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Vice presidential debates: What to expect
Both candidates vying for vice president – JD Vance and Tim Walz - have agreed to debate on Oct. 1, while alluding to the potential of more. FOX 9’s Rob Olson details what to expect in the upcoming months.
(FOX 9) - Governor Tim Walz and Senator J.D. Vance have both agreed to take part in a vice presidential debate in October.
What we know
In an announcement, CBS News said Wednesday it had offered four dates to Walz and Vance for a potential debate. Shortly after, Walz announced he had agreed to the Oct. 1 date for the debate.
Thursday, Vance confirmed he had accepted the Oct. 1 debate date and challenged Walz to a second debate.
What presidential debates are scheduled?
Last week, Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly agreed to a debate on September 10. In a news conference, Trump said he would be willing to participate in as many as three debates with Harris before November's election.
The Harris-Walz campaign later announced they had agreed to three debates with the Trump-Vance campaign: two presidential debates and one vice presidential debate.
Trump has already debated once this election cycle, taking on Joe Biden in late June. That debate was the beginning of the end for Biden's re-election campaign.
Vance criticism
Vance called out Walz on Thursday, accusing him of ducking debates by not agreeing to a second faceoff. He lodged the same accusation against Harris, who only agreed to two debates versus Trump's three-debate proposal.
Political expert Professor David Schultz weighed in on the situation, pointing out that vice presidential candidates usually participate in just one debate due to the high risk of mistakes. "Vice presidential debates are opportunities for making mistakes," said Schultz, "and really opportunities for vice presidential candidates to act as surrogates for presidential candidates."
What to expect
Walz's 2022 gubernatorial opponent Dr. Scott Jensen reflected on Tuesday on his experiences with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz during the 2022 campaign, including what he calls "three quasi-debates." Jensen noted Walz's ability to connect with voters though he sometimes talks too much.
"He's able to speak extemporaneously," said Jensen. "He can, if you will, bloviate or get windy with the best of them... and I think he'll be ready."
Jensen believes Walz avoided a statewide televised debate during their campaign to minimize risk. However, Jensen thinks Walz's weakness lies in his tendency to get riled up when provoked. Jensen recalled an instance at Farm Fest where Walz "got a little excited and perhaps agitated" and did not appear to be at his best.
Schultz also speculated that Walz is likely to deflect criticisms from Vance during the debate, while Jensen emphasized that Walz needs to explain his decisions during the 2020 riots and his military record questions.
Jensen concluded, "He needs to stay affable, level, answer the question... and if he wants to expound, that’s fine, but answer the question. Because people are going to be looking for him to deflect, and if he does, it’s going to be a tough night for him."