J.D. Vance, Tim Walz clash on economy, immigration and abortion in U.S. vice-presidential debate

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance are appearing tonight intheir first and only televised debate in the 2024 election campaign, staking out their policy positions on immigration, climate change and conflict in the Middle East.

Walz isthe running mate of Democratic presidential nominee and sitting Vice-President Kamala Harris; Vance is the Republican candidate for vice-president, running with former president Donald Trump.

Vance, 40, and Walz, 60,shook hands before debating began. The discussionhas so far been more deeply rooted in policy compared to last month's debate between Harris and Trump, with the lengthiest exchanges coming on the topics of abortion and immigration.

You can watch the live stream on CBCNews.ca, CBC News Network and Gem.

On gun violence

The candidates wereasked halfway through the debate how they would address mass shootings and gun violence across the United States. Walz, who was once supported by the National Rifle Association, said he changed his mind on an assault weapons ban after meeting with parents whose children were affected by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

"Sometimes it just is the guns," said Walz, who also noted that his own teenageson had witnessed a shooting at a community centre.

On the topic, Vance said, "we do have to do better." He did not say guns should be restricted, but saidschools "unfortunately" need stronger doors, windows and a police presence. He also said a mental health "crisis" and immigration havecontributed to the gun problem in the U.S.

On abortion

On abortion, Walzspoke about women who've faced grave health consequences trying to navigatestrict lawsin states like Texas, Kentucky and Georgia after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. He criticized Trumphavingpraised the repeal of the landmark decision, which had guaranteed Americans'right to an abortion for nearly half a century.

"Things worked best when Roe vs.Wade was in place," Walz said.

Vance acknowledged his past anti-abortion statements have been problematic for voters and added many Americans havelost faith in Republicans when it comes to reproductive rights.

"We've got to do amuch better a job at earning Americans' trust back," he said.

On immigration, moderators asked Vance whether a second Trump administration would separate children from their migrant parents, even if those children were U.S. citizens. Vance did not answer the question directly and dodged it again when moderators came back to him.

"We all want to solve this,"Walz said of the border issue, before adding, "Well, most of us."

He thenblamed Trump for sinkinga congressional bill aimed atslowing illegal immigration because he saw it as"a campaign issue."

On past remarks

Both candidates were also questioned on past remarks.

Walzwas asked about having claimed he was inHong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, when he in fact did not arrive until afterward. He said he "misspoke."

"I'm a knucklehead at times," Walz said. "I will talk a lot, I will get caught up in the rhetoric."

Similarly, Vance said he misspoke when he said after the 2016 election thatTrump could be "America's Hitler."

"I was wrong about Donald Trump," he said.

On unrest in the Middle East

The first question was about ongoing unrest in the Middle East, hours afterIranlaunched a missile attack on Israel. The assault was the latest in a series of escalating attacksbetweenIsrael and Iranand its Arab allies, which is threateningto push the regioncloser toa wider war.

Neither candidate directly answered when asked whether theywould support a pre-emptive Israeli strike on Iran.Walzsaid Israel had a "fundamental" right to defend itself and retrieve the people taken hostagein the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, thenturned to an attack on Trump. He saidHarris would bring steady leadership to resolve the regional crisis.

Vance began his answer by introducing himself and taking viewers through his upbringing in Ohio before ending his answer by saying, "it is up to Israel" to do what itneed to do to "keep their country safe."

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On climate change

The second question, on the heels of Hurricane Helene, was aboutthe responsibility presidential administrations have to reduce the impacts of climate change. In his response, Vance said those who believe carbon emissions are causing climate changeshould address the problem by investing in American manufacturing.

Walzused his time to draw onthe benefits of the key tax and climate law Democrats passed in mid-2022.

CBS News ishosting the 90-minute debate from its New York City broadcast centre, with CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan serving as moderators.

After the debate, The Nationalwill be live withanalysis on CBCNews.ca, theCBC News App, CBC Television,CBC News Network and YouTube.

There is no live audience in the studio, as was the case in the presidential debates in this election cycle,but their microphoneswill not be automatically muted while one of them is responding.

That's achange from the Harris-Trump debate last month and the June 27 debate between Trump and current President Joe Biden, who bowed out of the race in July.

CBS News said in a newsrelease that moderators will reserve the right to turn off a candidate's mic.

Unlike last month'sABC News presidential debate between Harris and Trump,the moderators will not be fact-checking either candidate and are instead puttingthe onus on Vance and Walz to challenge one another's statements.

CBS News said on Friday the moderators "will facilitate those opportunities" during rebuttal periods.

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During ABC's presidential debate,network moderatorspointed out inaccurate statements by Trump on four occasions including an unfounded claim about Haitian migrants were eating people's pets. Vance has also shared that claim.

Trump and his supporters accused ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davisof treating him unfairly because there did not interject with corrections for any of Harris's statements.

CBS News held a virtual coin toss on Sept. 26 to determine the order in which the candidates will give their closing remarks.Vance wonand opted to speak second, giving him thelast word in the debate.

Political scientists have noted the majority of U.S. voters typically don't cast their ballotbased on the potential vice-president. In recent campaigns, vice-presidents are typically used to rally the party's voter base and shore up support for the presidential candidate.

But vice-presidential hopefuls are not insignificant Vance or Walzwould have the constitutional duty to step up and lead the United States in the event the president was unable to perform theduties ofpresident.

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The 2020 face-offbetween Harris and former vice-president Mike Pence drew the second-highest viewership for a vice-presidential debate, according to the television and streaming ratings monitorNielsen.

The most-watched vice-presidential debate in history happened in 2008 whenBiden, who was then Barack Obama's Democratic running mate,debated Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the vice-presidential pick of Republican Sen. John McCain in his unsuccessful presidential bid.

It's unclear if there will be another presidential debate before voters head to the polls on Nov. 5.

Harris's campaign said sheagreed to an Oct. 23 match-upon CNN.

But Trump rejected the possibility of another debate with herbefore election day, arguingthat "it's just too late" and that advance voting has already started.