CNN contributors Dana Bash, Jake Tapper, and Abby Phillip, all of whom have been critical of Donald Trump in the past, found common ground on Tuesday night as they unanimously agreed that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was thoroughly outmatched by Republican challenger J.D. Vance during their vice presidential debate. The panelists, who are typically aligned with more progressive views, couldn’t help but acknowledge Vance’s dominance.
Abby Phillip led the analysis, stating, “J.D. Vance came to this debate to land a bunch of punches, and he did. He landed a lot of punches in between all the niceties.” Phillip speculated that Walz was severely underprepared for the event, citing prior CNN reports that indicated Walz was anxious about debating someone with Vance’s legal background. According to those reports, Walz had been worried about disappointing Vice President Harris, who had chosen him as her running mate.
Dana Bash took a different angle, suggesting that Walz’s failure stemmed from over-preparation. “He had so many lines that he was clearly trying to say that he didn’t listen,” Bash said. She added that Walz’s inability to pivot when Vance directed attacks toward Kamala Harris revealed how fixated he was on delivering rehearsed lines rather than engaging in real-time debate. Bash also pointed out that Walz’s reluctance to engage with the media throughout the campaign might have played a role in his poor performance, noting, “The lack of interviews he’s done with national and local media showed. He needed more reps.”
Jake Tapper echoed the sentiments of his co-panelists, remarking that Vance’s experience in public speaking and debating gave him the upper hand. “J.D. Vance is much more experienced at this, at public speaking, at defending himself, at pivoting,” Tapper said, agreeing that Walz struggled to handle Vance’s direct attacks.
The panel’s consensus was part of a broader trend among media commentators, with even traditionally left-leaning voices giving Vance high marks. Chris Cuomo, now hosting on News Nation, praised Vance’s handling of what he called one-sided “fact-checking” and biased questions from the moderators, Margaret Brennan and Norah O’Donnell. Cuomo noted that Vance had attempted to correct misinformation about immigration but was unfairly cut off by the moderators.
The overall reaction across media was clear: Vance left the debate in a stronger position, while Walz’s performance likely raised more concerns than confidence among his supporters.
Leave a Comment