Tim Walz-JD Vance 2024 election US vice presidential debate: All you need to know

Just three weeks after the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, it’s time for their running mates to take the stage. Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential pick, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Donald Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, will face off in their first — and the only — vice presidential debate on October 1, ahead of the November 5 election.

Tim Walz has had a long political career but was largely unknown to voters outside of Minnesota. He gained national attention after being chosen by Kamala Harris as her running mate and joining the Democratic ticket during the Democratic National Convention, which took place from August 19 to August 22.

JD Vance, Trump’s running mate and author of “Hillbilly Elegy”, was elected to the US Senate in 2022 and sworn into office in January 2023, just two years before being selected as Trump’s running mate.

The vice presidential debate between Walz and Vance will be hosted by CBS News.

Here are some key details about the debate.

What time does the debate start?

The debate will begin at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 1 (6:30 a.m. IST on Wednesday), and will end at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Who are the moderators?

The debate will be moderated by Norah O’Donnell, anchor and managing editor of “CBS Evening News”, and Margaret Brennan, moderator of “Face the Nation” and the broadcast network’s chief foreign affairs correspondent.

Where is the debate taking place?

The debate is taking place at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.

Trump lived in New York City, a strong Democratic area, for most of his life. In 2019, he changed his voter registration and made Palm Beach, Florida, where his Mar-a-Lago club is located, his primary residence.

What are the rules of the first presidential debate?

Both campaigns — Republican and Democratic — have agreed to a 90-minute debate with two four-minute commercial breaks. During the breaks, campaign staff will not be allowed to interact with the candidates.

There will be no live audience, similar to the previous two presidential debates — one between Donald Trump and Joe Biden on CNN on June 27, and the other between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on ABC News on September 10.

At the start of the debate, the moderators will introduce the candidates based on the incumbent party, with Walz going first. There will be no opening statements.

Walz will stand at the lectern on the left side of the stage (right side of viewers’ screens), and Vance will be on the right side of the stage (left side of viewers’ screens).

Candidates are not allowed to bring notes or props on stage. They will have two minutes to answer each question and two minutes to respond. They can also give a one-minute rebuttal, and moderators may allow an extra minute for further discussion if needed.

Unlike the presidential debates, the candidates’ microphones won’t be muted when the other is speaking, but CBS News can turn them off if necessary.

Vance won a virtual coin toss and chose to go second for his closing statement. Both candidates will have two minutes for their final remarks.

No topics or questions will be given to the campaigns ahead of time.

What topics will be covered in the debate?

This time, any topic can be asked of both candidates. CBS News has not revealed the specific topics.

Where to watch the first presidential debate between Walz and Vance?

CBS will begin airing the debate at 8 pm ET on its broadcast stations and affiliates.

You can stream the debate on the free CBS News app, Paramount+, or through CBS News 24/7, including on CBSNews.com and YouTube.