The anticipation leading up to the presidential debates had been growing since the day Kamala Harris announced her presidential campaign three months prior. Seated in Chase Hall with a hundred other students on Oct. 1, the thickness of body heat created a stark contrast to the cooling temperatures outside. I was brimming with excitement about the chaos that was about to ensue. During the debate the room echoed with coordinated “ooo’s” and “boo’s”. Hundreds of memes posted and many false claims later, the presidential debate ended. But it went as expected. I expected the harsh accusations and outlandish stereotypes about non-Americans, the constant finger-pointing and “save middle class america!!” speech.
Because of this, I was filled with even more excitement as I looked forward to Oct. 10: the vice presidential debate.
Every seat was filled, and the air was thick with the scent of Domino’s pizza, mixed with a sort of noisy, nervous buzz. JD Vance and Tim Walz seemed like opposites, both as people and politicians. However, as I watched, there was much less disagreement than I, personally, expected. Both politicians were relatively cordial, rarely interrupting each other, and they were constantly trying to find common ground. It felt a bit like one of those forbidden romance films: “Even though our families hate each other, we can still be together!”
With that being said, there were still emotional, tense and exciting moments. Similarly to the presidential debate, the moderators fact-checked both running mates multiple times. When Governor Walz was asked about his claim that he was present in Hong Kong in May, 1989 during the Tiananmen Square massacre, he admitted that he “misspoke.” There was a collective “oh…” turned groan in Chase 226. But I believe it was earnest for Walz to admit to his failure. On multiple occasions Governor Walz openly discussed the change in his views; specifically the end of his support of the NRA during the democratic convention in Chicago. A huge part of being a political representative is listening to constituents about key issues. This is sometimes only achieved if politicians are willing to shift their stance on an issue. Reform is driven by those in power, and it is important to be able to hear an issue and ultimately side with those concerned due to reason over personal beliefs. Although some media platforms interpreted his confession in the debate as a weakness, I think it was the best way to handle the question.
Another debate highlight was when Vance called out the moderators for their fact-checking, claiming “the rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check.”
This is a stark contrast to how Walz reacted to his fact-check. Vance’s response came off like a child whining about their parents catching them lying about brushing their teeth. This type of response was a point of similarity between Trump and Vance’s debate style–getting facts wrong and becoming overly defensive when someone sets them straight. Although some may view the moderator’s fact-checking as biased, it is much better to correct both Vance and Trump in the moment than to simply allow Trump supporters–whose eyes practically turn to hearts when he speaks–regurgitate false claims.
After covering the regular swath of topics, including gun control, reproductive rights, immigration and taxes, the debate ended and the ultimate question was asked: “WHO WON?” Scrolling on TikTok, the answers varied. In one video, the interpretation of the same thirty second clip was wildly different. Half of the comments stated, “It’s so obvious Vance won.” The other half claimed, “Walz swept the floor with Vance!” If the same content can lead to such different conclusions, then what makes a clear debate “winner?” For many already decided voters, the “winner” is determined prior to the start of the debate, and the two hours spent watching are really only useful to catch flaws in the arguments and presentation of one’s opposing party, as well as to understand the references in SNL’s Cold Open. If you are an undecided voter, debates can serve as a way to learn which candidate’s views you align with, as the topics are covered in a rapid-fire way.
After watching both debates and hearing which policies each candidate supports, the only thing I have left to do is fly to Georgia (I may be a little deluded to believe we can make it a swing state), go to a polling site, hide behind a trifold, fill in a little circle, and get an adorable sticker. I am looking forward to being able to take advantage of my privilege to vote the first of many. many times.
All that being said… GO VOTE!!!!
