Vance and Walz Begin Cordially but End in Heated Clashes Over Trump, Jan. 6, and National Policy Issues

Republican Senator JD Vance of Ohio and Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, faced off in the only vice presidential debate of the 2024 election on Tuesday night, which began with a measured tone but eventually escalated into a combative exchange. The debate, which CBS News hosted at their Broadcast Center in New York and Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan moderated, covered a range of important national issues, with Vance’s connections to former President Donald Trump and the January 6 uprising emerging as key flashpoints.The debate’s early moments were largely civil, as both candidates laid out their platforms and shared their visions on topics such as foreign policy and the economy. However, tensions flared when Vance was asked about Trump’s recent comment that childcare was “not very expensive” compared to the money the country would gain from his policies. Vance explained that Trump was referring to the nation’s ability to raise funds by “penalizing companies shipping jobs overseas” and those using “slave laborers.” But Vance sidestepped when pressed on whether Trump was committed to the child tax credit, redirecting the discussion to economic penalties for outsourcing, prompting frustration from Walz.The debate took a sharper turn when Vance was questioned about...