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- Aug 14, 2020
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I didn't watch but here's the takeaway from Newsweek:
Tim Walz Gets Bigger Polling Boost Than JD Vance After VP Debate
According to CNN's instant poll of viewers who watched the VP debate, Walz was at 46% favorable, 32% unfavorable (net +14%) before the debate, while Vance was at 30% favorable, 52% unfavorable (net -22%). After the debate, 59% had a favorable view of Walz, with just 22% viewing him unfavorably (net +37%), while 41% had a favorable view of Vance, with 44% viewing him unfavorably (net -3%).
So while Vance did have an increase in approval after from debate (from -22% to -3%), Walz actually went from +14% to +37% net approval after the debate! His increase in favorability was actually bigger than Vance's! So much for all the takes from the media that Walz somehow did poorly in the debate.
I saw this. Given that’s who they’re targeting, I’m relieved.
TLDR: I’m glad it was civil and mostly seen as a tie or with Vance edging Walz by a hair, with the voters who will matter most seeing Walz more favorably. That’s a great sign.
I’m also relieved that the general public shares my views. Vance did way better than I thought. But, while that’s great for him and his campaign (and probably will piss Trump off), he’s deceptive and I feel Walz should have went in harder. I’m glad it was civil, but I worry that has a tendency to lessen the seriousness of another Trump term. If you’re ignorant, you come away with the impression these are two principled men with differing views - like it used to be. That’s not we’re dealing with.
Walz did not need to get in the dirt to hammer Vance. Just quote his own words, and ask him how he can say the racist attacks on his wife were white supremacists - ask him why Trump can’t condemn white supremacy. Can Vance do it? Walz did say it, but he should have been more emphatic when mentioning Vance will do what Pence wouldn’t.
But at the end of the day, independents are what matters, and I’m glad it looks like he trounced Vance. Also, CBS did some polls and while Vance tied or bested Walz by a point overall, Walz came out ahead in many breakdowns, like who’s more likable and such.