Quick Hit:

Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will face off tonight in their first and only vice presidential debate, a 90-minute event that will be broadcast live by CBS News. Moderated by Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan, the debate will see both candidates tackle key issues ahead of November’s election.

Key Details:

• The debate will air live at 9 p.m. Eastern from CBS's Broadcast Center in New York City and will be available on CBS News platforms and streaming services like Paramount+ and Max.

• The debate will feature two-minute responses to questions, followed by two-minute rebuttals and one-minute counterpoints.

• Unlike in previous 2024 debates where microphones were muted for interruptions, Vance and Walz's mics will remain live for direct exchanges, though CBS claims to reserve the right to mute them if it deems necessary.

Diving Deeper:

Tonight’s vice presidential debate is expected to be a heated affair as JD Vance and Tim Walz take the stage in their first and only showdown of the 2024 election cycle. Vance will likely be aggressive, focusing on key vulnerabilities in Walz’s record, while Walz will need to defend both his past actions and the Biden-Harris administration’s policies.

One of the primary issues likely to surface tonight is Walz’s military record. Walz has claimed to have served as a Command Sergeant Major in the Minnesota National Guard, but reports indicate he never officially retired at this rank. This has led to accusations from Republicans, including Vance, that Walz has exaggerated his military service to boost his political credentials—a charge Vance is almost certain to bring up during the debate as part of a broader “stolen valor” critique.

In addition, Walz has also faced recent scrutiny for resurfaced false claims regarding his supposed presence in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Walz had claimed he was in Hong Kong during the protests, but it was later revealed that he was in Nebraska at the time. 

CBS News, which has been criticized for its bias against Republicans in the past, has stated it will not fact-check the candidates during tonight's debate. This comes after backlash ABC News received during the Trump-Harris debate for falsely fact-checking former President Donald Trump on crime statistics, a move that sparked accusations of bias when DOJ data later validated Trump’s claims. CBS however, has stated it will provide fact-checking after the debate through its online platforms.

As the election nears, this debate presents a crucial opportunity for both Vance and Walz to sway undecided voters. Vance will likely aim to highlight the shortcomings of the Biden-Harris administration, while Walz will likely stay on defense, defending his record and that of his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris.