Last week, American historian Douglas Brinkley referred to Tuesday evening’s debate, calling it the most important debate in history between two running mates.
Barring an unforeseen event, this is the last chance for the two political parties to significantly influence voters’ perceptions.
Tim Walz: beware of still water
Almost completely unknown on the national scene before Kamala Harris made him his running mate, Tim Walz made a successful comeback and he plays his role well.
His good nature, his authenticity and his air of a good family man seem to inspire confidence in voters. Playing the modest rural man seems to require no effort on his part.
However, be wary of this good-natured air, Tim Walz knows how to debate and he has already demonstrated that he has a sense of the formula. It is to him that we owe the qualifier weird (bizarre) which now sticks to the Trump-Vance duo.
The governor of Minnesota did not hesitate to play attack dog for Harris and he now has a golden opportunity to send the opponent to the mat.
I don’t expect him to just play defensively and avoid making mistakes. His opponent is more disciplined than Donald Trump, but he has also demonstrated that he can lose his cool.
JD Vance the injured animal
I continue to say that JD Vance is far superior to what he demonstrated alongside Donald Trump. Unlike the latter, he prepared extensively and, like Walz, he has already distinguished himself in the art of debate.
After his dismissive comment about “lonely women with cats” or his false and irresponsible comments about immigrants in Springfield eating the townspeople’s pets, Vance had to constantly defend and explain himself.
He and his strategists know that his popularity rating is at its worst and that only 31% of voters have a favorable opinion of him. Even more painful, Vance’s wounds are self-inflicted.
He will therefore appear on stage knowing that the slope is steep. He must restore his image and, moreover, slow down the momentum of the opposing clan.
It’s a safe bet that he will deliver an aggressive performance to try to destabilize his opponent. He will have to multiply the attacks, without losing his composure, and remember that Tim Walz has also made his share of erroneous statements.
This debate will confront two intelligent men, two good debaters who embody very different versions of the white man from the Midwest.
If there’s an advantage, it’s on Walz’s side. For what? Because he is the one whose role will be the most natural, the closest to what he really is.
By accepting Donald Trump’s offer, JD Vance had to undergo a metamorphosis, becoming the opposite of what he was in 2020. Will he be able to master his character?
