With the nation’s political discourse polarized to the extreme, this year’s face-off between J.D. Vance and Tim Walz seemed more like a battle to reinforce pre-existing loyalties than an opportunity for persuasion. Vance, shackled by his allegiance to Donald Trump, attempted to balance his populist rhetoric with a semblance of moderation, while Walz struggled to avoid gaffes that could further alienate undecided voters. In the end, it became clear that no minds were likely changed; the battle lines in American politics are simply too deeply entrenched.
- No One’s Mind Is Getting Changed
The race for the vice-presidency is ultimately run in the shadow of that of the presidency, so the fact that most debates between running mates hardly make a dent in the race shouldn’t come as a shocker. But the debate loomed large over the GOP campaign, as Donald Trump’s no. 2 Senator J.D. Vance faced an array of scandals, including calling liberals “childless cat ladies”, denigrating Mr. Trump in leaked emails, and hosting an awkward meet-and-greet at a donut shop. Republican strategists were reeling from the prospects that the debate would wind Mr. Vance into similar waters as the party’s other infamous VP candidate Sarah Palin in 2008. Yet for both the senator and his Democratic counterpart Tim Walz, the debate was a simple defense of their superior’s accomplishments, and a shoo-away of any questions into their failures. 42% of viewers thought Mr. Vance won, yet 41% thought Mr. Walz was victorious, while viewers seemed to be split on which one did a better job talking about economy or the wars across the world.
- J.D. Vance Is On Donald Trump’s Leash
As soon as J.D. Vance began campaigning for Vice President, it was clear Donald Trump would be the barrier for his more ambitious ideas. Early on he deftly explained how he switched positions since 2016, when he prophesied that Mr. Trump could become “America’s Hitler”, by saying he gained respect for the former president through his economic and military accomplishments. But the comments turned into a repeated jab by Mr. Walz, who sought to paint that Mr. Vance’s trust in his running mate was fleeting. The Ohio senator continuously dodged questions about the most extreme portions of his campaign’s agenda, such as mass deportations of illegal immigrants and prosecutions of political opponents, though in the past he has hinted disapproval on such things. The struggle to obey the MAGA order while trying to seem moderate eventually culminated in his refusal to answer a question related to whether Joe Biden fraudulently won the 2020 election, a theory proven false. The moment has been transformed into perhaps the night’s only soundbite, and further fuel to the idea that the Trump camp is turning too extreme for the nation’s good.
- Tim Walz May Grapple With Communication
Almost every vice president has struggled with image in some way. And in the 21st-century, the veeps have been no stranger to the ins-and-outs of social media ridicule. In the harshest critiques, Al Gore was an out-of-touch braggart, Dick Cheney an evil mastermind, Joe Biden a creepy gaffe machine, Mike Pence a dull evangelical, and Kamala Harris a do-nothing and an alleged workplace bully. If Tim Walz is elected vice president, he may go down a similar route for another muted 4-8 years. On Tuesday he stumbled out of the gate on Iran and Hurricane Helene, suggested he “became” friends with school shooters, and struggled to explain why he had made up a story about being at Tiananmen Square during the infamous protests and massacre in 1989. His communication issues contrast with his recent image of being a sharp attack dog against the MAGA right, and already suggest the persona that opponents will use against him should he win. Yet whatever route he goes down there is plenty of chance for political revival. Every VP aside from Cheney ran for (or is running) for president and has been able to completely flip their image around. One even became the president.
- The Real Winner is Old Politics
The modern presidency has been submerged into that of a partisan office subject to backlash at any point. Bill Clinton’s sex scandals and resulting impeachment, George W. Bush’s misinformed invasion of Iraq, and Barack Obama’s congressional quagmires left a sour taste in the mouths of Americans at the time. Yet in the sharply disrespectful eras of Trump and Biden, most voters would kill to be back under one of these administrations, where presidents were respected and where both parties acted like factions of the same team. Which is why the debate between J.D. Vance and Tim Walz was a welcome change to the chaos of American politics. The two shook hands, frequently referred to each other’s well-meaning behavior, and even stook around on stage to talk to each other and introduce their wives. Both also discussed policy in the debate, which was notably absent from when Donald Trump and Kamala Harris clashed last month. Both candidates were suddenly seen as smarter, kinder, and more decent politicians than their counterparts, and suddenly found themselves meeting huge jumps in approval ratings after the debate.
