Republican Sen. JD Vance and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz clashed in the only vice presidential debate of the 2024 election, with both candidates largely serving as proxies for their running mates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, respectively. The debate focused on topics such as economic policy, gun control, immigration, and school shootings. Both Vance and Walz repeatedly criticized each other’s running mates, defending their own party’s policies and tickets. Despite the attacks, the candidates remained mostly cordial towards each other throughout the debate.
Key takeaways from the debate included Vance defending his past criticisms of Trump, while Walz criticized Trump’s economic record and tax policies. Vance also defended Trump’s efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, despite the fact that Trump had actively attempted to dismantle the law. Walz stumbled on a question regarding a past claim he visited Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests, admitting he misspoke about the timing of his trip.
Though the candidates clashed on various policy issues, they both expressed a willingness to work together to find solutions to the country’s challenges. They also both acknowledged their running mate’s commitment to addressing problems, even as they disagreed on the approach. In the end, the debate highlighted the sharp policy differences between the Republican and Democratic tickets in the upcoming election.
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