On Tuesday evening, the 2024 vice presidential debate between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance unfolded at CBS News headquarters in New York. While the evening was expected to be a pivotal moment for both candidates, it quickly became clear that Walz was struggling to find his footing, and the critics didn’t hold back.
Political commentator Saagar Enjeti noted the root of Walz’s discomfort: his lack of exposure to the media. Since being chosen as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Walz had notably avoided interviews. Enjeti remarked that this avoidance was a critical error.
"Fifteen minutes in and it’s clear that Walz not doing interviews was a big mistake: He’s nervous, and JD is comfortable because he’s been in an adversarial interview a day since he was picked."
This wasn’t a one-off observation. CNN’s Republican commentator Scott Jennings described Walz’s performance with cutting wit, stating, “Walz frequently freezes like he’s buffering on a slow WiFi connection." In perhaps his most biting critique, Jennings quipped, "Tim Walz wandered into the wrong bar tonight, folks." The overall consensus was that Walz’s unease was palpable, as if he had walked into a situation he simply wasn’t prepared for.
Tim Walz looks like a deer in the headlights. pic.twitter.com/TegyP0zaKi
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 2, 2024
Meghan McCain echoed similar sentiments, remarking on how difficult it was to watch Walz grapple with the pressure. And then there was Ben Shapiro, who didn’t mince words. He pointed out the intellectual contrast between the candidates, asserting, "Vance has two standard deviations in IQ on Walz." Shapiro continued, praising Vance’s strong response on the topic of illegal immigration, while delivering a sharp critique of Walz, who, in his view, appeared “as though he’s been detained by a police officer for shoplifting.”
One of the night’s most embarrassing moments came when Walz was pressed on his recent trip to China and the apparent inconsistencies in his statements about it. Clay Travis of OutKick summed up the moment perfectly, calling Walz’s answer the "most cringe-inducing of debate season." The blunder was amplified online as clips of the exchange went viral, with Comfortably Smug humorously summarizing, “Tim Walz: ‘I grew up in a small town and rode my bike’; Lmao bro is completely broken."
The night only spiraled downward from there for Walz. In the lead-up to the debate, betting site Polymarket had given him a 66% chance of emerging victorious. However, within just a few minutes of the candidates stepping onto the stage, Walz’s odds had plummeted to 38%. This staggering drop encapsulated how poorly the debate was going for the governor, and the contrast with Vance couldn’t have been starker.
For JD Vance, the debate was a chance to demonstrate his poise, intelligence, and readiness for the national stage—and he did just that. With every stumble from Walz, Vance appeared even more polished and composed. Walz’s lack of preparation and visible discomfort played directly into Vance’s hands, allowing the Ohio senator to not only defend his positions but do so with confidence and clarity. In contrast, Walz’s inability to handle the pressure only reinforced the doubts that had surrounded his candidacy from the start.