JD Vance and Tim Walz are set to face off in the vice presidential debate, likely the last major debate for the vice presidential or presidential candidates of the election cycle.
The match-up between the Republican senator from Ohio and Democratic Minnesota governor comes three weeks after the presidential debate between nominees Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
While it’ll be their first time taking the stage together, both Vance and Walz have already taken swings at their opponents.
Walz was first launched into internet virality — even before Harris picked him to be her running mate — for calling Trump and Vance, and Republicans in general, “weird” during an interview on MSNBC in July. The insult took off and became a line of attack for Democrats, to which Trump responded “they’re the weird ones,” and “I’m a lot of things, but weird I’m not.”
Vance, on the other hand, has gone after his counterpart’s military history, prompting a barrage of Republican attacks after he accused Walz of “stolen valor” over the timing of his retirement from the military. Walz has defended his military record, saying it “speaks for itself.”
Both midwesterners agreed to the debate in early August. Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer is playing Walz during Vance’s preparation sessions, while Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is standing in for Vance during Walz’s preparation sessions.
Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming event.
When is the debate?
The debate will kick off on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m. ET. and run for 90 minutes with two four-minute commercial breaks.
Where is the debate?
CBS is holding the debate at their CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
Who is moderating the debate?
CBS’ “Evening News” host Norah O’Donnell and “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan will moderate the vice presidential debate.
Both O’Donnell and Brennan were moderators in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary debate. Neither has previously moderated a presidential or vice presidential debate.
How can I watch the debate?
CBS will broadcast and livestream the debate on all platforms where CBS News 24/7 and Paramount+ are available. It will also be made available to simulcast, according to the network.
A livestream of the debate will be available at POLITICO.com.
What are the debate rules?
Vance and Walz will have two minutes to answer a question, two minutes to respond to the other’s answer, and then one minute for a rebuttal.
Their microphones will be hot for the duration of the debate — unlike Trump’s debates with Harris and President Joe Biden this year, when a candidate was muted during their opponent’s turn to speak — but CBS reserves the right to mute them, the network said Friday.
Each candidate will have two minutes for their closing statement. Vance won the Thursday coin toss to determine the order for closing statements, CBS said, and opted to go last to get the final word. There will be no opening statements.
Candidates may not interact with their campaign staffers during the breaks, nor are they allowed to have pre-written notes with them. They will be given a pen and paper on stage.
Will the candidates be seated?
Vance and Walz will both stand behind podiums during Tuesday’s debate. It’s a departure from recent vice presidential debate history — candidates have been seated during the face-offs in all but one debate since 2000.
Walz will stand at the podium to the right of viewers’ screens, and Vance on the left.
Will there be a live audience?
Like this year’s presidential debates, there will be no live audience in the studio. This is also a departure from most past vice presidential debates — including the 2020 debate, which had a small, socially distant audience due to the pandemic.
Will there be more debates?
It doesn’t look that way. Vice presidential candidates typically only debate once before an election, though Vance challenged Walz to a second debate earlier in September that never materialized.
Trump has declined to participate in a second debate with Harris, after the vice president challenged him to a rematch. Harris said “we owe it to the voters” to hold another debate after her strong performance during their face-off earlier this month, but Trump rebutted that “it’s too late,” arguing that his June debate with Biden already made two debates for him — the norm for presidential debates during most elections — and the fact that early voting has already started in some states.
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