Start spreading the news, you’re leaving today
I want to be a part of it, New York, New York –Fred Ebb, “New York, New York”
And to make the headline and the epigraph crystal clear:
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Could be the best thing you’ll hear all night (though probably not, as I wrote: “Personally, I expect this debate to be more interesting than the Presidential debate, given the logorrhea of the previous combatants. But Vance has written a book, and Walz’s wife, also a teacher, had 40 students (!) on her high school debate team, so maybe something rubbed off”).
The Host: CBS.
The Time: 9:00pm ET.
The Place: CBS Broadcast Center, New York City.
The Rules:
Let’s have a good clean fight here. No holding, no low punches, no biting, gouging, or rabbit punches. You’ll break when I say break. And if you’re decked, you’ll get a count of ten to get back on your feet.
Oh, wait. Sorry for the glitch. Forbes:
The rules for tonight’s debate are similar to those set in place for the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris three weeks ago and the Trump-Biden debate in June.
At the start of the event, the moderators will introduce the candidates in order of incumbent party, with Walz going first, according to CBS News. There will be no opening statements, and campaign staff will are not permitted to interact with the candidates during the two four-minute commercial breaks.
Walz will stand behind the podium on the left side of the stage, which will be on the right side of viewers’ screens. Meanwhile, Vance will be at the podium on the stage’s right side but on the left side of people’s screens. Candidates will be given two minutes to answer a question, two minutes to respond, and one minute for rebuttals. Candidates may receive an extra minute at the moderator’s discretion.
The major difference between the presidential and vice presidential debates is that the candidate’s microphone will not be muted when their opponent speaks tonight. However, CBS still has the right to turn off microphones.
And:
The debate is being moderated by “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell and “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan.
And:
For the first time since 2008, the veep candidates will stand rather than sit.
(Hard for me to imagine debating sitting down. How does one gesture properly?)
I plowed through a good deal of opinion-having (BBC was good), but I thought Politico’s was the best take, despite the personalization. “Expect a slugfest“:
Like his running mate Donald Trump, Vance prefers to go on offense, turning his opponents’ barbs against them and blurring the line between personal and political attacks. Walz, meanwhile, can get fiery when he attacks his opponents, but he tends to lean into his folksy demeanor to defuse tough questions about his record. Both men struggle at times to hide their tempers, and with plenty of bad blood between the two of them — stemming in large part from Vance’s attacks on Walz’s military record and Walz’s crusade to label Vance as ‘weird’ — don’t be surprised if things turn personal.
(Not to mention the couch lie, in which Walz gleefully participated.)
So I’m going to sit back and watch the action. Enjoy!
UPDATE Of course, now I’m imagining the first question is about Middle East policy, with both candidates competing in displays of ritual fealty to Israel (with Vance blunderingly ruining Trump’s performance-based reputation for not being being as much of a warmonger as Biden/Harris, oh well).