In the days leading up to Tuesday’s debate, Democrats went out of their way to say they were nervous about how Gov. Tim Walz would perform. It was an obvious effort to lower expectations in the hopes Walz would beat the gloomy forecasts and thus look like an upset winner.
They didn’t lower expectations far enough. Walz had occasional moments of clarity, but he spent most of the night giving rambling answers that filled the allotted time without reaching a clear conclusion. The only thing he won was finishing first in the number of non-sequiturs.
Voters looking for a point where they could say “aha, that’s what the policy would be” had to be frustrated. I know I was. What’s the frequency, Tim? His opponent, Republican Sen.
JD Vance, was by far the smarter, more thoughtful and more organized thinker on the stage. His tone was pleasantly even, whether he was defending Donald Trump or attacking Kamala Harris. Because VP debates are largely seen as referendums on the presidential nominees, Vance’s performance was a boost for Trump and the GOP ticket.
Walz, on the other hand, added to doubts about his readiness to serve , and thus was a minus for Harris. The difference in temperament was so stark that Walz at times looked bug-eyed as he speed-talked his way through answers that often veered off course, as if his brain couldn’t keep up with his mouth. “I’ve become friends with school shooters,” he said during an answer on school safety.
“I’m a knucklehead a.