Midwestern Stickup: Walz and Vance's Heated Debate

The vice presidential debate between Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance displayed a surprisingly civil tone amidst a heated election campaign. Despite their prior attacks, they focused on their running mates, Harris and Trump. The debate covered pivotal issues like immigration, the Middle East crisis, and the economy.

Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance engaged in a surprisingly civil vice presidential debate on Tuesday, despite a fraught election campaign mired by incendiary rhetoric and assassination attempts. Both contenders, who have previously lambasted each other on the campaign trail, mainly directed their criticism toward their running mates, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump.

One of the most charged moments came late in the debate when Vance sidestepped a question about whether he would challenge this year's election results if Trump loses, prompting Walz to blame Trump's fraudulent claims for the January 6 Capitol riot. Vance deflected by accusing Harris of online censorship, to which Walz retorted, calling Vance's response a 'damning non-answer.'

The discourse also touched on critical issues including the economy, immigration, and the ongoing Middle East crisis. Despite their heated exchanges, both men managed to maintain a degree of 'Midwestern nice,' focusing more on their respective opponents and avoiding the campaign's typical vitriol.

(With inputs from agencies.)