All the Details About the Vice-Presidential Debate Between Tim Walz and J.D. Vance

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When is the debate?

The vice-presidential debate will begin at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 1, live from the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan. It’s expected to last 90 minutes with two four-minute commercial breaks.

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Where can I watch the debate on TV?

It will be broadcast on CBS, as well as simulcast on numerous other networks, including PBS, NBC, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, MSNBC, and more.

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How can I stream the debate online?

The debate will be live-streamed on CBS News’ YouTube channel, CBS News 24/7, Paramount+, C-SPAN, and multiple other sites.

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Who is moderating?

CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan will moderate.

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Will the candidates’ mics be muted?

The candidates’ microphones will remain on by default — but CBS says it reserves the right to turn them off if needed.

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Will the candidates’ statements be fact-checked?

CBS says the moderators won’t be focused on live fact-checking what the candidates say, but it is embedding a QR code, the New York Times points out:

A QR code — the checkerboard-like, black-and-white box that can be scanned by a smartphone — will appear onscreen for long stretches of the CBS telecast. Viewers who scan the code will be directed to the CBS News website, where a squad of about 20 CBS journalists will post fact-checks of the candidates’ remarks in real time. The code will appear only on CBS; viewers who tune in on a different channel will not see it. 

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Will there be a studio audience?

No. As at this year’s two presidential debates, there will be no live studio audience.

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What are the other debate rules?

Per CBS News:

• The topics and questions will not be provided to the candidates in advance, and only the moderators are allowed to ask questions.

• There will be no opening statements, but each candidate will be able to give a two-minute closing statement. After winning a coin toss, Vance elected to deliver his closing statement last.

• The candidates will be given two minutes to answer each question, one minute for rebuttals, and, potentially, one minute each for follow-ups at the moderators’ discretion.

• The candidates will not be allowed to interact with their campaign staff during the two commercial breaks.

• Vance and Walz will be standing at identical lecterns with Walz on the left side of the stage and Vance on the right.

• Props and pre-written notes are forbidden. Each candidate will be given a blank notepad, a pen, and a bottle of water.

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Do vice-presidential debates matter?

Not very much, typically, but it’s at least possible this VP debate could. Unless Harris and Trump both agree to another debate, this will be the last time the campaigns face off directly on prime-time television. It’s a very close race, so swaying even a small number of voters in a key battleground state could make a real difference. And these two particular vice-presidential candidates have each made a surprising amount of national news in recent months. If the past year in politics has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected.

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Will Walz or Vance wear a secret earpiece, use AI contact lenses, or be subject to hostile stage lighting?

It’s 2024, so there will undoubtedly be some wild conspiracy theories circulating online soon after the debate, suggesting that one of the candidates was given some unfair advantage via technical wizardry and/or partisan spycraft. It was rigged, someone always says, while pointing to some elaborate subterfuge. But please exercise healthy skepticism when encountering such theories, particularly if shared by a certain very online billionaire.

This post has been updated.