One thing became painfully clear during the debate between vice presidential candidates J.D. Vance and : Donald Trump has ruined our expectations of political debates forever.
Where were the wild accusations about canine-eating migrants? The nasty insults and onstage stalking? The not-so-veiled references to penis size? They were nowhere to be found in this event which, yes, was a little bit boring. Instead, there were substantive discussions about real issues and, for the most part, genuine civility between the combatants. You could feel America tuning out about halfway through.
Which is a shame, because it means many people probably missed Walz at his best in the final minutes. The Minnesota governor had a rough start, his obvious nervousness manifest in his overly rushed speaking style, misspoken words and awkward facial expressions. The more telegenic Vance demonstrated his considerable media experience with his smooth delivery and unruffled manner.
Not to mention by answering the first question, about the current conflict in the Middle East, with what was essentially a dramatic reading from . Yes, this was a kindler, gentler Vance, not the rabid attack dog so visible on the campaign trail. He was gracious and empathetic, at one point saying, “Honestly, Tim, I think you’ve got a tough job here.
You’ve got to play Whac-A-Mole.” Referring to the immigration issue, he gently told Walz, “I think you want to solve the problem, but I don’t think Kamala Harris does.�.