The Democratic and Republican vice presidential candidates - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance clashed on Tuesday during the first debate on almost every issue - from the economy and immigration to foreign policy. However, both candidates were very polite during the confrontation, despite the fierce rhetoric that characterizes this year's election campaign.
During the one and a half hour debate, in the studio of CBS television in New York, they justified and promoted the moves and positions of their presidential candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Despite the heated debate, Volz and Vance avoided personal insults, and directed the harshest criticisms at Trump and Harris, respectively.
After the candidates shook hands, the debate opened with a question about the conflict in the Middle East after the Iranian attack on Israel. Vance echoed Republican claims that the Biden administration gave Tehran money for the attacks by unfreezing Iranian funds.
Volz questioned whether Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is fit for a new term in the White House, saying he is too unstable to be trusted at a time of crisis in the Middle East. He also criticized Trump for withdrawing America from the nuclear deal with Iran, which limited its capacity to enrich uranium.
"Iran is closer to nuclear weapons because of the instability of Donald Trump's leadership," said Volz.
Vance, however, argued that the world was much safer during Trump's first term.
"Donald Trump recognized that you need peace through strength to make people fear the United States," Vance said.
The sharpest discussion during the debate, however, took place regarding domestic political issues - immigration, the economy, the right to abortion.
Volz criticized Trump's immigration policy, pointing out that the Republican candidate led to the rejection of a bipartisan deal on border security in the Senate.
He criticized Trump and Vance for making offensive statements about migrants, especially in Ohio, where they were falsely accused of eating pets, forcing police to increase security measures, including in schools.
"That's what happens when you don't solve the problem, you present it as evil," said the Democratic vice-presidential candidate.
Vance, on the other hand, criticized Harris for the situation at the border, claiming that during the Biden administration "millions of illegal immigrants" were allowed to enter. He accused her, without providing evidence, of allowing drug cartels "to operate freely in the country" and of using children to smuggle drugs.
He also questioned why Harris did not do more to solve the problem of immigration, but also inflation and the economic situation in the position of US vice president.
"If Kamala Harris has extraordinary plans to solve the problems of the middle class, she should make them happen now — not when she's asking for a promotion, but in the job that Americans gave her 3 XNUMX/XNUMX years ago," Vance said.
Different positions were expressed when it comes to the right to abortion. Volz criticized Trump for his role in appointing three Supreme Court justices, who, along with other conservative colleagues, abolished the right to abortion at the national level and left the decision on the issue up to individual states.
"Donald Trump started all of this. He brags about how extraordinary it is that he appointed judges and overturned Roe v. Wade (the 1972 court decision that legalized abortion nationally)," Volz said.
Vance, who is known for his very conservative stance on abortion, took a more moderate stance during the debate, stating that he does not support a national abortion ban even though he has advocated for it in the past. He reiterated Trump's position that the states should decide on the issue.
The most heated debate came near the end of the debate, when Vance — who previously said he would not confirm the 2020 election results — avoided answering a question about whether he would question this year's election results if Trump lost.
Volz, commenting on the issue, blamed Trump and his false claims of election fraud for the violent attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to prevent the confirmation of Joe Biden's victory.
"He's still saying he didn't lose the election. Did he lose the 2020 election," Volz asked Vance, who avoided answering the question and instead accused Harris of censoring dissenting views online.
Despite the heated debate, the televised face-off between the vice presidential candidates was held in an atmosphere that was more friendly than was the case during the debate between Harris and Trump.
During a discussion about gun violence in the country, Volz mentioned that his teenager had witnessed a shooting at a community center, after which Vance said:
"I'm sorry for that. Jesus, have mercy".
"I appreciate it," Volc replied.
During the debate, the vice-presidential candidates were also forced to justify some earlier statements.
During the confrontation, the Republican candidate for vice president commented on his earlier statements about Trump, whom he compared to Hitler before the 2016 election.
"I was wrong about Donald Trump. I was wrong, primarily because I believed some media reports that turned out to be falsifications of what he was doing. However, more importantly, Donald Trump brought results to America to the people," said the Republican vice-presidential candidate.
Volc was asked to comment on this week's report that he was not in China during the violent clashes in Tiananmen Square, as he previously claimed.
"I was there that summer and I misspoken about it. I was in Hong Kong and China during the democracy protests, and based on that I learned a lot about what it means to be in government."
The candidates mostly followed the rules of the debate, while CBS left it up to the candidates to check each other's claims.
However, during a question on immigration, moderators reminded Vance that immigrants from Haiti - who live in Ohio - have legal status despite the senator's claims to the contrary. Vance protested this, saying the moderators weren't supposed to fact-check. As he continued to speak, his microphone was cut off.
Historically, vice presidential candidates and their debates don't have much of an impact on election results, but analysts say this year could be different given that the race between Harris and Trump is very tight in swing states.
The Vance-Woltz debate may also have more impact on voters this year because Harris and Trump have only met in a debate once. That means Tuesday's vice presidential debate may be the last chance for voters to see the two camps face off live.
Voters in previous presidential elections had the opportunity to follow several debates of presidential candidates, but this year's election campaign is different.
In June, Trump participated in a debate with President Joe Biden, whose poor performance led to calls for him to withdraw from the presidential race. After Harris became the Democratic candidate, she participated in a debate with Trump last month.
Voters in 6 of the 50 US states already have the opportunity to vote early. By October 16, early voting will be organized in 14 more states.
Bonus video:
