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed abortion rights. He also criticized the Trump camp’s so-called "Project 2025" as threatening these basic human rights. He added, "We support women and their freedom to choose," and told those who try to interfere with women, "Just mind your own business." Local media reported that this phrase has become a catchphrase for Walz during this election campaign, often accompanied by the word "strange."
Senator Vance countered by saying he is "a Republican proud to protect innocent life in this country." He noted that partial abortion bans are being implemented at the federal level and acknowledged that Democrats hold very radical pro-abortion positions but hoped no one tries to eliminate abortion rights. He described himself and former President Trump as "literally family-oriented" people and argued, "Trump has made it clear that America is a big country with diverse views on abortion policy. It is right for individual states to decide abortion policies."
Regarding gun control, Senator Vance argued that school security should be strengthened to protect children from gun violence, while Governor Walz responded that gun regulation is the fundamental solution. Walz, who identified himself as a gun owner, mentioned the Red Flag Law and regulations implemented in Minnesota, saying, "We can bring change while keeping guns." When Walz said during the debate that his 17-year-old son witnessed a shooting at a community center, Senator Vance expressed sympathy.
"I'm an idiot" "I was wrong" - admitted past verbal mistakes
Governor Walz and Senator Vance also faced attacks from each other regarding past statements. Walz admitted his mistake about a controversy over his claim during a congressional hearing that he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square incident in China, saying, "I misspoke." He bowed his head and said, "I try my best but I’m not perfect and sometimes I’m an idiot." Senator Vance responded to his past criticism of former President Donald Trump as potentially becoming "America’s Hitler" by saying, "I was wrong." Once considered "anti-Trump" during the 2016 election, he suddenly became a Trump supporter starting from the 2020 election. He said, "It’s the same as Walz’s mistake about China. When you make mistakes, say the wrong things, or change your mind, you have to be honest with the people."
However, Senator Vance avoided answering Governor Walz’s question about whether he thinks former President Trump lost the 2020 election. He deflected by saying, "I’m focused on the future," which Walz criticized as "a completely meaningless answer." Vance also did not directly answer whether Trump would again challenge the election results if he loses this time. He claimed there is a threat to democracy that Vice President Harris and Walz do not want to talk about, calling it "the threat of censorship."
After the debate, the two candidates shook hands and introduced each other’s wives. They also approached the debate moderators to express their gratitude. This contrasted with the scene during the presidential debate hosted by ABC News on the 10th of last month, when former President Trump left without shaking hands with Vice President Harris. CNBC reported, "Surprisingly, the two vice presidential candidates were cordial to each other," adding, "They agreed at least nine times on issues ranging from rising housing prices to the need to address school shootings." Governor Walz said near the end of the debate, "I enjoyed tonight’s debate. I think we had a lot in common," and Senator Vance agreed, "I feel the same way."
Both candidates share commonalities as self-made white men from working-class Midwestern backgrounds with military service experience. However, Governor Walz, a former public school teacher and football coach, has the image of a "down-to-earth neighbor," while Senator Vance is a Yale Law School graduate and Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Vice presidential debates usually attract relatively less public attention, but this year, with Vice President Harris and former President Trump locked in a tight race, it was expected to have an impact on the final voter sentiment. This debate was also the last face-to-face debate between the candidates before the November 5 election.
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