Last night, the two vice presidential candidates for the 2024 election, Senator JD Vance of Ohio and Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, representing the GOP and Democratic tickets respectively, faced off in a debate hosted by CBS News in their Manhattan film studio. The debate is likely the last debate for this election season before voting begins in early November, and will also likely be the only debate between the Vice Presidential candidates for both parties. The debate was expected to pan out similar to how the debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in September did, wherein both sides traded insults and blows, and the debate itself was considered a landslide victory for Harris. Shockingly, however, the debate was, in reality, a very civil and respectful debate between two individuals from similar (yet different) backgrounds, with both Walz and Vance agreeing with each other on several issues, such as immigration and trade policy, something rare to see in the hyper-partisan modern American political climate. Vance and Walz were even heard joking with each other during the debate and patting each other on the back after the debate concluded, which is an incredible contrast compared to the tense atmosphere between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris during their single debate. 

Some outlets have pointed out how this debate was an echo of an era long gone in American politics, one of mutual respect and agreement on key issues during debates, with only the minute details of issues being disagreed on. One could point to the 2012 Presidential election between then-incumbent Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney, who both were known for their incredibly friendly attitude towards each other on the debate stage. Romney and Obama also often agreed on general topics, however, they diverged on the specifics of these issues, such as Obama’s Affordable Care Act and immigration policy. Compared to the respectful and informative debates between Romney and Obama, the disrespectful, hostile, and misinforming debates between Trump and Harris are one of the best examples of how the modern American political climate has become more violent and partisan over 10 years.