Republican candidate JD Vance and Democrat nominee Tim Walz met for the first time in the televised vice presidential debate on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris’ running mate sparred over multiple issues, including immigration, abortion, the economy, international conflicts, health care, gun security, and other hot topics.
Here are five key takeaways from the highly anticipated vice president debate almost a month before the elections.
Immigration Argument Led to Muted Mics
Immigration was the key topic of the debate between Ohio Senator Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Vance claimed, “Twenty-five million illegal aliens competing with Americans for scarce homes is one of the most significant drivers of home prices in the country.”
He criticised Democrats’ border security policies, while Walz blamed Trump for blocking bipartisan bills that could have strengthened the immigration laws of the US.
The immigration discussion turned into an argument when the Ohio senator was asked about the false pet-eating claims about Haitian migrants in Springfield.
Vance’s mic was muted when he tried to speak over the CBS News moderator, who tried to fact-check his claims.
Abortion and Reproductive Rights
Abortion rights are the key issue of the 2024 presidential elections. Walz, during the debate, shared the story of two women who died in Georgia because of the restrictive abortion laws in their state.
He noted that abortion is a “basic human right” and that “maternal mortality has skyrocketed in Texas” since the restriction.
Meanwhile, Vance, who previously supported national restrictions on abortion, said that his views on abortion shifted since he saw voters in Ohio support access to abortion.
Walz’s “Misspoke” Admission About Tiananmen Square
Harris’ running mate confessed that he misspoke about his presence at Tiananmen Square, Beijing, during protests in 1989.
He admitted, “I’m a knucklehead at times,” adding that he had misspoken because he was influenced by the events as he visited China that summer.
Gun Violence in America
Both of the candidates agreed on the fact that gun violence is getting worse in the country and it needs to be addressed.
The Minnesota Governor asserted, “This idea of stigmatising mental health—just because you have a mental health issue doesn’t mean you’re violent.”
While the Ohio senator believed that they needed to “increase security in our school” by making doors stronger and locks better.
A Surprisingly Polite Debate
Everyone was expecting an ugly duel between the VP nominees, but surprisingly nothing like that happened as politeness took centre stage in the debate.
Both Vance and Walz greeted each other, exchanged smiles at different points, agreed with each other at some points, and chatted away from the microphones.
