This could be a post about the 2 big oil companies or the 2 big car companies but in this case it is all about the VP candidates time in the spotlight at their battle in the Big Apple.

I watched it because….well…so you did not have to do so.

I thought it would be a slap fight with no focus on the country or its problems….it was feisty at times but worthless….

Vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz started Tuesday as “blank slates to much of America,” reports Time, which cited recent surveys from the Pew Research Center showing as much as 25% of the electorate say they’ve not heard of either man. Their only scheduled debate kicked off at 9pm ET on CBS News with moderators Margaret Brennan and Norah O’Donnell. Standout moments and lines:

• On whether they would support a preemptive Israeli strike on Iran: Walz had a bit of a “shaky” start, per ABC News, swapping Israel and Iran at one point. But he emphasized running mate Kamala Harris’ “calm, steady leadership” while pointing to former President Trump’s relationships with Russia and North Korea. After providing some quick details about his upbringing, Vance said, “You can’t ignore October the 7th,” which occurred “during the administration of Kamala Harris. … When was the last time that an American president didn’t have a major conflict break out? The only answer is Donald Trump’s 4 years as president.”
• On climate change and Hurricane Helene: Vance zeroed in on carbon emissions, suggesting that if Democrats believe they drive climate change, they should reshore as much American manufacturing as possible and do as much energy production domestically as possible. He argued that Harris’ policies have led to the opposite happening.
• Vance’s emphasis on the ‘Harris administration’: NBC News points out that Vance is “trying to frame her as the central character in the White House,” with references to and criticism of the “Kamala Harris administration” and “Kamala Harris’s policies.”
• Walz brings up faith: When referencing the bipartisan border bill that died in the Senate this year, Walz had this to say: “I don’t talk about my faith a lot, but Matthew 25:40 talks about ‘To the least amongst us, you do unto me.’ I think that’s true of most Americans. They simply want order to it. This bill does it. It’s funded. It’s supported by the people who do it, and it lets us keep our dignity about how we treat other people.”
• Mics cut: While ABC News frames the debate as “largely civil,” the mics were cut toward the end of a conversation about immigration that referenced the legal status of Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio. “Margaret, the rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check,” Vance said before talking about the mechanics of immigration and asylum applications. Walz joined in, spurring Brennan to say, “Gentlemen, the audience can’t hear you because your mics are cut. We have so much we want to get to. Thank you for explaining the legal process.”
• On whether Walz was actually in China during the Tiananmen Square protests: In response to a report that he actually wasn’t in Hong Kong until afterward, Walz gave a winding answer that didn’t answer the question, and was then pressed to give an answer. Walz said he “misspoke.” He said at one point, “I’ve tried to do the best I can, but I’ve not been perfect, and I’m a knucklehead at times.”
• Quick takes on how the candidates are faring: “It is very striking how much more fluent and comfortable Walz is discussing domestic policy than he is talking about foreign policy,” observes NBC News.
• On abortion: Vance said he knew many women who had abortions and referenced one friend who told him a pregnancy would have ruined her life because she was in an abusive relationship. “We need to do a better job of earning the American people’s trust back on this issue,” he said. “We need to be pro-family in the fullest sense of the world,” by supporting things ranging from fertility treatments to affordable home ownership. On abortion policy specifically, he said the proper way to handle is to let voters and individual states make their own policies in our sometimes “messy and divided countr
• On school shootings: Vance initially spoke about the connection between gun crimes and illegal weapons and the border. On schools, he said “I unfortunately think we have to increase security in our schools,” suggesting stronger doors and windows and more school resource officers. Walz replied, “I’m a hunter, I own firearms. We understand that the Second Amendment is there. But we have a responsibility to our kids. If we really want to solve this, we’ve got folks that won’t allow research on gun violence … there are reasonable things that we can do to make a difference. …. Do you want your schools hardened to look like a fort?”
• On the housing crisis: Vance pointed a finger at Harris for “letting in millions” of people into the country, saying illegal migrants are a driver of increased housing costs. Vance said one solution would be to “drill, baby, drill”—the lower energy prices would reduce the cost of building materials and, therefore, housing.
• On Jan. 6 and the 2020 election: After an extensive conversation, Walz asked Vance point-blank if he thought Trump lost the 2020 election. Vance did not give a yes or no answer. “That is a damning non-answer,” said Walz.

All in all this debate will change no minds on their vote.

To me this was just a show for toothless bulldogs to strut .

I can say the Vance is an idiot and Walz is just boring…..and since I do not believe that the ‘undecided vote’ is as large as some say this debate did nothing to change any minds.

A night to forget and watch a hockey game.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”