On Tuesday night, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) and Ohio Senator JD Vance (R) will face off in their first —and perhaps only— vice presidential debate. The 90-minute debate hosted and moderated by CBS News will give both lesser-known candidates a platform to make the case for their respective running mates…but it remains to be seen whether the Walz-Vance showdown will have a greater impact than the vice presidential debates of elections past.
As Valuetainment previously reported, CBS initially proposed four possible dates for the event: September 17, September 24, October 1, and October 8. After the Harris-Walz campaign quickly agreed to October 1, Vance accepted Walz’s challenge and called for an additional event on September 17.
The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! https://t.co/63FyI99dKU
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 15, 2024
Walz ultimately declined this second invitation, which would have broken with the tradition of only one vice-presidential debate per election cycle.
As Vance and Walz complete their final preparations, here’s what to know for tonight’s debate.
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When and Where
The CBS vice presidential debate will air live at 9 pm EST on Tuesday, October 1 from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. The debate will run for 90 minutes with two four-minute commercial breaks.
Moderators
The event will be hosted by CBS “Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell and “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan.
CBS has said that it will be up to the candidates, not the moderators, to fact-check claims made on stage in real-time. This is likely in response to the criticism that followed last month’s ABC presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, during which moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis corrected Trump multiple times while ignoring several incorrect statements from Harris.
Rules
According to rules put out by CBS last week and agreed to by both candidates, there will be no studio audience and no opening statements.
Vance and Walz will remain standing behind their podiums for the duration of the debate, and they will not be allowed to bring props or pre-written notes with them.
Each candidate will have two minutes to answer questions, followed by a two-minute response and an optional one-minute rebuttal.
Microphones will remain on for the entire time, but the moderators will have the ability to mute either microphone at their discretion.
After winning the network coin toss, Vance was allowed to determine the order of the two-minute closing statements. He opted to speak last.
How to Watch
CBS News will air the debate live on its broadcast network and live stream it on CBS News 24/7 and Paramount+. The event is also available for simulcast, and major news networks including Fox and CSPAN have committed to airing it.
Candidate Debate Prep
JD Vance has been holding debate prep sessions at his home in Cincinnati, with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) serving as a stand-in for Walz. Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller and other political strategists have also consulted during his preparation.
Meanwhile, Walz has been conducting similar practice sessions at a hotel in Minneapolis, using Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg standing in for Vance. The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana played a similar role for Kamala Harris ahead of her 2020 vice presidential debate against incumbent Mike Pence, and his inclusion in Walz prep indicates that the Democrats are taking Vance seriously as an opponent.
What to Expect
Ahead of the debate, rumors began circulating that Walz is nervous about his upcoming performance, reportedly even telling Harris that he fears letting her down. In what is being seen as an effort to lower expectations, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar told CNN: “[Walz] is a strong person. He’s just not a lawyer-debater type. It’s not like he was dreaming of debates when he was in first grade.”
Miller, however, has higher expectations for his candidate’s opponent, remarking to reporters that Walz “is very good in debates, really good.”
“He’s been a politician for nearly 20 years,” Miller said. “He’ll be very well prepared for tomorrow night.”
Vance, meanwhile, has said that he “didn’t have to prepare that much” because he has “well-developed views on public policy.”
According to Emmer, “JD Vance is prepared to wipe the floor with Tim Walz and expose him for the radical liberal he is,”
For special Valuetainment-exclusive commentary, reactions, and live fact-checking, join the cast of VT’s The Unusual Suspects tonight at 8:30!
Connor Walcott is the lead writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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