US, Washington: The two U.S. vice-presidential candidates will go head-to-head for their first and only debate on Tuesday evening.
Senator JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio and former President Donald Trump’s running mate, will compete against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is running alongside Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket.
Harris selected Walz as her running mate in August after she became the Democratic nominee following President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race. Trump picked Vance as his candidate in July.
This debate comes after the recent televised presidential showdown between Trump and Harris, which is expected to be their only encounter.
Debate Details
The 90-minute debate is scheduled for Tuesday, October 1, at 9:00 PM EDT (2:00 AM BST) at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. It will be broadcast on CBS and available for live streaming on platforms featuring CBS News 24/7 and Paramount+.
Moderating the event will be CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell, along with Margaret Brennan, host of the network's current affairs program, *Face the Nation*. There will be two four-minute breaks during the debate.
The BBC will have reporters in both New York and Washington to provide analysis, fact-checking, and reactions throughout the live coverage.
Debate Format
The rules for the vice-presidential debate will align closely with those of the Trump-Harris face-off, with one key exception: the microphones will remain on. Although CBS retains the right to mute the candidates, their microphones will be active even when it is not their turn to speak.
Unlike the previous three vice-presidential debates where candidates sat, both Walz and Vance will stand. Walz will be positioned at the podium on the left side of the stage (right side of the screen), with Vance standing opposite him.
During breaks, campaign aides will not be allowed to communicate with the candidates, and they cannot bring pre-written notes to the stage. Each candidate will have two minutes to respond to questions from the moderators, followed by two minutes for the opposing candidate to reply. Additionally, each candidate will be given one minute for rebuttals.
The candidates will be responsible for fact-checking each other’s statements, with moderators facilitating these opportunities during the rebuttal segments. There will be no live audience or opening statements, but candidates will have two minutes for closing statements. Vance won a coin toss and opted to speak last.
Candidate Preparation
Walz has been preparing with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is stepping in for Vance during practice sessions. He has been holding evening and weekend training sessions and reviewing videos of Vance’s previous performances.
Vance is training with Republican Congressman Tom Emmer, who represents Minnesota, Walz's home state. He is also practicing with his wife, Usha Vance, who is a lawyer, and senior Trump adviser Jason Miller.
Key Points to Watch
Vance is likely to focus on attacking Walz, a former public school teacher and football coach, for what Republicans consider his stringent COVID-19 policies in Minnesota, including the establishment of a hotline to report violations of social distancing rules. He may also criticize Walz for signing a law last year allowing tampon dispensers in boys’ bathrooms at public schools. Additionally, Vance might question Walz’s military service record after the governor admitted to having "misspoken" about handling assault weapons in combat while advocating for stricter gun laws. Walz resigned from the National Guard prior to his unit’s deployment to Iraq.
On the other hand, Walz is expected to challenge Vance regarding some of his past remarks, including derogatory comments about Democratic politicians and allegations that migrants were eating pets in Ohio. Walz may also bring attention to leaked messages from 2020 in which Vance claimed Trump had "thoroughly failed to deliver on his economic populism."
