Best, Worst and Most Unlikely Lines of the Vice-Presidential Debate

Best, Worst and Most Unlikely Lines of the Vice-Presidential Debate

JD Vance gave a shout-out to his wife. Tim Walz sang the praises of Minnesota. Offstage, Donald Trump got distracted.

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By Shawn McCreesh and Rebecca Davis O’Brien

In a vice-presidential debate notable for its largely civil tone and serious focus, Senator JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz managed to rewrite bits of history, studiously circumnavigate facts, land some zingers and sing the praises of Minnesota. There was a lot of Minnesota.

Here is a look back at the moments that stuck out for us.

Least catchy coinage. Mr. Vance, seemingly pioneering a new term of art, described the vice president as waving a “Kamala Harris open border wand.”

Bravest fashion choice. Mr. Vance’s patterned fuchsia tie.

Sharpest zinger. Mr. Walz, responding to Mr. Vance’s repeated efforts to parry questions about the Jan. 6 riots with claims that the Biden administration and social media companies censored free speech. “January 6 was not Facebook ads.”

Most blatant nonanswer. When asked by his opponent whether he accepted that Mr. Trump lost the election in 2020, Mr. Vance replied, “I am focused on the future.”

Most unfortunate gaffe. Mr. Walz, saying “I’ve become friends with school shooters.” (He was discussing meeting with victims of gun violence.)

Worst-prepared answer. Mr. Walz’s effort to explain why he has falsely said he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests. After a windup about his background, sports teams and trips to China, he said: “I’ve not been perfect. And I’m a knucklehead at times.” Pressed again to answer, he said: “All’s I said on this was, is I got there that summer and misspoke on this, so. I will just — That’s what I’ve said.”

Most eclectic coalition. Mr. Walz, describing the breadth of Vice President Kamala Harris’s support. Her fans, he noted, include everyone “from Bernie Sanders to Dick Cheney to Taylor Swift.”

Biggest walk-back of a Nazi comparison. Mr. Vance, reminded of the fact that he once wondered if his running mate could turn out to be “America’s Hitler,” responding with this: “I’ve been extremely open about the fact that I was wrong about Donald Trump.”

Proudest husband moment. Mr. Vance, talking about his wife, Usha: “I am married to a beautiful woman who is an incredible mother to our three beautiful kids but is also a very, very brilliant corporate litigator and I am so proud of her.”

Biggest vanishing act. President Biden, who was mentioned far fewer times than during the presidential debate last month. He was invoked by name just four times by Mr. Vance, and not once by Mr. Walz.

Loudest offstage Greek chorus. Former President Donald J. Trump, live-blogging the debate on Truth Social with dozens of posts, sometimes in all caps. “EVERYONE KNOWS I WOULD NOT SUPPORT A FEDERAL ABORTION BAN,” he wrote at one point.

Quickest to quote Scripture. Tim Walz, saying “I don’t talk about my faith a lot,” before paraphrasing the Gospel of Matthew. “To the least amongst us, you do unto me.”

Showiest show of compassion: Mr. Vance, empathizing with his opponent after Mr. Walz described an ordeal his son had experienced: “Tim, first of all, I didn’t know that your 17-year-old witnessed a shooting. And I’m sorry about that and I just want to say, Christ have mercy. It is — it is awful.”

Most condescending cutoff. Margaret Brennan, one of the two CBS moderators, cutting off Mr. Vance in an extended exchange about the asylum process and Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio: “Thank you, Senator, for describing the legal process.”

Most distracted viewer. Writing on Truth Social, 95 minutes into the debate, Mr. Trump demanded an apology from CBS’s Lesley Stahl for her previous coverage of Mr. Biden’s son’s laptop. (Ms. Stahl was not part of Tuesday night’s debate.)

Most Midwestern flex. Mr. Walz, making 20 references to Minnesota.

Most Orwellian-sounding scenario. Norah O’Donnell, the other debate moderator, asking Mr. Vance — after Mr. Walz referred to a Project 2025 proposal to collect more data about abortions: “Will you create a federal pregnancy monitoring agency?”

Slipperiest spin. Mr. Vance, shifting from the pregnancy monitoring question to discuss abortion. “I want us as the Republican Party to be pro-family in the fullest sense of the word. I want us to support fertility treatments. I want us to make it easier for moms to afford to have babies. I want to make it easier for young families to afford a home so they can afford a place to raise that family. I think there’s so much we can do on the public-policy front just to give women more options.”

Most effective shush. Ms. Brennan, hushing the candidates during one particularly heated exchange over immigration. “Gentlemen, the audience can’t hear you,” she informed them, “because your mics are cut.”