JD Vance has the opportunity to come out on top in the upcoming vice-presidential debate by capitalising on recent remarks made by Tim Walz and Joe Biden, a former speechwriter for George W Bush has suggested. William McGurn, who served as Bush’s chief speechwriter from 2006 to 2008, outlined his analysis in an op-ed for The Washington Post, just ahead of the scheduled debate between the vice-presidential candidates in New York.
In his article titled “How JD Vance Wins the Vice-Presidential Debate With Tim Walz,” McGurn proposed that Vance could gain an advantage by using Walz and Biden’s so-called ‘goofs’ to critique Kamala Harris’s campaign. He pointed to recent statements made by Walz and Biden that link the vice president’s campaign to some unpopular policy decisions from the last four years.
Walz had expressed concerns about gun violence during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, with Biden subsequently delegating significant responsibilities to Harris in a televised interview. McGurn highlighted how these declarations may undermine Harris’s efforts to distance herself from the Biden administration, indicating Vance’s potential opportunity to exploit these remarks during the debate.
McGurn cautioned that while Vance may use his opponents’ missteps to his advantage, he is not immune to past controversial comments he himself has made. The former speechwriter pointed to Vance’s remarks about ‘childless cat ladies’, likening Harris to ‘America’s Hitler’, and criticising former President Trump’s economic policies in 2020 as potential vulnerabilities that could be raised during the debate.
Notably, the importance of the vice-presidential debate has been underscored by polling data showing that a majority of Democrats believe the vice-presidential candidate plays a crucial role in influencing the outcome of the overall presidential ticket. Vance is set to face off against Walz in their first and potentially only vice-presidential debate at 9 pm ET in New York, with the event being broadcast live on CBS.
The debate will adhere to similar rules as the previous vice-presidential debate, with the exception that microphones will remain on throughout the event. Moderated by CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan, the debate is expected to be a pivotal moment in the election campaign.
As the stage is set for this crucial debate, all eyes will be on JD Vance and Tim Walz as they spar over crucial issues and attempt to sway voters ahead of the upcoming election.