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JD Vance, Tim Walz battle over abortion rights, border

Marina Pitofsky
, 
Francesca Chambers
, 
Rachel Barber
, 
Sudiksha Kochi
, 
Savannah Kuchar
, 
Joey Garrison
, 
Haley BeMiller
, 
David Jackson
, 
Sam Woodward
, 
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
, 
Rebecca Morin
, 
Karissa Waddick
, 
Zac Anderson
, 
Riley Beggin
 
USA TODAY

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Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz faced off on the debate stage Tuesday, laying out their pitches to voters across the country in the final stretch of the 2024 election.

The vice presidential picks kicked off the debate by talking about America’s role in crises in the Middle East and how the nation should address issues like immigration, inflation and abortion rights. They also explained how they would try to lower housing prices and reduce gun violence in schools if elected.

The Ohio senator and Minnesota governor actually agreed at several moments in the debate, particularly as they discussed the need to make childcare more accessible for families from coast to coast. But their sharpest disagreement came as they were asked about democracy and the deadly Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

Catch up with the USA TODAY Network’s latest updates.

Vice presidential debate fact check: What Tim Walz, JD Vance get right (and wrong)

Blame it on the nerves

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, addressed Tim Walz’s misstep when he talked about gun violence in schools. The governor said on the debate stage “I’ve become friends with school shooters,” but he appeared to mean that he has become friends with victims of school shootings and their families.

“I think that when you’re talking about someone who is trained in this space, such as JD Vance, and you’re talking about someone who’s not necessarily trained in this space, this was a nerve wracking thing,” she told reporters in the spin room.

She added: “When you think about it, especially coming in as the Democratic nominee, we know that there was a complete shift of our ticket after a debate, that’s a lot of pressure. And so, I mean, I think that, you know, the average person who knows that he didn’t become friends with school shooters — half of them have been killed — but nevertheless, I mean, I know that they know that it was a mistake, and I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

− Sam Woodward

Vance calls for “new direction” in America in closing statement 

Vance in his closing statement blamed Harris for increased costs, crime and drug trafficking. He proceeded to hit the vice president, again, for not making the policy changes she’s campaigning on now. “Her policies have made these problems worse,” he charged.

“We need change. We need a new direction. We need a president who has already done this once before and did it well,” he said.

Vance ended on a more optimistic tone, saying that regardless of who Americans vote for, “I’m so proud to be doing this, and I’m rooting for you.”

– Francesca Chambers

Walz ends on the ‘politics of joy’

Walz closed by talking about Vice President Kamala Harris’ wide coalition, from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. to former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney and pop star Taylor Swift.

“They don’t all agree on everything but they are truly optimistic people,” he said. 

He argued Harris is bringing “the sense of optimism” that there can be an economy that works for everybody and “freedom really means something.” Vance, he said, made it clear he would stand with Donald Trump’s agenda. 

Harris is “bringing us a politics of joy,” he said. “She’s bringing real solutions to the middle class. And she’s centering you at the heart of that.”

– Riley Beggin

Walz says paid family leave would ‘enhance’ workforce

Tim Walz said paid family and medical leave would help bring growth to the United States. 

Walz said leaders have to make it easier for people to get into child care businesses and to make it affordable for people who need to pay for family care.

“We’re still in crisis on this,” Walz said.

“A federal program of paid family medical leave and help with this will enhance our workforce, enhance our families, and make it easier to have the children that you want,” Walz said.

− Rebecca Morin

Vance, Walz clash about threats to democracy

JD Vance really didn’t answer a question about Trump’s ongoing protests of the 2020 election and the subsequent Jan. 6 near-insurrection − and did not answer Walz’s direct question about whether Trump really lost the 2020 election.

Instead, Vance said Republicans want to focus on “the future,” and accused the Democrats of seeking to censor free speech of people who have criticized the election system. Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election were rejected by courts across the country.

Walz replied that the threat to democracy is real, and Trump backers wanted to hang then-Vice President Mike Pence and overthrow the 2020 election. He alleged Trump and his allies are “laying the ground work” for more protests and an another attempted overthrow if they lose this election.

“That is a damning non-answer,” Walz told Vance.

“This has got to stop,” Walz added. “It’s tearing our country apart.”

−David Jackson

Vance says more child care options should be available for American families

JD Vance said there is a “bipartisan solution” for paid family and medical leave. Vance laid out how he believes that there should be a family care model “that makes choice possible” – something that Walz seemingly shook his head in agreement with. But Walz stopped agreeing after Vance criticized Harris’ approach to the issue.

Vance said federal funding for how child care is promoted should be considered, including for families who seek child care at churches or with neighbors.

“One of the biggest complaints I hear from young families is people who feel like they don’t have options, like they’re choosing between going to work or taking care for their kids, that is an incredible burden to put on American families,” Vance said. “We’re the only country that does it. I think we can do a heck of a lot better.”

− Rebecca Morin

Vance defends Trump over ‘concepts’ of a health care plan

JD Vance defended running mate Donald Trump’s answer on health care from the last debate when asked about Trump’s widely-panned remark that he had the “concepts” of a healthcare plan to replace the Affordable Care Act.

“You’re not going to propose a 900-page bill standing on a debate stage. It would bore everybody to tears,” Vance said.

He said it also wouldn’t mean anything if Trump had because there would be a debate in Congress over any proposed legislation. Vance pledged in the answer that Republicans would continue to cover people with preexisting conditions.

Tim Walz, a former teacher, said that Trump’s health care answer “cracked me up,” because “my kids would have never given me that.”

– Francesca Chambers

JD Vance and Tim Walz almost found common ground on one key issue: curbing mass shootings. While both said more needs to be done to protect Americans from mass shootings, both outlined different policies to do so.

Vance, who has three children, said a lot of kids are going to experience the terrible epidemic of gun violence. 

“Our hearts go out to the families that are affected by this terrible stuff, and we do have to do better,” Vance said, before blaming higher amounts of illegal guns in the country because of smuggling at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

He advocated for more security in schools, saying doors and windows should be stronger. “I think we’ve got to have some common sense, bipartisan solutions for how to do that,” Vance said.

− Rebecca Morin

Walz said he and Harris “understand” the Second Amendment and are not trying to take firearms away from Americans. He added that in Minnesota he helped enhance background checks, and noted that there are “reasonable things” that the government can do to curb mass shootings.

But Walz criticized Vance’s suggestion of increasing security at schools. 

“Do you want your schools hardened to look like a fort? Is that what we have to go when we know there’s countries around the world that their children aren’t practicing these types of drills?” Walz said. “They’re being kids. We owe it to them to get a fix.” 

When asked about supporting an assault weapons ban, Walz said he now supported it after meeting with families of victims of school shootings. He misspoke by saying he became “friends with school shooters” after highlighting how he met with families of Sandy Hook victims. 

“I think there’s a capacity to find solutions on this that work,” Walz said. “Protect the Second Amendment, protect our children. That’s our priority.”

− Rebecca Morin

Vance wants to “earn people’s trust” on abortion issue

The GOP has a trust problem when it comes to the issue of abortion, Vance conceded Tuesday. Vance cited the story of a woman who is “very dear to me” who told him “a couple years ago that she felt like if she hadn’t had that abortion that it would have destroyed her life because she was in an abusive relationship.”

“I think that what I take from that as a Republican who proudly wants to protect innocent life in this country, who proudly wants to protect the vulnerable, is that my party we’ve got to do so much better of a job at earning the American people’s trust back on this issue, where they frankly just don’t trust us,” Vance said.

He went on to argue that he and Trump are doing that by promoting pro-family policies, such as fertility treatments and helping families financially. He also defended Trump’s position that abortion regulation should be left up to the states.

Walz said that leaving abortion up to the states has put pregnant women at risk, citing the case of Amber Thurman, a Georgia woman who died after a long delay in getting a procedure to clear fetal tissue from her body that hadn’t been fully expelled after she took abortion bills, according to ProPublica. A medical panel ruled Thurman’s death was “preventable.”

Walz said Thurman’s death is the result of a basic right being “determined by geography.”

“I agree with you Amber Thurman should still be alive,” Vance said.

−Zac Anderson

During the debate, Donald Trump said he “would not support a federal abortion ban” and that he would veto a national abortion ban if he’s elected to a second term.

“IT IS UP TO THE STATES TO DECIDE BASED ON THE WILL OF THEIR VOTERS,” Trump said in an all-caps post on X.

Trump has previously said he supports states setting their own abortion rights or restrictions, but his ticket hasn’t been clear about whether a Trump-Vance administration would block an abortion ban passed by Congress.

Walz and other Democrats question that, saying Trump would placate his anti-abortion base if he gets back in the White House.

− David Jackson and Marina Pitofsky

Who’s winning the debate? We’re more than halfway home

Half-time is over at the 90-minute debate. Vance has had a more confident debate performance so far, but both nominees have laid out their ticket’s priorities.

The CBS moderators kicked off the second half with a question about gun violence.

−David Jackson and Marina Pitofsky

Vance: I was wrong to call Trump ‘America’s Hitler’

Once again, Vance apologized for his past attacks on Trump, including a claim that the then-2016 Republican candidate might become “America’s Hitler.”

“I was wrong about Donald Trump,” Vance said, arguing that he “delivered for the American people” during his term in office.

As for more recent criticism that has just been unearthed, Vance said the Trump administration did not do everything perfectly, and he hopes to help change that.

− David Jackson

Vance says some of Harris’ economic plan ‘sounds pretty good,’ but says Americans should question her trustworthiness

JD Vance said that some of Harris’ economic plans “sounds pretty good” – but she could have enacted those plans if she wanted to as vice president.

“If Kamala Harris has such great plans for how to address middle class problems, then she ought to do them now, not when asking for a promotion,” he said. “The fact that she isn’t, tells you about how much you can trust her actual plans.”

Walz began the back and forth by saying that he and Harris’ proposal to give families with newborns a $6,000 tax credit and their agenda to provide entrepreneurs with up to $50,000 to start small businesses is a “philosophical difference” between the two presidential campaigns. 

“He took folks to Mar-a-Lago, said you’re rich as hell, I’m going to give you a tax cut,” he charged.

He then hit Trump for the up to 20% in tariffs the Republican has said he’d impose on imported goods, which he referred to a sales tax on the American people.

Later in the debate, Vance slapped back, noting that Biden had continued some of the Trump-era tariffs. 

“It’s the one issue where Kamala Harris has run away from Joe Biden’s record,” Vance jabbed.

– Francesca Chambers

Walz calls himself a ‘knucklehead,’ said he ‘misspoke’ on Tiananmen claim

Tim Walz has said he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in the spring of 1989. Recently unearthed news reports contradict that, indicating that he was still in Nebraska and headed to China to teach high school in August 1989.

Asked about that contradiction, Walz stumbled over his answer, saying he “misspoke” and that he has been “a knucklehead at times.”

“I can get caught up in the rhetoric,” he said. 

Walz has repeated the claim for years, beginning a decade ago during a congressional hearing and as recently as February.

– Riley Beggin

Walz slams Vance for baseless rumors of Haitian migrants eating pets: ‘There’s consequences’

Tim Walz criticized JD Vance for spreading baseless rumors that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio were eating pets.

“There’s consequences for this,” Walz said, noting Ohio’s Republican Governor, Mike DeWine, said the claims were untrue. “There’s consequences.”

He accused Vance of demonizing migrants coming to the United States because he does not want to solve immigration issues. There hasn’t been immigration reform since the Reagan administration. 

“I believe Senator Vance wants to solve this, but by standing with Donald Trump and not working together to find a solution, it becomes a talking point, and when it becomes a talking point like this, we dehumanize and villainize other human beings,” Walz said.

− Rebecca Morin

Vance says real family separation policy is ‘Harris’ wide open southern border‘

Former President Donald Trump has pledged to deport millions of people who are in the country illegally. 

Asked whether that plan would involve separating undocumented parents from their children who were born in the U.S., Vance said “the real family separation policy in this country is, unfortunately, Kamala Harris’ wide open southern border.”

He argued that thousands children have been lost by the Department of Homeland Security, some of whom have been used as “drug trafficking mules” or been victim to sex trafficking. A Trump administration deportation policy would target migrants who have committed a crime in addition to crossing the border illegally. 

“And then I think you make it harder for illegal aliens to undercut the wages of American workers,” he said. “A lot of people will go home if they can’t work for less than minimum wage in our own country.”

Walz argued that Republicans do not want to solve the border crisis because they refused to pass a Senate-negotiated bipartisan border bill earlier this year. 

– Riley Beggin

Walz slams Trump for calling climate change a ‘hoax‘

After Hurricane Helene ravaged a large swath of the Southeast U.S., Vance was asked what a Trump administration would do to address climate change, which is contributing to stronger storms.

Helene quickly strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane in the unusually warmer water of the Gulf of Mexico and went on to inflict record storm surge flooding on parts of Florida, and catastrophic flood damage in parts of Georgia and North Carolina.

Vance said climate change is “a very important issue” and that people “are justifiably worried about all these crazy weather patterns.” He added that bringing more manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. would help limit carbon emissions, and accused the Biden-Harris administration of failing to do that.

Walz responded by noting Trump has called climate change a “hoax” and said it would create more beachfront property, a comment he made in an interview with Elon Musk on X this year.

“Climate change is real, reducing our impact is absolutely critical,” Walz said, pointing to clean energy development in America, such as a solar manufacturing plant in Minnesota, where he serves as governor.

− Zac Anderson

In slow debate start, Walz mixes up Israel and Iran

Tim Walz got off to a slow start in the debate, accidentally referring to Iran as Israel and Israel as Iran in his first answer of the night, in response to a question about how he would advise the president if he were the last in the Situation Room on a preemptive strike by Israel against Iran.

“Iran, or I uh, Israel’s ability to be able to defend itself, is fundamental,” he said early in the answer.

Moments later, he said, “But the expansion of Israel and its proxies is an absolute fundamental necessity for the United States” to steady leadership there.

Iran fired more than 200 missiles into Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for the death of Hezbollah commanders and in an escalation of tensions in the region, prompting the query.

Asked the same question, JD Vance argued that Donald Trump brought “stability” to the world that deterred nations such as Iran from attacks.

“It is up to Israel what they think they need to do to keep their country safe, and we should support our allies wherever they are when they’re fighting the bad guys,” he said of a preemptive strike.

– Francesca Chambers

Vance and Walz’s debate, which kicked off at 9 p.m. ET, is expected to last 90 minutes.

− Marina Pitofsky

Walz hits Trump over age

It didn’t take long for Walz to reference Trump’s age − the first response to the first question.

Asked if he would support a pre-emptive strike by Israel on Iran, Walz began talking about the presidential debate and said that “a nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes is not what we need in this moment.”

Trump is actually 78, younger than Joe Biden, but you get the point.

−David Jackson

JD Vance and Tim Walz shook hands at the start of the debate, and the Ohio senator told the Minnesota governor “good to meet you.”

− Marina Pitofsky

Diet Dew advertises ahead of debate

CBS News aired a commercial depicting a worker wheeling a cart of Diet Mountain Dew into what appeared to be the broadcast center where the debate is being held telling others nearby that “they” requested it. At the end of the ad, “The VP debate starts soon” flashed on screen.

Both candidates have expressed their love for the drink on the campaign trail.

− Rachel Barber

Trump questions brain injuries of US soldiers in Iraq

As Vance made final preparations, Trump made headlines by appearing to denigrate military personnel with brain injuries.

During a news conference in Milwaukee, a reporter asked the former president if he should have been tougher on Iran after more than 100 U.S. soldiers reported brain injuries after a 2020 missile strike on Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq.

Trump began his reply by talking about the soldiers rather than Iran.

“First of all, injured?” he said. “What does injured mean? Injured means, because they had a headache? Because the bombs never hit the fort?”

−David Jackson

What happened during the Trump-Harris debate? 

Harris and Trump met for the first time during ABC News’ Sept. 10 debate. A national poll by the outlet found that 58% of Americans thought Harris won the debate in comparison to the 36% who felt she lost to Trump. 

The pair shook hands when they walked out stage, but quickly began sparring over Project 2025 and who presents a threat to democracy. 

Memorable moments from the first debate included Harris defending abortion access and Trump pushing false claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. 

– Rachel Barber 

Pete Buttigieg, Tom Emmer step in for Tim Walz and JD Vance debate prep 

Tim Walz and JD Vance have been prepping for tonight’s debate with the help of some high-profile figures.  

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg helped out Walz by acting as Vance during mock debates and practice. It wasn’t his first time acting as a Republican vice presidential contender, either. Buttigieg played former Vice President Mike Pence during debate prep for Kamala Harris back in 2016.  

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-M.N., stood in as Walz, his fellow Minnesotan, for Vance’s debate preparation sessions.  

– Karissa Waddick 

Donald Trump: JD Vance is ‘a warrior’

Donald Trump gave a pre-debate shout-out to JD Vance, telling reporters in Milwaukee that his running mate will do well because “JD is very much a warrior.”

The former president also said he gave Vance some advice: “I said, ‘JD, have a lot of fun.'”

–David Jackson

Joe Biden to Tim Walz: ‘Coach, I got your back’

President Joe Biden sent a note of support for Gov. Tim Walz ahead of his face-off with Sen. JD Vance for the vice presidential debate.

“Coach, I got your back tonight!” Biden wrote in a post on X. “Tonight, America will see the strong, principled, and effective leader I’ve known for years—and the contrast you and Kamala provide against the other team.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday would not say whether the president will be watching the debate, saying that he will be “very, very busy” as his administration addresses Iran’s attack on Israel and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

“He has complete confidence in Tim Walz,” Jean-Pierre said.

– Rebecca Morin

Foreign policy top of mind after Iran strike

Foreign policy will be front and center during Tuesday’s debate after Iran launched a major missile strike against Israel.

“Unfortunately, it does look like we are getting closer and closer to WWIII,” Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said. “That is not good for anybody, forget your politics or anything else. So, what’s your vision and what’s the strategy around global conflict to bring about world peace?”

Already, Republicans are trying to paint the Biden and Harris administration as culpable for turmoil in the Middle East. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said the attack placed a renewed importance on national security – and she predicted it would be one of the moderators’ first questions.

“That raises the stakes, and it also provides an opportunity for JD Vance to compare the peace through strength, and the peace – specifically in the Middle East – under President Trump, versus this chaos and catastrophe that we’re seeing around the world,” Stefanik said.

– Haley BeMiller

GOP lawmaker criticizes Joe Biden’s response to Helene devastation

Both Walz and Vance are widely expected to address the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene across parts of the Southeast. But another leader, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., criticized President Joe Biden’s leadership ahead of the debate as relief efforts continue.

“I think if there is a concern, the concern is, frankly, is President Biden equipped at this point to lead the federal government at this very perilous time for people in North Carolina and Georgia, in the Panhandle in northern Florida, the Big Bend area and parts of South Carolina and Tennessee? These are serious questions that need to be asked and answered.”

He continued to tell reporters in the spin room: “And I think a key question for the Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris is ‘can Joe Biden do that job, since he’s no longer running for the election?’”– Sam Woodward

Trump changes his mind, turns down ’60 Minutes’ interview

Donald Trump, who has said he will not debate Kamala Harris again, is also passing up another campaign tradition: A pre-election interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

“After initially accepting 60 Minutes’ request for an interview with Scott Pelley, former President Trump’s campaign has decided not to participate,” the CBS program said in a statement posted on the X social media site.

In announcing an interview with Harris to air on Oct. 7, “60 Minutes” said: “For over half a century, 60 Minutes has invited the Democratic and Republican tickets to appear on our broadcast as Americans head to the polls.”

It added that “our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on 60 Minutes stands.”

Asked about the dispute, Trump told reporters in Milwaukee that the program owes him an apology over its coverage of Hunter Biden, particularly materials from his laptop. “I’ve asked them for an apology,” Trump said. “Let’s see if they do it.”

– David Jackson

Teachers show up to support Walz

Gloria Winograd, a music teacher in New York City of 40 years, celebrated the day of her retirement right outside the CBS studio hours before the vice presidential debate.

Winograd, along with a crowd of other teachers who are part of the American Federation of Teachers, gathered around the front of the building in New York City at 4:30 p.m. to show their support for Harris and Walz.

She said she is terrified of Project 2025 and what’s in the document created by a conservative think tank.. “Can you imagine if they get rid of the Department of Education” she said to NorthJersey.com.

The educator, who has been a part of the American Federation of Teachers for decades, thinks Harris and Walz is the best option for teachers because she said they are “reasonable people.” Over 100 people turned out for the teachers’ rally outside the event to chant and listen to speakers. The group started dispersing around 5:15 p.m.

– Lucas Frau

Can JD Vance overcome gender gap among voters?

JD Vance has faced scrutiny for his comments about women and families, including criticism of “childless cat ladies.” But Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., disputed that he’s a liability for the Trump campaign on Tuesday.

“JD Vance has talked about his personal story, about how important women have been in his life,” the lawmaker told reporters in New York. “When it comes to his grandmother to help him set his goals. When it comes to his wife, Usha, who is incredibly well accomplished, graduated top of her class at Yale, is accomplished in her own right.”

Tonight’s debate, Stefanik said, is an “an opportunity to speak directly to the American people about that.”

Recent polls in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Michigan found women overwhelmingly support Harris over Trump. Stefanik said the campaign has an advantage with male voters and is working to close the gender gap.

“I’m a believer, as the highest-ranking woman in Congress that all issues are women’s issues – so economic issues, as well as border issues, as well as issues related to IVF,” she said.

– Haley BeMiller

The candidates’ microphones will remain live during the debate, even when it is their opponent’s turn to speak, CBS News announced. The live microphones mark a departure from ABC News’ debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump whose microphones were muted when they faced off Sept. 10.

Like the presidential debate, CBS News announced that there will be no live audience for the showdown between Vance and Walz. The network also said the candidates will stand for the event although vice-presidential hopefuls typically sit for their debate.

Both will be given two minutes to answer questions they will not receive ahead of time and two minutes to respond. They will each be given the opportunity to make a closing statement. Neither will be allowed pre-written notes or props.

– Rachel Barber and Joey Garrison

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s time in China could be a point of contention during Tuesday’s vice presidential debate in New York, particularly after recent reports alleged that he may have been misleading about being in the East Asian country around the time of the deadly Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests.

Walz has previously stated that he traveled to China for a teaching position in 1989, weeks before the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing. He even recalled his time in the country during a 2014 Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing honoring the 25th anniversary of the protests.

Discrepancies in Walz’s account of his travels arose when the Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news publication, shared conflicting reports placing the governor in Nebraska around the time of the protests.

The Alliance (Neb.) Times-Herald featured a photo of Walz touring a Nebraska National Guard storeroom on May 16, 1989. The photo’s caption says Walz “will take over the job” of staffing the storeroom from a retiring guardsman and “will be moving to Alliance,” Nebraska, CNN reported.

Read more here.

– Jonathan Limehouse

Let’s talk time zones. The vice presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz kicks off at 9 p.m. ET. That’s 8 p.m. CT, 7 p.m. MT and 6 p.m. PT.

– Marina Pitofsky

Who is Tim Walz? What to know about the Minnesota governor

Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate Tim Walz, 60, is Minnesota’s governor.  

The outspoken Midwestern statesman is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party who was elected to run the state in 2018 and won reelection in 2022. 

Walz was born in Nebraska in 1964 and moved to Minnesota in 1996. Before he entered politics, Walz served in the Army National Guard and worked as a high school teacher and football coach. 

A moderate Democrat, he was elected to represent a red Minnesota district in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006. He was the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee for two years and served in the chamber until he was inaugurated governor in 2019. 

– Rachel Barber 

JD Vance is Donald Trump’s running mate and a Republican senator from Ohio. Vance, who served in the Marines, was elected in 2022 with no prior political experience. Still, he has garnered plenty of name recognition from his 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.”  

The book, later turned into a Netflix feature film, detailed Vance’s journey from a childhood riddled by drug addiction and abuse to Ohio State University, and a Yale Law School degree that opened doors for him in Silicon Valley.    

– Rachel Barber and Haley BeMiller  

Trump name-calls Walz in hours before the debate  

Trump’s personal insults against his Democratic rivals hit a new low Monday when he described Walz as a “moron.”

The latest rhetoric from the ex-president – who this past weekend called Harris “mentally impaired” – came as he argued that tonight’s debate will be “rigged” against his running mate, Vance.

Trump has long attacked Walz for his description of him and Vance: “Weird.”

– David Jackson

Calm before the storm

Hours before JD Vance and Tim Walz are set to go head-to-head in their only scheduled debate, a small number of protestors lined the sidewalk out of CBS Studios in New York City. Around 40 pro-Harris demonstrators gathered holding signs and chanting for the vice president and the Minnesota governor.

Down the block, a handful of pro-Trump supporters stood with signs and flags, including the Israeli flag and calling for peace in the Middle East. 

A police and security presence is growing as the clock ticks to 9 p.m. ET and politicians head to the Manhattan studio to defend their party’s VP pick.

– Sam Woodward

JD Vance’s criticisms of professional women – as childless cat ladies or “miserable” women who prioritize career over children – might suggest his own spouse would be a model traditional housewife.

Instead, Usha Vance is a model high-achieving child of Indian immigrants.

Usha Vance was one of the top students at Yale Law School (according to classmates) where she met her future husband, JD, now the junior senator from Ohio and Donald Trump’s running mate. She held prestigious clerkships and worked as a corporate litigator for a white-shoe firm until July.

But Usha Vance is also a bit of an enigma to those who have followed her evolution from registered Democrat to reportedly believing Trump was responsible for inciting the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, to now potentially becoming the second lady.

Read more here.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Who are the debate moderators? 

“CBS Evening News” managing editor and anchor Norah O’Donnell, and “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan will moderate Tuesday’s debate. Brennan is also the network’s chief foreign affairs correspondent.   

– Rachel Barber 

Pre-debate, former presidents wish Jimmy Carter a happy 100th birthday

As they wait for the vice presidential debate, political observers across the world are pausing to honor former President Jimmy Carter on his 100th birthday – including most of his living successors.

The Carter Center, which has been posting video tributes to the 39th president all day, included statements by former Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

“Mr. President, you’ve always been a moral force for our nation and the world,” Biden said in a video featuring excerpts from ex-presidents – most of them.

Not appearing in the video: Donald Trump.

– David Jackson

Can I watch the debate without cable? Livestream options. 

Those without cable, can stream the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate Simulcast,” online using CBS News 24/7 and Paramount+.  Viewers can also watch the event live on USA TODAY’s YouTube channel. 

– Rachel Barber 

More than two decades before he was a vice-presidential candidate, JD Vance was a cashier in Ohio at Middletown’s Dillman Foods.

Vance’s stint as a 17-year-old grocery clerk influenced his political views. He wrote in “Hillbilly Elegy” that observing the habits of rich and poor shoppers and seeing how people “gamed the welfare system” with food stamps first made him realize liberal policies “weren’t all they were cracked up to be.”

Steve Dillman, Vance’s boss at the grocery store, said Vance was a quiet, nice, typical teenager. When asked how he thinks Vance will perform in tonight’s debate, he told The Enquirer: “I think he’ll do well.”

“He was a neighbor kid from a neighbor family,” said Dillman, who knew Vance’s grandparents. “He was a good employee. He was honest. He was dependable. He was always in a good mood. He was, fortunately for me, someone I didn’t have to babysit.”

– Victoria Moorwood

B-I-N-G-O! Play along with tonight’s debate 

USA TODAY debate bingo is back, with cards for tonight’s vice-presidential face off. The rules are simple and classic:  

  • Each person playing receives a card, chock full of issues and topics the candidates may mention while on stage 
  • Once Vance or Walz makes a reference, cross off the square containing that term  
  • The first to reach five squares in a row, vertically, horizontally or diagonally, wins! 

Download or print the cards here. 

– Savannah Kuchar and Fernando Cervantes Jr. 

The debate is scheduled to take place at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.

– Gabe Hauari

How to watch Vance, Walz debate 

The vice presidential debate will air in full on CBS News. Other outlets including C-Span, PBS News, and Fox News will also broadcast the event. You can follow along with USA TODAY here.

– Rachel Barber 

JD Vance is expected to take a page from Donald Trump and appear in the spin room after Tuesday’s debate, according to the Trump campaign. Also appearing on Vance’s behalf Tuesday:

  • Donald Trump Jr.
  • Trump adviser Jason Miller
  • Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton
  • Alabama Sen. Katie Britt
  • Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York
  • Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida
  • Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, who was appointed as co-chair of Trump’s transition team should he win in November.— Haley BeMiller

According to the Harris-Walz campaign, the following people will be in the spin room for Walz:

  • Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
  • Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona
  • Governor Jared Polis of Colorado
  • Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois
  • U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas
  • Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison
  • Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico

– Joey Garrison

Climate activists associated with the Sunrise Movement, an organization that advocates for political action on climate change, protested outside the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City ahead of the debate.

The Sunrise Movement posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the young people were “protesting to demand tonight’s VP debate include a question about climate change and Hurricane Helene.”

The Sunrise Movement shared on X that police were arresting the climate activists. It is unclear how many activists were arrested. 

– Sudiksha Kochi

Kamala Harris narrowly leads Donald Trump in most national and swing state polls. The results, however, are close enough that the race remains a virtual toss-up.

The latest Real Clear Politics Average of national polls showed Harris ahead of Trump by just 2 points.

– Karissa Waddick

CBS News is hosting the VP debate. The outlet originally proposed four dates to the candidates. Both accepted the invitation to debate Oct. 1.

– Rachel Barber

Vance and Walz are set to take the stage at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday. Before they face off, here’s what to know. 

– Savannah Kuchar

Tuesday’s debate comes days after Hurricane Helene made landfall, wreaking havoc in the Southeastern states, with many Appalachian residents still in the process of recovery. 

Helene’s death toll reached at least 100 on Monday, and hundreds of people are still missing. As of this morning, 1.5 million homes remain without power. 

Trump made a visit to Valdosta, Georgia, Monday, and Biden is expected to travel to hard-hit North Carolina on Wednesday.

Walz said Monday he had been in touch with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and “our hearts are just breaking.” Vance and Walz may also address the disaster while on stage tonight. 

Also on Tuesday, hours before the candidates are set to take the stage in New York, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel.  

The attack follows Israel’s aggressive airstrikes and limited ground raids against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. 

– Savannah Kuchar

Vance and Walz are expected to face off in New York in what could be one of the most high-stakes VP debates in history – and both candidates are taking their prep very seriously.

Walz has been focusing on cross-country campaigning while the governor and core staff have been informally prepping for the debate between stops. Formal work started this past week, with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg playing Vance during mock sessions, according to a source familiar with their efforts.

Walz took a walk through downtown Petoskey on Monday and toured several local stores with his wife and daughter as a short break from debate prep.

House Republican Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., has played Walz during mock sessions with Vance, according to ABC News.

“I’ve known Tim probably since he was first elected almost 20 years ago, and I worked with him directly for four years, I spent the last month just going back, all of his old stuff, to get his phrases down, his mannerisms, that sort of thing,” Emmer said in an interview with “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. “My job was to be able to play Tim Walz so JD Vance knows what he’s going to see.”

– Sudiksha Kochi, Sam Woodward and Karly Graham

The Vance-Walz debate will draw a ton of running commentary on social media, including from one particularly biased source: Trump.

“I will be doing a personal PLAY BY PLAY of the Debate,” Trump said on his Truth Social account, though he made clear he’s already decided the winner.

Trump cast the contest as one between the “Brilliant” Vance and the “Highly Inarticulate” Walz.

– David Jackson

What time will Vance and Walz debate?  

The debate between the Ohio senator and Minnesota governor is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET on Oct. 1. CBS is hosting the showdown.

– Marina Pitofsky 

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