The vice-presidential contest, 2024

‘The Vice-presidency isn’t worth a bucket of warm spit” — John Nance Garner, US Vice-President 1932-44.

Every four years political commentators tell us that this election is the most important one ever. This year is no exception but in addition the contest for vice-president is of unusual significance. With just one debate for each position and three of the four candidates not very well known, how we evaluate these debates is more important than ever.

The Democratic nominee, 60-year-old Timothy James (Tim) Walz, has been the Governor of Minnesota for the past six years and before that a six term Congressman (2006-18). Married with 2 children, he served for 24 years in the Army National Guard. For many years he was a high school geography teacher and football coach.

Walz seems straight out of a Sinclair Lewis novel, a regular George Babbitt, updated but still a stolid, likable guy. To many Democrats, Walz seems an ideal complement to San Franciscan Harris, his midwestern normality a balance to her “bi-coastal elitism”.

At 39, James David (J.D.) Vance is young for a vice-presidential candidate. He grew up poor in western Ohio, served in the Marines and graduated from Ohio State University and Yale Law School, soon after which he wrote a best-selling, semi-auto- biographical novel, “Hillbilly Elegy” (2016). After several business ventures he was elected to the Senate in 2023.

It is difficult to think of Vance as a counterbalance to Trump; both men are quick to make statements that a more careful individual, on second thought, would likely have suppressed., Both lack diplomacy and often needlessly make enemies and are quick to make offensive remarks. The Democratic presidential ticket has been made more popular with the American people by the selection of Walz but the Republican ticket probably less so with Vance who amplifies Trump’s aggressive “weirdness,” as Walz characterizes it.

Should Trump win the election, he would be 83 at the end of his term. The average life expectancy for American males currently is 78 years. Considering Trump’s age, 78, if he wins it seems very likely that Vance might be chosen by Republicans as his successor. Harris is 59, Walz, 60 so such speculation on the Democratic side seems premature.

Both Vance and Trump have continued to advance the lie that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, have kidnapped and subsequently eaten pet dogs and cats of local citizens. This ridiculous claim has been thoroughly debunked—yet both men keep spreading this bizarre rumor knowing it to be completely false. Vance has tried to explain this as creative storytelling on his part. Will this fly with the bulk of the American public?

Vance’s denunciation of abortion and same sex marriage together with his negative remarks regarding women who have not had children are unlikely to win him new support from undecided voters.

Walz, on the other hand, has tried to gather support from disaffected Republican and independent, middle-of-the-road voters. while retaining conservative democrats.

The commentators are still arguing over who won the VP debate. As predicted, Vance proved to be an impressive debater speaking swiftly and forcefully, deftly changing the subject when the moderator’s question put him in a difficult position.

Walz, also speaking swiftly, taking a few minutes to find his ease but then proceeded confidently throughout the debate. In general, while his answers to the moderator’s questions were less elegant than Vance’s, they sounded heartfelt and relevant, born of his experience as governor.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the debate was its civility, unlike any debate featuring former President Trump. Both candidates stayed away from personal attacks against each other. Both refrained from interrupting and only once did Vance keep talking when his opponent’s time had begun. And they each made a point of saying something positive about each other and noted points where they were in agreement.

Towards the end Walz spoke about January 6th at the Capitol and asked Vance (who has previously said had he been Vice-president Pence, he would not have certified the 2020 election) who actually had won the election. For once Vance seemed tongue-tied and didn’t answer Walz’s question, afraid to contradict his current mentor Trump. It was a triumphal moment for candidate Walz.

A day and a half after the VP debate, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a 169-page brief which supersedes his earlier brief blocked by the Supreme Court’s decision giving Trump total immunity for his acts committed as President. The new brief retains charges of illegal acts when Trump was acting as a private citizen and adds to those. When the expanded charges and extensive documentation against Trump are fully revealed, Vance may wish he had given Walz a better response, not “a damning non-answer.”

Architect and landscape designer Mac Gordon lives in Lakeville.