On Tuesday, October 1st, JD Vance and Tim Walz will go head to head in the last scheduled debate before the 2024 presidential election. The VP debate will be broadcast live on CBS at 8pm CST.
Why It’s Important
The Walz-Vance debate is set to be the last before the election this November. This comes on the heels of the presidential debate in September, where Trump and Harris went head-to-head for the first time. The debate also gives undecided or uncommitted voters a chance to evaluate both candidates. VPs shape future policies and leadership, and other performances can provide insight into their party’s vision and stability.
What To Expect
The debate will last around 90 minutes, and the candidates’ mics will not be muted. Candidates will not bring notes or props on stage and cannot speak with campaign staff during breaks. Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan will moderate the debate. Each candidate will have two minutes to answer questions and two minutes to respond. Unlike the previous debate, there will be no fact-checker.
Here are some topics to look out for.
- Scrutiny over Vance’s past controversial remarks, such as his”childless cat ladies” comment and false claims about Haitian immigrants.
- Walz will likely be questioned about the 2020 Minneapolis riots and a COVID-era food assistance fraud.
- Both candidates’ military records could come up, as well as Vance’s Senate term and Walz’s gubernatorial term.
- Hot topics for both parties include the economy, national security, abortion, and social justice.
Read NPR’s write-up on this debate for the full scoop!
Who’s Debating?
The VP debate will be between Tim Walz and JD Vance, the Republican and Democrat nominees. Let’s get to know each candidate!
JD Vance
J.D. Vance is a U.S. Senator from Ohio, elected in 2022. He gained national attention in 2016 with his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which explored social and economic issues in rural America. Vance, a former venture capitalist, initially criticized Donald Trump but later became a strong supporter. His political platform focuses on conservative policies, particularly economic nationalism, immigration, and social conservatism.
Tim Walz
Tim Walz is the Democratic Governor of Minnesota, first elected in 2018. Before becoming governor, he served as a U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 1st congressional district from 2007 to 2019. A former high school teacher and National Guard veteran, his platform focuses on issues like education, healthcare access, and environmental policy. As governor, he has overseen Minnesota’s response to COVID-19 and worked on police reform, economic recovery, and climate initiatives.
Clapper’s VP Debate Livestream
We’ll be going Live at 8pm CST on October 1st to watch the debate in real-time. To watch the debate, all you have to do is tune into @ClapperNewsroom’s Livestream! There won’t be any commentators or Live feedback, so you can focus on the VPs and their responses.
Want to hear what other people have to say? Tune back in on October 2nd at 6pm CST for our VP debate recap Livestream! We’ll be going Live with journalists and creators from both sides of the aisle to heart their thoughts on the debate.
Meet Our Guests
Our Moderator
@LisaRemillard will be hosting our Live debate recap! Lisa is a long-time journalist and two-time Emmy nominee who covers breaking political news, making it easy for viewers to digest. She hosted our first two debate recaps and we’re so excited she’ll be returning.
She’ll be leading a discussion between @Ahbeeolah and @DaveBondy.
@Ahbeeolah
Abiola describes herself as a “professional info dumper” which sounds like a dream job! She’s an educator, visual artist, strategist, and more! Most of her content centers around politics, mental health, and educating her audience on racism and its effects.
This will be Abiola’s second time joining us on a Livestream, and we’re so excited to welcome her back!
@DaveBondy
After working in mainstream media for twenty-five years, Dave is now an independent journalist. He’s focusing on news “the mainstream media won’t tell you”, ranging from current events politics and everything in between.
This will be Dave’s first time joining us on a Livestream, and we’re so excited to have him on board!
Join us on October 1st at 8pm CST to watch the VP debate live on Clapper! Follow @ClapperNewsroom so you don’t miss a minute of this historic event.