The contest between J.D. Vance and Tim Walz wasn’t much of a brawl; in fact it was often quite cordial.
But the vice presidential debate created a stark, and revealing, contrast between a slick lawyer who pretends to be a hillbilly against a self-admitted “knucklehead” who lacks polish but wants to keep the government out of your bedroom. The pivotal moment in Tuesday night’s debate came late in the contest, when the questioning shifted to Jan. 6 and Trump’s effort to overthrow the results of the last election.
In a rare direct exchange, Walz challenged Vance to contradict Trump: “Did he lose the 2020 election?” Vance did not answer. He visibly could not answer. So he deflected.
“Tim, I’m focused on the future,” Vance said, lurching instead into an non-sequitur attack on Covid-era censorship. Walz interjected: “That is a damning non answer.” The moment underscored that Vance, for his evident debating polish, was tailoring his messaging to an audience of one, a man who can’t handle the truth of 2020.
In that moment, Vance was revealed as a callow politician and coward. “America,” Walz warned, looking directly into the camera. “I think you’ve got a really clear choice on this election of who’s going to honor that democracy, and who is going to honor Donald Trump.
” The vice presidential debate may not move the needle on the election — VP debates rarely do. But the debate showcased wildly different men in both style and substance. Walz spok.