The main focus of the discussion was domestic politics, and international relations issues were discussed only in passing. However, there was a mention of Israel and the hostages.
When the possibility of an Israeli preemptive strike against Iran to prevent a nuclear program was discussed, both candidates avoided direct answers. Tim Walz stressed the importance of preventing Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, from returning to the White House, stating that Trump is “closer to Putin and North Korea” and will not improve the situation in the Middle East.
Walz also described as “dangerous” Trump’s statements about possible agreements with the Russian president and the North Korean leader that could negatively affect American interests.
One of Walz’s quotes, where he remembered the hostages of the Hamas terrorists:
“Israel has the right to defend itself, many hostages were taken captive. But there must be responsible leadership. An old candidate like Trump is too old to take on such responsibility. Kamala Harris is now the most qualified to lead the White House. Right now Trump wants back with Putin and North Korea, so we realized we had to lead the White House.”
One of Vance’s comments, also referring to October 7:
“Iran is closer to nuclear weapons. And it’s not my colleague who is to blame, but Oltz’s colleague. “We cannot ignore what happened during the Harris era, when the attack on Israel began.”
During the debate the issue of immigration also came up. Vance criticized Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, for allegedly reversing Trump’s policy of building a wall on the border with Mexico. In response, Walz proposed developing a more equitable immigration bill, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to this issue.
The abortion issue also showed differences in the candidates’ approaches: Walz supported a woman’s right to choose, while Vance opposed a national ban on abortion, having previously spoken out against the procedure.
According to CNN, viewers could not clearly determine which debate was more successful: 51% of respondents preferred Vance, while 49% voted for Walz.
“Cursor” also discussed Trump’s response to Iran’s massive attack on Israel.
