Key Moments in the Vice Presidential Debate

Four key moments in the Vice Presidential debate that I think may well have legs—and none of them are favorable to JD Vance. Plus observations that I think are useful, which almost none of the...

Four key moments in the Vice Presidential debate that I think may well have legs—and none of them are favorable to JD Vance. Plus observations that I think are useful, which almost none of the commentary around the debate is…

Vance’s shift to Vance 4.0, offering what he calls “common-sense” economic policies and dodging and weaving to avoid saying much of anything on anything, especially whether Trump won or lost in 2020—”the media is obsessed with… the election of four years ago… I'm focused on the election of 33 days from now”—seems to have impressed the New York Times op-ed page as an effective cosplay of a Trump-movement successor leader. But did it really impress anybody else? Vance looks like just another politician trying to adopt a platform without truly embodying its ethos.

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Moment 0:

Will Jones: Why didn't you answer the question last night during the debate about who won the 2020 presidential election?

JD Vance: Well, look, here's the simple reason. The media is obsessed with talking about the election of four years ago. I'm focused on the election of 33 days from now.

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Moment 1:

JD Vance: Margaret. The rules were that you guys weren't going to fact check, and since you're fact checking me, I think it's important to say what's actually going on. So there's an application called the CBP One app where you can go on as an illegal migrant, apply for asylum or apply for parole and be granted legal status at the wave of a Kamala Harris open border wand…. Kamala Harris opened up that pathway.

Margaret Brennan: Thank you, Senator, for describing the legal process. We have so much to get to.

Tim Walz: Those laws have been in the book since 1990.

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Moment 2:

Tim Walz: This is one [issue] that we are miles apart on. [January 6] was a threat to our democracy in a way that we had not seen. And it manifested itself because of Donald Trump's inability to say, he is still saying, he didn't lose the election. I would just ask that: did [Trump] lose the 2020 election?

JD Vance: Tim, I’m focused on the future.

Tim Walz: That is a damning. That is a damning non answer…. [Trump] lost the election. This is not a debate… anywhere other than in Donald Trump's world…. Mike Pence made that decision to certify that election. That's why Mike Pence isn't on this stage…. We're asking you…. Will you stand up? Will you keep your oath of office even if the President doesn't?… America, I think you've got a really clear choice on this election of who's going to honor that democracy and who's going to honor Donald Trump…

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Moment 3:

Norah O’Donnell: Senator Vance, you have said that you would not have certified the last presidential election, and would have asked the states to submit alternative electors. that has been called unconstitutional and illegal. would you again seek to challenge this year’s election results—even if every governor certifies the results?

JD Vance: “Well Norah, first of all, I think we’re focused on the future. we need to figure out how to solve the inflation crisis…

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Some Numbers:

Hafiz Rashid: Who Won the Walz-Vance V.P. Debate? Here’s What the Polls Say: ‘The favorability numbers for both candidates improved after the debate: Walz’s went from 46 percent favorable and 32 percent unfavorable to 59 percent favorable and 22 percent unfavorable among people who watched the debate. Vance’s numbers went from 30 percent favorable and 52 percent unfavorable to 41 percent favorable and 44 percent unfavorable…. About 72 percent of Democrats think Walz won the debate, with a similar number of Republicans thinking Vance won. Perhaps more importantly, Walz won over independents, with 58 percent of them saying that he was the winner as opposed to 42 percent for Vance—but these people were also more likely to say they didn’t even watch the debate… <https://newrepublic.com/post/186617/who-won-vp-debate-polls>

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Steve M.: No, JD Vance Did Not Win Last Night's Debate: ‘Here are some divergent opinions about last night's debate. First, from media elitists at The New York Times…. And now ordinary people:

<https://nomoremister.blogspot.com/2024/10/no-jd-vance-did-not-win-last-nights.html>

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And, below the fold, some useful commentary from others, and one single take from me: