Walz-Vance debate updates: Candidates pressed on Iran attack on Israel

(NEW YORK) — The vice-presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance could prove to be a major factor in the presidential election — given how close the race is and its potential impact with undecided voters.

The 90-minute CBS News showdown starts at 9 p.m. ET in New York City. ABC News Digital will live blog throughout the day and evening, pre-debate coverage will air at 8 p.m. on the ABC network and stream on ABC News Live — followed by the debate itself and post-debate analysis.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Vance’s Appalachia controversy

Vance often evokes his personal connections to Appalachia, as he did just now talking about Hurricane Helene’s devastation of the region. But there’s more than a bit of controversy over this. While his grandparents were from Southeastern Kentucky, Vance himself grew up in Middletown, Ohio, as was the subject of his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.” Middletown itself is a small city of about 50,000 between Cincinnati and Dayton, far from Appalachia.

For his part, Walz was born in a small town in Nebraska — West Point, a town of about 3,500 — and has spent most of his career representing or living in the Midwest.

—538’s Monica Potts

Walz defends Harris’ immigration record

In response to Vance’s criticism of Harris’ immigration policy, Walz brought up the fact that Congress had a plan to address the migrant issue before Trump pushed Republicans to drop their support.

“Pass the bill, she’ll sign it,” Walz said.

Claim: Walz: ‘The person closest … to Donald Trump, said he is unfit for the highest office. That is Senator Vance.’

Fact Check: True

Vance has shifted his view toward President Trump since he first rose to prominence. Early in his career, Vance made a number of comments that were disparaging toward Trump. The specific comment that Walz seems to be referencing here is from a 2016 New York Times op-ed written by Vance ahead of the release of his book “Hillbilly Elegy.” In the op-ed, Vance wrote that “Mr. Trump is unfit for our nation’s highest office.” In years since the op-ed was published, Vance has said his views on Trump changed.

—Allison Pecorin

Vance pressed on mass deportation plans

Vance was pressed on his proposal to mass deport immigrants.

The senator argued that it was time to “stop the bleeding” contending Harris’ policies have allowed for more criminal activity.

He maintained that the first deportations should be those with criminal histories and the country should go back to Trump’s border policies.

Vance, Walz offer contrasting views on climate change when questioned on Hurricane Helene

Asked about climate change’s role in extreme weather amidst the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Vance said Trump supports clean air and water, but expressed skepticism carbon emissions play a role in such weather events.

Vance’s comments come one day after Trump bluntly denied any connection between climate change and the devastating storm.

Walz, meanwhile, emphatically said during his response: “Climate change is real.”

Candidates pressed on Iran attack on Israel

Both candidates were pressed in the first question on whether they’d support a preemptive Israeli strike on Iran if it was determined that Tehran had secured a nuclear weapon.

Walz started off shaky, at one point confusing Israel and Iran but declaring that Harris would provide “steady leadership” while noting that at the first presidential debate, “80-year-old Donald Trump” was “talking about crowd sizes.”

Vance began by rattling off his biography before saying that “Donald Trump actually delivered stability in the world” by creating “deterrence” and “peace through strength.”

Walz responded that Trump’s “fickle leadership” helped Iran get near a weapon by backing out of a U.S.-led nuclear deal and that “we need the steady leadership that Kamala Harris is providing.”

Walz, Vance shake hands before debate begins

Walz and Vance shook hands before the debate started.

There was no handshake during the last vice presidential debate because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Candidates take the stage

Vance and Walz started at their podiums for tonight’s debate, so far the only scheduled matchup between the two vice presidential nominees.

Tonight’s viewers have largely already made up their mind

Debates are big deals, and it’s tempting to treat tonight like a potential game-changer in the campaign. But the reality is, most people who are planning to watch tonight aren’t still candidate-shopping. A YouGov/CBS News poll from late last week asked people who were planning to watch the debate why they were planning to do so; 71% said to root for their party’s candidate and 61% said to see if the other side made a mistake. Only 24% said to help them decide who to vote for.

—538’s Nathaniel Rakich

‘It’s game time’: Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris gave her running mate a good luck sendoff in a post on X less than 10 minutes before the debate started.

“@TimWalz, it’s game time,” she said. “I am excited for the country to see you in action.”

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim_

Springfield voters want ‘fewer memes, more solutions’ from the campaigns

The Ohio town was at the center of a political firestorm after Vance and Trump amplified false claims that Haitian migrants were eating people’s pets.

Voters there told ABC News’ Terry Moran what they want to hear from both campaigns in these final weeks of the race.

“They know the city is on a recovering path,” Moran said. “What they want is practical, pragmatic solutions to the problems they face. If there are going to be immigrants in this community that don’t speak the language, they need more help with the translation. They need more resources for primary care, for school teachers.”

“They want to hear fewer memes, more solutions.”

Read more about what unfolded in Springfield and Vance’s false claims about the migrants there.

Trump’s advice to Vance: ‘Have fun’

Former President Trump said he told his running mate to “have fun” ahead of tonight’s debate.

“He’s a smart guy. He’s been amazing. He’s been a real warrior,” Trump said of Vance during a campaign event in Milwaukee.

Gwen Walz sends husband well-wishes before debate

Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz sent her husband well-wishes in a post on X prior to the debate.

“Tim has always held true to the values he grew up with: loving your country, helping your neighbor, and fighting for what’s right.” she wrote.

“We’re so proud of you, Tim.”

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Walz and Vance backgrounds will be on display

Vance, at 40, is the first millennial on a major party ticket and has only been a politician for two years. He was elected to the Senate in 2022.

Walz, who is 60, has been in government for decades. He successfully ran for Congress in 2005 and served for six terms. He became the governor of Minnesota in 2018 and was reelected in 2022.

Still, some commonalities exist: both are military veterans and they each bring Midwest bona fides to their respective tickets.

Vance arrives at debate site

Vance has arrived at CBS Studios for the debate.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Walz arrives at CBS Studios in NYC for debate

Walz’s motorcade has arrived at CBS Studios in New York City for the debate. Vance is en route.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray and Hannah Demissie

Political analysts weigh in on what Vance, Walz need to do to win

Reince Priebus and Donna Brazile joined ABC News Live to discuss what the goals are for Vance and Walz tonight.

“They have one thing to do: to show they can be president and to show the American people that they’re likable,” said Priebus, who served as chief of staff in the Trump White House.

Priebus also stressed the need to reach “uncommitted voters” and discuss what they want to hear. For Republicans, he said, the key issue is the economy, while Democrats will want to hear about health care.

Brazile, a Democratic Party operative, said Walz has to focus on how the Biden-Harris administration has lowered costs and tackled inflation while also bringing back manufacturing jobs.

“So I think that winner of this debate will be able to talk about those kitchen table issues that will be relatable to the American people. Let’s abort all the conversations about childless women and cats and dogs, and instead address those concerns,” she said.

Biden sends well-wishes to Walz in social media post

President Joe Biden sent well-wishes to Walz in a post on X from his campaign account on Tuesday night ahead of the CBS News vice presidential debate.

“Coach, I got your back tonight! 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,” Biden wrote.
 

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Stefanik, in spin room, says Iran’s latest attacks raise stakes of national security issues

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., surrogating for Vance, predicted that Iran’s attacks Tuesday on Israel could be a part of the debate questions, saying the latest development in the Middle East has raised the stakes of the importance of national security issues.

“I think that as the American people are seeing the unprecedented hypersonic ballistic missile attack directly from Iran launched into multiple quantities, that raises the stakes,” she said in the spin room. “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 catastrophe that we’re seeing around the world.”

-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim

Harris, in fundraising pitch, says Walz ‘is ready’ to debate Vance

Vice President Harris, in a fundraising pitch email to supporters, said Walz “is ready” to debate Vance.

“In just hours, Tim Walz will debate JD Vance,” she wrote. “I know that he is ready. And it would help if he knew donors like you had his back before he got on stage.”

Harris added that “Tim has been an outstanding partner out on the campaign trail over the last two months,” and “I have the utmost confidence in the team we’ve built.”

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

Biden has ‘complete confidence’ in Walz: White House

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wouldn’t say during the White House press briefing on Tuesday whether President Joe Biden would watch the vice presidential debate, but she said the president has “complete confidence” in Walz.

“He continues to be very busy with all of the events happening today,” she said during Tuesday’s briefing. “But he has complete confidence in Tim Walz.”

Gabbard predicts ‘stark contrast’ between Walz and Vance during debate

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard spoke to ABC News Live on Tuesday where she criticized Walz’s lack of media interviews, predicting that it will show in the debate.

“I think there’s going to be a stark contrast here, given JD Vance has been out on the road doing multiple interviews,” she told ABC News Live. “I think he’s done more interviews than any candidate in this election, whereas Tim Walz has been very quiet on that front.”

“I think this opportunity tonight, I hope, will not be more of the same kind of political theater that we’ve seen in so many of these debates, but actual substantive discussion and debate and accountability,” Gabbard — who endorsed Trump — continued.

-ABC News’ Casey McShea

Walz taking debate ‘very seriously’: Harris campaign spokesperson

Ahead of Tuesday’s debate, Adrienne Elrod, Harris campaign senior adviser and spokesperson, made an appearance on ABC News Live and said that Walz is taking it “very, very seriously.”

“Gov. Walz is taking this debate very, very seriously because you understand the magnitude of this moment,” Elrod said. “He’s going to continue to really talk about the Harris-Walz priorities, what their administration would look like, lowering costs for middle class families, protecting the Affordable Care Act, not getting rid of it.”

-ABC News’ Casey McShea

CBS News says mics won’t be muted for VP debate

CBS News, the network hosting the debate, said that the candidates’ microphones will not be muted, but clarified in a press release that it “reserves the right to turn off candidate microphones.”

This is a shift from the CNN presidential debate in June and the ABC News presidential debate held earlier this month, where microphones were muted unless it was the candidate’s turn to speak.

Read more here.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Emmer says Vance will hold Walz ‘accountable’ during VP debate

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., praised Vance on “This Week” Sunday, saying the Ohio senator will do a “great job” on Tuesday night and that “he’s got the issues on his side.”

“Vance could talk about the economy that Donald Trump fixed and that Harris and Biden broke. He can talk about the border that Trump fixed and they broke. He can talk about peace and stability around the world, which they don’t even have a clue [about]; they’ve caused all of this disruption,” Emmer said. “Once he understands that Tim Walz is just going to try and deflect and go into this folksy whatever, he’ll hold him accountable.”

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Why VP debates aren’t all that important

Typically, fewer people watch vice presidential debates than presidential debates. And while presidential debates are historically one of the few things that can actually make a dent in the polls, vice presidential debates don’t have the same track record.

According to Nielsen, since 2008, presidential debates have drawn an average audience of 65.7 million people. But vice presidential debates have drawn an average of just 54.1 million viewers. But 54.1 million people is still a pretty big audience — so have past vice presidential debates actually changed the trajectory of the race?

That turns out to be a tricky question to answer. Read more here.

-538’s Nathaniel Rakich and Amina Brown

How to watch the VP debate

The 90-minute debate will air on CBS and be simulcast on the ABC network and stream on ABC News Live.

ABC pre-debate coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET; post-debate ABC News coverage will go on until 11 p.m. ET. ABC News Live, ABC News’ 24/7 streaming news channel, will provide full coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET and run through 12 a.m. ET.

Read more about how to watch the debate here.

-ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley

Trump says VP debate ‘stacked’ against Vance

Former President Donald Trump told Kellyanne Conway on Monday morning that the debate will be stacked against his running mate. He also remained undecided on a second debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.

“So, I’d rather debate. I’d rather have another one. The problem is, we’re so far down the line,” Trump said.

Trump claimed the debates are “so stacked,” adding, “you’ll see it tomorrow with JD. It’ll be stacked.”

While on the campaign trail last weekend, Harris used Tuesday night’s debate to goad Trump into accepting a second debate, saying that it shouldn’t be the “last word.”

-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh and Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

Vance is prepared for debate: Trump campaign

Vance is prepared for his debate against Walz, said Jason Miller, the Trump campaign senior adviser, on Monday.

The Ohio senator has turned to Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer to help him in debate rehearsals by playing Walz, sources familiar with the plans told ABC News. One of the sources said Emmer was invited to be the stand-in so Vance could prepare to take on the governor’s folksy personality.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Where’s Walz? From under the radar to the VP debate spotlight

In the eight weeks since being selected by Harris to join the ticket, Walz — originally thought to be a dark-horse selection coming from behind to beat out some better-known national figures — has effectively barnstormed the country.

“I think this is a big moment for him. Up till now, he’s been heavily managed and carefully guarded,” said Larry Jacobs, the director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. “Now he’s going to be out there on the stage, and if he makes mistakes or comes off as not quite as authentic as he’s been claiming, I think it’ll be damaging to him, and he might make mistakes.”

Read more here.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Walz not expected to visit spin room post debate

Walz will not be in the spin room after the debate, according to the Harris-Walz campaign.

Seven surrogates will spin for him instead, including Sens. Mark Kelly, Amy Klobuchar, Ben Ray Luján; Govs. Jared Polis and JB Pritzker; Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Vance to visit spin room after debate

Vance will go to the spin room following his debate with Walz, according to a source familiar with the plan.

He also participated in the spin room after former President Donald Trump’s debate against Vice President Kamala Harris in September.

Politico was first to report Vance’s plans.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Walz ‘looking forward’ to debate

While campaigning around Petoskey, Michigan, on Monday, Walz said that his “focus” was on Hurricane Helene and its destruction across the southeast, even while “looking forward” to the debate.

To prepare for Tuesday night, Walz used Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as a Vance stand-in, who “surprised everyone by showing up to prep in a cheap red tie instead of camp casual attire,” according to a source familiar.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Walz, Vance set for tight-race showdown

Sometimes, vice-presidential debates tend not to matter much and are quickly forgotten.

But tonight’s showdown in New York City could matter more than most given how close the presidential race is at the moment.

Many undecided voters – who could end up deciding the election – will get their first chance to hear at length from the Harris and Trump running mates.

The CBS News debate – where mics will be unmuted and the candidates will have to do their own fact-checking – starts at 9 p.m. ET.

The ABC network will carry the debate live with pre-debate coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET. ABC News Live will stream pre-debate coverage, the debate and post-debate analysis and ABC News Digital/538 will live blog during the debate with key takeaways afterward.

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