(NewsNation) — The first and only vice presidential debate of the 2024 election has come to a close, and political experts joined NewsNation to discuss the format, content and how the candidates stacked up against each other.
The debate between Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Democratic vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota was very civil, with each vice presidential candidate sharing their thoughts on how their running mate may govern.
Trump rips Walz, CBS moderators in debate’s opening 15 minutes
The pair had traded barbs in the past, with former President Donald Trump‘s running mate questioning Walz’s military record and liberal leanings. Meanwhile, Walz — who Kamala Harris selected as her running mate just weeks after taking up the mantle from President Joe Biden — has jabbed Vance for his statements about childless cat ladies and school shootings.
Voter Guide 2024: Breaking down the candidates, policies and issues
Vance vs. Walz debate overview
The 90-minute debate featured unmuted microphones and no fact-checking by CBS moderators, Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan, according to the network. There will be two four-minute breaks.
- Policy took center stage: The debate unfolded in a campaign defined by harsh, personal attacks and historic convulsions, including a candidate dropping out and two attempted assassinations. The heated tone was mostly replaced by deep policy discussions, with the candidates sometimes saying they agreed with each other
- Both men acknowledged past missteps: Vance was asked to address his past biting criticisms of the former president, including once suggesting Trump would be “America’s Hitler.” Walz, meanwhile, was pressed on his misleading claim that he was in Hong Kong during the turbulence surrounding the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
- Will there be another debate? There are no upcoming debates on the calendar for Vance and Walz or Trump and Harris.
JD Vance vs. Tim Walz: Vice presidential candidates’ political views
O’Reilly: Vance won, ‘made himself human’
Bill O’Reilly said he thought the vice president candidates did “OK” but that they “still dodged” important questions.
“There’s not enough thinking about the audience in these debates. The candidates are thinking about themselves, and the moderators are thinking about themselves,” O’Reilly said.
Ultimately, O’Reilly said he thinks the GOP vice presidential candidate did more for his ticket than Walz did.
“What JD Vance accomplished was he made himself human,” O’Reilly added. “Unlike Donald Trump, who never does that. And he made himself accessible.”
Though he thinks Vance won, he said, “Walz wasn’t bad.”
Walz started off nervous, later ‘flipped it’ on Vance: Stirewalt
Stirewalt pointed out how nervous Walz appeared to be but said he later “flipped it on Vance.”
“That poor guy (Walz) was so nervous, but he eventually settled in. For the first hour, Vance had him. He walked him like a dog,” Sitrewalt said. “At the very end, Walz did flip it on Vance.”
Stirewalt referenced when Vance dodged the question about certifying the 2024 election.
When asked if he would challenge the 2024 election results, even if every governor certified their state’s results, Vance did not clarify what he would do. “My own belief is that we should fight about those issues, debate those issues, peacefully in the public square,” Vance said. He emphasized that Trump “peacefully” transferred power on Jan. 20, 2021, despite what happened Jan. 6.
Overall, the pace of the event was “very incremental,” but that may be for the better, Stirelwat said.
“(It’s) quite pleasant to have a normal conversation between two human beings who seem to have done some homework … Can you imagine, policy actually coming into the discussion? Good for them,” Stirewalt said.
Abrams said that, despite unfavorable polling numbers toward the Ohio senator, Vance was empathetic and measured. The candidates’ consistently kind approach to each other, Cuomo added, was refreshing to see.
“Boy, was it clear that both men there weren’t looking to make you hate somebody else,” he said. “And we did not see that in the presidential debate.”
Cuomo: Walz would be more likeable than Harris
NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo said he didn’t think Walz had a great night but thought that “if they had a real primary, Walz would be more likable to a lot of Democrats than Kamala Harris.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.