In a live television debate on the evening of October 1, vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz had fierce confrontations on key issues such as abortion and immigration, but in the end , the focus still revolves around former president Donald Trump. Although the atmosphere was polite, the debate went deeper into policy details than the previous debate between Mr. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in September.
Donald Trump and immigration
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz repeatedly criticized Mr. Trump, while Ohio Senator JD Vance praised the former president. Donald Trump was mentioned more than 80 times in the debate, twice as many times as Vice President Harris was mentioned.
From the beginning, Mr. Walz quickly attacked Vance on immigration, a topic that is expected to greatly influence voters in the upcoming election. Mr. Walz criticized Vance for spreading false stories about Haitian immigrants.
According to Mr. Walz, siding with Trump without finding a solution to the immigration issue has increased tensions, especially in communities like Springfield, Ohio. Mr. Walz emphasized that the issue is not just a political debate but also impacts human rights values, implying that the Republican Party’s approach hurts migrants.
Abortion: Controversial topic
The debate became especially tense when it turned to the issue of abortion. Since the US Supreme Court overturned the abortion rights ruling in 2022, this topic has become the focus of controversy nationwide. Mr. Vance accused the Democratic Party of having “extremely pro-abortion” views, even calling abortion-related laws “barbaric.” In response, Mr. Walz affirmed that he is on the side of women and protects their right to choose.
Diplomacy and the Middle East
In addition, Mr. Trump was also mentioned when the debate turned to the Middle East crisis, especially Iran’s missile attack on Israel. Mr. Walz criticized Trump’s foreign policy, saying that the former president had caused instability by getting closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin and withdrawing the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. However, Vance countered that it was Mr. Trump has brought stability to the region and the world.
Tough questions for Walz
Although Mr. Walz was the leader on many topics, he also had to face some difficult questions, especially when he admitted that he “misspoke” about being in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen protests. in 1989. However, this incident did not cause much damage to Mr. Walz’s image.
Opportunity to shine for vice presidential candidates
Although vice presidential debates usually have little impact on election results, the confrontation between Vance and Walz this time has special meaning. Ms. Harris, who represented President Joe Biden, debated later than expected, making the debate between the two vice presidential candidates a rare opportunity for voters to learn more about them.
Both candidates come from working-class backgrounds and served in the military. Vance, 40, is best known for his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” about the Rust Belt, while Walz, 60, is known as a down-to-earth teacher and football coach.
Vance’s debate style is strong and unafraid of controversy. He has criticized the Democratic Party as “childless cat-raising women” and has spread false information about Haitians. Meanwhile, Walz impressed Democratic voters by calling Vance and Trump “odd” and promoting progressive policies.
This debate has provided a clearer view of two potential vice presidential candidates, who could become successors in case the president cannot continue his term.