October 2, 2024
On the VP debate now that it's happened...
Yesterday, I said the VP debate wouldn’t move the needle. I have to imagine the Harris campaign is grateful for that. Yes, a couple snap polls show voters split on the winner and I’m sure the campaign is grateful for that, too. But the debate I saw was a drubbing.
After it was over, ABC’s Jonathan Karl said Walz performed like someone who hasn’t answered a question from the press in months, the joke of course being he hasn’t. But he didn’t just suffer stylistically. He had no answer for the very obvious attack line, “If the Biden/Harris administration thinks x, y, and z needs fixing, why hasn’t it fixed it?” Walz had to know this question was coming. Not having an answer is not impressive.
Does this mean Vance was always the perfect, honest gentleman? No. (That January 6 question — oof.) But he showed a restrained and thoughtful side that I think pleasantly surprised even some of his supporters. Walz might have surprised his supporters, but not pleasantly.
When you run as cloistered a campaign as Harris/Walz, you have to rise to the occasion when your moment comes. Harris did that in her debate with Trump. Walz did not. Lucky for him — and her — it doesn’t matter.