Debate between Vance and Walz: The most important takeaways from the duel of the vice presidential candidates

Her questions touched on familiar Democratic priorities (climate change, abortion) and she largely avoided topics that could have played well for Vance, such as crime. O'Donnell contradicted the senator because Trump had previously called climate change a “hoax,” then baselessly claimed that “the overwhelming consensus is that the climate is changing.”

Walz repeats what doctors call “fear-mongering” lies about abortion and death in Georgia

In addition, the two women intervened more than once to question an answer from Vance, despite having stated that they would not fact-check the candidates, while they only did so once with Walz.

Unfortunately for the governor of Minnesota, that one probing question was disastrous. When asked why he falsely claimed to have been in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, Walz launched into a word salad that would have made Kamala Harris proud, recounting his travel experiences in China. When asked why he told the truth, Walz again replied that he missed and appeared stunned. In fact, he was caught in a lie. Since he has a history of spreading falsehoods about his past and particularly his military rank, this was not helpful.

Vance, like Walz, was destined to make the case for his vice president, and he did. During the presidential debate, when the moderators and Walz mocked Trump's claim that he had the “concept of a plan” for health care, Vance said that Trump didn't have a plan – he had a record. He recalled more than once during the evening that inflation was low during Trump's presidency, the border was closed and the world was at peace.

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When moderator Margaret Brennan pressed Vance to explain why Trump abandoned the Iran nuclear deal, allegedly allowing the terrorist state to accelerate its efforts to build a nuclear weapon, Vance noted that Harris and Biden have been in office for more than three years be charging. He rightly pointed out that they helped restore Iran's ability to wage war by not enforcing Trump sanctions, allowing the mullahs to increase their income by $100 billion. Since Iran had just attacked Israel with 180 missiles, Vance's reference to the Reagan-Trump doctrine of peace through strength was well received.

While Walz reiterated Harris' vague promises to improve life for middle-class families, Vance reminded the audience that take-home wages had risen and inflation was low under Trump, while under Harris prices of everything from groceries to… to housing, had shot up by more than 30 percent 20%. When Walz claimed that economists favored Harris' plan over Trump's, Vance responded that Trump didn't have graduate students on his team, he had common sense.

As Walz accused Trump of wanting to impose tariffs on imports that would serve as a new tax on Americans, Vance congratulated President Joe Biden for maintaining the former president's tariffs on China, defusing the problem.

During the nearly two-hour debate, Vance repeatedly asked the most important question that Trump also asked during his debate. Harris has been in the White House for three and a half years – why hasn't she pushed forward the policies that she now claims will solve the nation's problems?

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Vance clearly won the border argument, pointing out that Harris had bragged for three years about reversing all restrictions put in place by Trump. When Brennan challenged Vance about how Trump would handle separating families while conducting deportations, Vance pointed to the horrific report that the Department of Homeland Security had lost track of more than 320,000 children brought illegally across the border – a damning one and heartbreaking situation that resulted from Harris' open border.

Not surprisingly, the abortion debate became heated. Vance criticized the Minnesota law signed by Walz that does not require doctors to do everything necessary to care for a baby who survives a late-term abortion. Walz disputed the characterization, but Vance is right. Walz, meanwhile, accused Vance of previously supporting a 15-week statewide abortion ban. Vance said he shared Trump's view that regulation now rests with the states.

The candidates argued on other issues and made the expected swipes at their fellow candidates, but both maintained their composure and even agreed that they could probably find common ground on some issues, such as school safety. Particularly given the Harris-Walz strategy of evading scrutiny and attempting to hide their progressive agendas, it was an unusually useful event for American voters.

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The winner of the night was without a doubt JD Vance. Will it matter? Finally, many argue that no one votes for the vice president. But voters are telling pollsters they don't know enough about Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

Now they know more and based on Tuesday night's performance, Vance may have won some people over. Since the race is dead, everything matters.

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