CNN contributors Dana Bash, Jake Tapper and Abby Phillip — all of whom have expressed anti-Trump views in the past — unanimously agreed that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was thoroughly outmatched in Tuesday’s debate with his Republican challenger, J.D. Vance.
“I think we shouldn’t lose track, I think even in the civility of the fact that 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 and all of that,” Phillip said.
She further speculated that Walz was woefully underprepared for the debate. CNN had previously reported that Walz was very nervous about facing off against a “lawyer type” like J.D. Vance and was extremely worried about letting Vice President Harris down.
The network spoke with several senior campaign aides and close associates of Walz before releasing the report.
“I think that there was a clear lack of preparation and execution here on Walz’s part,” Phillip continued.
“I think actually it’s the opposite. I think he had too much preparation,” co-panelist Dana Bash followed up. “He had so many lines that he was clearly trying to say, that he didn’t listen. And when J.D. Vance said one of the many, many things he really hit Kamala Harris on, not Tim Walz, but Kamala Harris, he didn’t respond because he clearly had things in his mind.”
Bash, who conducted one of the only interviews Walz has agreed to this campaign cycle, speculated that the campaign’s historic lack of media availability hindered the Minnesota governor.
“I think the lack of interviews that he has done with national media, with local media, it showed he needed more reps,” she continued.
Tapper was in agreement with the rest of the panel, saying “J.D. Vance is much more experienced at this, at public speaking, at defending himself, at pivoting.”
The CNN panelists were far from the only left-wing pundits give Vance high marks for his debate performance.
Former CNN contributor and current News Nation host Chris Cuomo praised how Vance handled one-sided “fact checking” and biased questions from debate moderators Margaret Brennan and Norah O’Donnell.
“When they were talking at one point, Vance wanted to correct something about how Haitians got into this country, and he was right,” Cuomo said. “And the moderators wouldn’t let him correct it, very interesting.”
Will wonders never cease? Cuomo actually found his thinking, independent brain and found his lost courage to speak the truth. Don’t want to get too optimistic, but maybe there are signs of a little hope we may actually begin to have a functioning press. Dear Lord, let it be true.
It’s not that Walz was unprepared, it’s that he’s just another incompetent democrat. They tried to prepare him.
My thoughts about this debate was aa much as President Trump will get my vote, it sure would be exciting if Vance we’re the one running for President. Vance kept his cool and his professionalism shined.
when you are telling the truth, defending common sense and rational thinking, it is easy to be authentic. Walz on the other hand had nothing but lies and diversion to use, thus his utter and total failure. Now I just wish Trump takes a look at that debate and tightens up his discipline the next 2 months and stays on message. No need to belittle the other side, we all know that they are total failures, but he only gives the left a reason to not vote for him vs trying to court them.