The Only Question That Mattered in the Debate

Will Saletan: “In Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, JD Vance and Tim Walz covered lots of issues: inflation, housing, guns, abortion, immigration, health care, and much more.”

“But there was only one question on which the vice presidency—the job for which these two men are competing—really matters. That question was whether they would certify the results of the next presidential election. And on that subject, Vance gave a non-answer that instantly disqualifies him: He refused to acknowledge that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.”

Playbook: “While millions of Americans watched last night’s debate, many millions more didn’t — and their impressions of the two would-be veeps are going to be shaped by short clips of the action that are going to be shared widely online and on TV coverage over the coming days.”

“It’s hard to see any one moment going more viral then when Walz pressed Vance on the 2020 election with a simple question: Who won? ‘Tim, I’m focused on the future,’ he said in reply — prompting Walz to call it a ‘damning nonanswer.'”