USA TV duel: Walz and Vance focus on content instead of attacks

In the midst of the heated political climate in the USA, the vice-presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance have delivered a surprisingly objective TV duel. Their first and probably only televised debate in this election campaign stood out for its depth of content: topics such as irregular migration, abortion rights and the climate crisis were discussed in depth. However, an exchange on the Capitol storm by Donald Trump's supporters on January 6, 2021 also clearly showed the deep rifts between the political camps.

On November 5, Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump will face off in the presidential election - with polls predicting a close race. Both are particularly courting undecided voters in the hard-fought states, also with the support of their "running mates". Democrat Walz and Republican Vance both come from the Midwest.

The 90-minute debate, hosted by CBS in New York, took place without an audience. Walz, governor of the state of Minnesota, and Vance, senator from Ohio, were not allowed to use crib sheets or have any contact with their teams. The microphones could be muted by moderators Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan, which was only necessary once.

The long shadow of the Capitol storm

The debate became somewhat more heated when Vance refused to concede Trump's 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden. Instead, the Republican declared that he was "focused on the future". Walz countered sharply and described this as a "non-answer". He questioned whether Vance could muster the courage to go against Trump's will like then Vice President Mike Pence and thus ensure a peaceful transfer of power.

The content: From abortion to the Middle East

The contrasting views became clear on other topics. In the debate on abortion rights, Walz accused the Republicans of interfering in women's private lives with their restrictive course. Walz said of Trump and Vance: "These guys are always trying to dictate to women."

The handling of gun ownership also provided material for discussion. Walz recounted a personal experience of his son, who had experienced gunfire at a volleyball game, and called for stricter gun laws. Vance countered that more safety measures were needed in schools and pointed to mental health problems as the main cause of violence.

Among other things, Vance used the debate to accuse Harris of a failed migration policy in view of irregular immigration from Central and South America. "We have a historic immigration crisis because Kamala Harris started by reversing Donald Trump's entire border policy," said the 40-year-old senator.

Differences also emerged on the issue of climate change. Vance conceded CO2 emissions as the cause of global warming "for the sake of argument", but did not want to get involved in "weird science". He called for more energy production in the US, including nuclear power and natural gas. Walz, on the other hand, emphasized Biden's progress on renewable energy and criticized Trump for his denial of the climate crisis.

The topic of the economy was dealt with rather quickly. Walz referred to Harris' plans to support young families and low-income earners, among others. Vance said that under Trump, wages in the USA had been high and inflation low.

In view of the situation in the Middle East, with fighting not only in the Gaza Strip but also in Lebanon, Walz warned against another Trump presidency. "It comes down to solid leadership," said the 50-year-old governor of the state of Minnesota. "Donald Trump is fickle," he warned. Vance replied that the Republican had "provided stability" during his time in office.

Vance on Trump: "I was wrong"

At the beginning of Trump's presidency, Vance was a vocal critic of the Republican. However, this opinion changed when he stepped into the spotlight himself six years later - and also courted Trump as a supporter.

In the duel, he now stated that he had been wrong in his once harsh criticism. "I was wrong about Donald Trump," he said. He had believed stories that misrepresented Trump's political record, Vance explained. Trump had "delivered".

Probably last TV duel before the election

Although vice debates are not considered to be decisive for the election, the duel is likely to leave an impression on many voters. In September, Harris and Trump faced off in a heated TV debate. Trump came across as annoyed and defensive. Harris, on the other hand, remained calm and called for a second duel, which Trump did not commit to.

Trump with his own live ticker

Walz appeared nervous at the start of the debate, but then found his footing. He took notes several times in order to be prepared for his opponent's arguments. Meanwhile, Vance managed to do what Trump had found difficult in the debate against Harris: the Vice President avoided sharp attacks. However, Trump made sure of that himself: He commented on the vice-duel in a kind of live ticker on the online platform "Truth Social", which he co-founded. He attested that Walz had a "low intelligence quotient". And the CBS presenters O'Donnell and Brennan also got their comeuppance. The Republican accused the journalists of being "extremely biased".

SDA