Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), the running mates for former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, respectively, will debate on Tuesday night on CBS News at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Here are five questions to expect — either because the moderators will ask them, or because the candidates will raise them (the debate rules prohibit asking each other questions, as with the presidential debate, but it happened anyway).
1. Vance will have to explain his “childless cat ladies” remark. Vance made the comment in 2021, before he became a U.S. Senator, during an interview with Tucker Carlson. His point was that liberal elites are making policies for other Americans without anything at stake. But he will have to explain the remark, which Democrats have used to portray him as insensitive to women, and to families that do not follow a traditional model, for whatever reason.
2. Walz will have to explain his long history of ties to China. The ABC News moderators did not bother to ask about China during the presidential debate. so Vance might have to bring up the topic on his own. Walz has a particular case to answer: he traveled to China extensively over the years, and has been accused of unusual warmth toward the communist regime. It is unclear why he is obsessed with China, and what that means for the country.
3. Vance will have to explain the “dogs and cats” controversy. The town of Springfield, Ohio, has been in the news because of the migration of vast numbers of Haitians — and because of accusations, later found to be without foundation, that the migrants have been eating people’s pets. The moderators are certain to repeat questions Vance has faced from interviewers over the past few weeks about whether he and Trump are drumming up racial prejudice.
4. Walz will have to explain his exaggerations about his military service. Vance has repeatedly pointed out that Walz embellished his record as a National Guard reservist: he falsely claimed to have carried a gun in combat; he falsely claimed to have served in Afghanistan; and he falsely claimed to have retired as a command sergeant major. Walz has responded poorly to this question on the rare occasions when he has been asked about it by journalists.
5. Vance will have to explain his past opposition to Trump. Democrats love to note that Vance said some of the same things about Trump once upon a time that they say today. His answer has been that he changed his mind based on Trump’s performance in office, and of course Trump knew Vance’s history when he named him his running mate. Still, Walz will enjoy telling America that “even” Trump’s running mate didn’t like him. Vance needs answer.
6. Walz will have to explain his poor performance as governor. The media have praised Walz, but have ignored his record, because it’s bad. Under Walz, Minnesota is basically a cold version of California. Its economy lags behind the rest of the country; residents are leaving, but foreign migrants are flooding in; violent crime has risen; education has fallen; and Walz is trying to end fossil fuels. It’s also a “sanctuary” for transgender surgery for minors.
7. Both candidates will have to explain what makes them ready to serve as president, if needed. Walz is a hitherto obscure governor; Vance is in his first term in the Senate. Both have served in the military; Walz was also a teacher, and Vance also had a career in venture capital. But both have been primarily focused on attacking the other side in the election, rather than on their cown redentials. Both must show they are ready to be commander-in-chief.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency, now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
This article has been updated from “five” to “seven” questions.
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