Trump’s MAGA policies sound a whole lot better when Vance is talking about them, rather than when they come from the man himself.
The first and only debate between the vice presidential nominees, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was the first chance for Americans to hear both discuss the differences between their campaigns. It also showed the difference between Vance and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Unlike the debates between the former president and Vice President Kamala Harris, Tuesday’s debate was without question one of the smoothest we’ve had in years (with some slight outbursts on immigration).
It was a rare moment when politicians did not widely attack each other.
However, my biggest takeaway is that I was wrong about Vance. After his selection as Trump’s running mate, I argued that Vance was a weak choice for Republicans. But while I remain far from the senator’s biggest fan, he proved he can effectively blend Trump’s political record with actual policy points. Vance was a better advocate for Trump than Trump himself
Vance had a great debate.
With the exception of one major point of contention with the moderators, whom he called out for fact-checking him despite their promise not to do so, Vance came off as a competent version of Trump, devoid of the typical outbursts characteristic of a Trump debate.
The Ohio senator was chosen as a VP candidate to strongly advocate for Trump and MAGA. Despite his political inexperience, there was no doubt Vance could be a talented speaker. Tuesday’s debate reinforced that potential.
