Judge Tanya Chutkan has unsealed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s 165-page redacted motion on presidential immunity concerning the 2020 election interference case against Donald Trump.
The document is expected to include the fullest account and evidence of what happened in the lead-up to the 2020 election and the attempt to subvert the result as if it were an opening statement to a jury. Smith argues that Trump’s actions were not covered by presidential immunity.
With just a month to go before the election, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remain deadlocked in the key battleground states according to new polling by The Cook Political Report.
The vice president leads Trump in Michigan by three percentage points, and she also leads by one or two points in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and they are tied in North Carolina.
Trump leads in Georgia by two percentage points but is also losing his polling lead on key issues — inflation and immigration.
Vice presidential rivals JD Vance and Tim Walz met for their first and probably final debate last night, with the Republican appearing more confident, polished, and prepared than his Democratic counterpart, who nevertheless landed some important blows.
Key Points
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BREAKING: Trump ‘pursued multiple criminal means to overturn election’ new special counsel filing claims
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New polling shows Harris leading or tied with Trump in six battleground states
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Watch the VP debate highlights, as chosen by the candidates
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Where will Kamala Harris, Joe Biden and Donald Trump be on Wednesday?
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New poll shows Trump slipping on economy and inflation versus Harris
Special counsel filing details attempts by Pence to get Trump to accept election loss
22:55 , Oliver O’Connell
A sampling of the pleas and persuasions Pence made to Trump to get him to acknowledge the truth of his election loss, from Jack Smith’s new motion pic.twitter.com/06ZRDdkkHG
— Sam Stein (@samstein) October 2, 2024
ICYMI: Biden directs military personnel to help in North Carolina
22:50 , Oliver O’Connell
I’ve directed one thousand military personnel from Fort Liberty to help the North Carolina National Guard provide critical supplies to isolated communities.
We’ve deployed 67 Starlink satellites so that folks in places like Canton can call for help and reach their loved ones.…
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 2, 2024
Meanwhile, in Augusta, Georgia…
22:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris is distributing food and posing for selfies with those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
…he wasn’t finished
22:39 , Oliver O’Connell
The former president has posted again…
Democrats are Weaponizing the Justice Department against me because they know I am WINNING, and they are desperate to prop up their failing Candidate, Kamala Harris. The DOJ pushed out this latest “hit job” today because JD Vance humiliated Tim Walz last night in the Debate. The DOJ has become nothing more than an extension of Joe’s, and now Kamala’s, Campaign. This is egregious PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT, and should not have been released right before the Election. The Democrat Party is turning America into a Third World Country that tries to censor, harass, and intimidate their Political Opponents. What they have done to our Justice System is one of the Great, All Time, Tragedies….
….The Democrat Party is guilty of the Worst Election Interference in American History. They are trying to DESTROY OUR DEMOCRACY, allowing millions of people to enter our Country illegally. They are determined to stop us from winning back the White House, sealing the Border, and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. BUT THEY WILL FAIL, AND WE WILL SAVE OUR NATION!
Trump posts furious and defiant reaction to election subversion filing
22:33 , Oliver O’Connell
Former president Donald Trump has posted a furious and defiant reaction to the publication of the redacted Jack Smith filing in the election interference case brought against him — saying that it was an “obvious attempt by the Harris-Biden regime to undermine and Weaponize American Democracy, and INTERFERE IN THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.”
There is no evidence of any coordination between the White House and Smith.
The Republican nominee posted on Truth Social:
The release of this falsehood-ridden, Unconstitutional, J6 brief immediately following Tim Walz’s disastrous Debate performance, and 33 days before the Most Important Election in the History of our Country, is another obvious attempt by the Harris-Biden regime to undermine and Weaponize American Democracy, and INTERFERE IN THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. Deranged Jack Smith, the hand picked Prosecutor of the Harris-Biden DOJ, and Washington, D.C. based Radical Left Democrats, are HELL BENT on continuing to Weaponize the Justice Department in an attempt to cling to power. “TRUMP” is dominating the Election cycle, leading in the Polls, and the Radical Democrats throughout the Deep State are totally “freaking out.” This entire case is a Partisan, Unconstitutional, Witch Hunt, that should be dismissed, entirely, just like the Florida case was dismissed!
He added:
WHETHER NOW THE FULLY DEBUNKED RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA, IRAN, IRAN, IRAN, UKRAINE, UKRAINE, UKRAINE, 51 INTELLIGENCE AGENTS, SPYING ON MY CAMPAIGN, IMPEACHMENT HOAX NUMBER ONE, IMPEACHMENT HOAX NUMBER TWO, OR ANY OF THE OTHER SCAMS, THIS ILLEGAL ACTION TAKEN BY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THEIR RAID ON MAR-A-LAGO FOR A CASE THAT WAS DISMISSED, WILL END JUST LIKE ALL OF THE OTHERS – WITH COMPLETE VICTORY FOR “PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.” MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Coach praises Tim Walz’s son for helping protect other kids after shooting
22:30 , AP
When the issue of gun violence came up at the vice presidential debate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had a personal story to tell: His teenage son, Gus, had been at a sports center last year when a shooting took place.
Gus Walz was at volleyball practice at the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in St. Paul the afternoon of Jan. 18, 2023, when a 16-year-old was shot and seriously wounded outside.
It wasn’t the first time Tim Walz had spoken about his son’s brush with gun violence, and the shooting itself was widely publicized locally. But the Democrat’s remarks Tuesday night at his debate with Republican JD Vance, as the public is still getting to know both vice presidential candidates, offered the biggest stage yet to personalize an issue that has deeply affected many American families.
Continue reading…
Coach praises Tim Walz’s son for helping protect other kids after shooting
Harris tells first responders ‘take care of yourselves’, thanks Georgia governor
22:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris thanks Georgia’s Republican Governor Brian Kemp for “his leadership and his close coordination” with the White House and federal authorities in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
“There’s a lot of work that’s going to need to happen over the coming days, weeks and months, and the coordination that we have dedicated ourselves to will be long-lasting to get families, to get residents to get neighborhoods back up and running,” she said.
“We are at our best when we work together and coordinate resources, coordinate our communities to the maximum effect for the community.”
Harris added: “Today, I’m also announcing that the President has approved the governor’s request for 100% federal reimbursement of local costs.”
Former Pence aide reacts to Trump’s disregard for safety of vice president
22:04 , Oliver O’Connell
Alyssa Farah Griffin, former aide to then-vice president Mike Pence, says: “To this day it makes me sick to read about Trump’s pressure campaign against Pence & the subsequent disregard for his safety on [January 6].”
She pleads: “Republicans — it’s never too late to admit what we all know: Trump is wholly unfit for office.”
To this day it makes me sick to read about Trump’s pressure campaign against Pence & the subsequent disregard for his safety on 1/6.
Republicans – it’s never too late to admit what we all know: Trump is wholly unfit for office. https://t.co/LSn86gy4T1
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) October 2, 2024
Trump-endorsed Maryland senate candidate slams Republican nominee for refusing to back Ukraine
21:50 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump-endorsed Republican senate candidate Larry Hogan attempted to further distance himself from the Republican presidential nominee by criticizing the ex-president for refusing to say whether he wants Ukraine to defeat Russia.
Speaking at a campaign press conference at the Washington headquarters of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, Hogan, the former Maryland governor running for US Senate, slammed Trump for exhibiting what he described as a “lack of moral clarity” during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris last month.
John Bowden and Andrew Feinberg report.
Trump-endorsed candidate slams Republican nominee for refusing to back Ukraine
Watch: Walz reminds crowd why he wasn’t debating Mike Pence last night
21:36 , Oliver O’Connell
Walz: “There is a reason Mike Pence wasn’t on that stage with me … he chose the constitution over Donald Trump … Senator Vance made it clear he will always make a different choice.” pic.twitter.com/pbvCUW1VDH
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2024
Trump makes claims about Pelosi saying Jan 6 case should be dismissed
21:32 , Oliver O’Connell
As the political and legal world pours over the special counsel filing arguing that Donald Trump’s actions relating to overturning the result of the 2020 election were those of a private citizen and not covered by presidential immunity, the former president is trying to deflect attention on Truth Social.
Trump posted:
BIG NEWS: Nancy Pelosi has been EXPOSED on tape, during her daughter’s documentary, saying she, and she alone, is “responsible” for the events of January 6th, 2021. Can you imagine how that poor and loving daughter has suffered for allowing the TRUTH to get released?
Donald…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) October 2, 2024
He added:
These MAJOR revelations and the fact, as recently confirmed by the Great John Solomon and the STRONG work of Congressman Barry Loudermilk and Republicans on the House Oversight Committee, that the Deep State chose to DISREGARD my direct authorization of at least 10,000 National Guard Troops to ensure that Washington, D.C., was safe and secure on January 6th, automatically END the Sham J6 Civil Hoaxes and the lawless D.C. Case brought by Deranged Jack Smith, which has already been DEMOLISHED by the United States Supreme Court’s Historic Immunity and Fischer Decisions. I called for everyone to act PEACEFULLY and PATRIOTICALLY, and demanded that D.C. be PROTECTED. We have to END the Witch Hunts and restore our broken Justice System!
21:19 , Oliver O’Connell
When the defendant lost the 2020 presidential election, he resorted to crimes to try to stay in office. With private co-conspirators, the defendant launched a series of increasingly desperate plans to overturn the legitimate election results in seven states that he had lost—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin (the “targeted states”).
Special Counsel Jack Smith on Donald Trump’s efforts to stay in office
Trump ‘pursued multiple criminal means to overturn election’ new special counsel filing claims
21:08 , Oliver O’Connell
Special counsel Jack Smith has outlined a sprawling criminal case against Donald Trump for his attempts to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election, detailing for the first time the former president’s “increasingly desperate efforts” to cling to power with “knowingly false claims of election fraud.”
Trump intentionally lied to voters, election officials, and his own vice president, Mike Pence, in what amounted to a criminal effort to stay in office, according to the document filed in federal court in Washington DC on Wednesday.
“When the defendant lost the 2020 presidential election, he resorted to crimes to try to stay in office,” the filing says. “With private co-conspirators, the defendant launched a series of increasingly desperate plans to overturn the legitimate election results in seven states that he had lost.”
Alex Woodward reports.
Hurricane Helene: Harris briefed on impact of storm on Augusta, Georgia
21:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris joined a meeting at a utility building near downtown Augusta, Georgia, where the mayor and other officials briefed her on the unprecedented impact of Hurricane Helene.
“These are very difficult times,” she says, “and in a moment of crisis, I think that really does bring out the best in us.”
“I’m here to thank you and to listen,” she added.
The VP arrives at a utility building near downtown Augusta, where the mayor and other officials brief her on the unprecedented storm. “These are very difficult times,” she says, “and in a moment of crisis, I think that really does bring out the best in us.” #gapol pic.twitter.com/BfpzPDwFnu
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) October 2, 2024
BREAKING: Judge unseals Jack Smith’s redacted motion on presidential immunity in federal case against Trump
20:50 , Oliver O’Connell
Federal judge Tanya Chutkan has unsealed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s 165-page redacted motion on presidential immunity with regards to the 2020 election interference case against Donald Trump.
Read the full document here.
This is a developing story, more follows…
Watch: Vance dodges question on 2020 election
20:35 , Oliver O’Connell
Reporter: Why did you not answer the question last night during the debate about who won the 2020 presidential election?
Vance: The media is obsessed with talking about the election from four years ago… pic.twitter.com/LTmvyUPRGf
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 2, 2024
Why has Trump pulled out of his ‘60 Minutes’ interview?
20:30 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump pulled out of an election season interview with CBS News’s 60 Minutes that was set to air Monday, with the Republican’s camp citing fact-checking provisions and a long-running dispute over the Hunter Biden laptop story as reasons why.
60 Minutes announced the cancellation over X/Twitter, where many likened it to President Joe Biden’s decision to duck the traditional Super Bowl interview earlier this year triggering speculation about his cognitive abilities among conservative commentators and the MAGA faithful.
Josh Marcus reports.
Trump pulls out of ‘60 Minutes’ interview, after storming out of 2020 episode
Watch: Walz asked about ‘school shooter’ gaffe
20:20 , Oliver O’Connell
NEW: I asked @GovTimWalz about his comments last night on becoming “friends with school shooters”
“I was talking about meeting people where there are school shooters, and I need to be more specific on that. But I am passionate about this,” he says in 1st post debate stop in PA. pic.twitter.com/YCaMdp5y4i
— Julie Tsirkin (@JulieNBCNews) October 2, 2024
Recap: Vance and Walz remain civil in policy-driven debate but Trump is inescapable
20:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump was not the elephant in the room. He was the room.
During Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, his running mate JD Vance was tasked with wrangling policy positions out of Trump’s chaos, while Walz sought to make the case why the former president should never be elected again, even quoting his opponent’s statement that he once believed Trump “unfit” for higher office.
Alex Woodward reports.
Vance and Walz remain civil in policy-driven debate but Trump is inescapable
Trump makes bizarre comparison when speaking about Middle East conflict
20:05 , Oliver O’Connell
Trump compares Israel and Hezbollah to ‘two kids fighting in the schoolyard’
Who is JD Vance’s mother?
19:55 , Oliver O’Connell
JD Vance often mentions her on the campaign trail, Amy Adams plays her in a movie and her Alcoholics Anonymous meeting attendees just know her as “Bev.”
Vance’s mother Beverly Aikins has been a fixture of the Ohio Senator’s life since he entered politics, and he mentioned her struggles again during the vice presidential debate on Tuesday night.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Who is JD Vance’s mom? Nurse Beverly Aikins’ journey of addiction and redemption
Hurricane Helene: Harris arrives in Georgia
19:51 , Oliver O’Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris just arrived in Augusta to tour damage from Hurricane Helene, which left a trail of destruction across Georgia last week. Augusta was hit particularly hard, and many businesses remain closed as utility workers struggle to restore power. #gapol pic.twitter.com/CV2GCqhs4I
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) October 2, 2024
Hurricane Helene: Biden to travel to Florida and Georgia to survey damage
19:47 , Oliver O’Connell
On Thursday, October 3rd, President Joe Biden will travel to Florida and Georgia.
He will tour areas impacted by Hurricane Helene and meet with affected communities.
Watch: Vance lays into Walz over school shooter gaffe
19:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Here’s Kelly Rissman’s report on that moment:
Walz faces backlash after saying he has made friends with school shooters in debate
Biden says he doesn’t back Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities
19:40 , Oliver O’Connell
President Joe Biden said he would not support strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities by Israel even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to retaliate against Tehran for the ballistic attacks that were largely repelled on Tuesday.
Asked on Wednesday whether he would endorse Israel going after Iranian facilities as he boarded Air Force One, Biden told reporters: “The answer is no.”
He also reiterated what he described as “full solidarity and support to Israel and its people” on the part of the United States.
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.
Biden says he doesn’t back Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities
Harris issues statement on dockworkers strike
19:30 , Oliver O’Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris issued the following statement on the International Longshoremen’s Association strike:
“This strike is about fairness. Foreign-owned shipping companies have made record profits and executive compensation has grown. The Longshoremen, who play a vital role transporting essential goods across America, deserve a fair share of these record profits.
“Donald Trump, on the other hand, wants to pull us back to a time before workers had the freedom to organize. As President, he blocked overtime benefits for millions of workers, he appointed union busters to the NLRB – and just recently, he said striking workers should be fired.
“Donald Trump makes empty promise after empty promise to American workers, but never delivers. He thinks our economy should only work for those who own the big skyscrapers, not those who actually build them. As President, I will have workers’ backs and finally pass the PRO Act. And I will fight for an opportunity economy – where every person has the chance not just to get by but to get ahead.”
Harris campaign calls out Vance for deleting ‘end abortion’ page from website
19:10 , Oliver O’Connell
The Harris-Walz campaign is calling out Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance for his shifting stance on abortion.
During last night’s debate, the Ohio senator said: “I never supported a national ban [on abortion].”
However, the vice president’s campaign posted a page from what appears to be Vance’s Senate campaign website prominently titled: “END ABORTION.”
The campaign says it has since been deleted.
Rhian Lubin and Alex Woodward took a look at the truth behind Vance’s claim.
JD Vance claims he never supported national abortion ban. Here’s the truth
Trump’s MAGA Senate candidates are trailing him in key battles
19:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s allies running for Senate in must-win states, and several swing states, are polling far behind the GOP presidential nominee, a warning for Mitch McConnell and other Republican leadership fighting to take control of the upper chamber of Congress.
Polling averages collected by Axios show potentially make-or-break gaps between Trump and his allies, signaling that even a close Trump victory in crucial swing states will not guarantee a victory for the candidates he endorsed.
That could mean voters are looking to split their tickets this fall — backing Trump in the presidential race and Democrats in down-ballot races.
Alex Woodward has the latest.
Kari Lake and Trump’s MAGA Senate candidates are trailing him in key battles
Harris, Biden fanning out across Southeast as devastation from Hurricane Helene grows
18:50 , AP
Over the past four years, President Joe Biden has jetted off to survey damage and console victims after tornadoes, wildfires and tropical storms. It’s not a role that Kamala Harris has played as vice president.
But on Wednesday, they will both fan out across the Southeast to grapple with the damage from Hurricane Helene, seeking to demonstrate commitment and competence in helping devastated communities after Donald Trump’s false claims about their administration’s response. Biden is heading to North Carolina and South Carolina, while Harris is going to Georgia.
Harris’ stop will also serve as a political test in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. She’s trying to step into the role for which Biden is best known — showing the empathy that Americans expect in times of tragedy — in the closing stretch of her campaign for president.
She last visited scenes of natural disasters as a California senator, including when she went to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017 and when she walked through charred wreckage in Paradise, California, after the Camp Fire in 2018.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Harris’ campaign manager and former state director in her Senate office, said the vice president uses her experience consoling victims as a courtroom prosecutor to connect with people after tragedies.
She said the trip to Georgia was a chance for Harris “to continue to show her leadership and her ability to get things done, versus Donald Trump and JD Vance who want to dismantle the basic services and the role that the government should play.”
VP debate: Pelosi says Walz demonstrated ‘truth and trust’ as Vance showed ‘con and slick’
18:30 , Oliver O’Connell
In an appearance on CNN on Wednesday lunchtime, Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi said of the vice presidential debate: “You saw the difference between truth and trust, in terms of Walz, and con and slick, in terms of [Vance] … they not only want to have a federal ban on abortion, they want to close the Department of Education to educate those children.”
Watch below:
Nancy Pelosi on the VP debate: “You saw the difference between truth and trust, in terms of Walz, and con and slick, in terms of [Vance] … they not only want to have a federal ban on abortion, they want to close the Department of Education to educate those children.” pic.twitter.com/iEkxzJ1itp
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2024
‘What does injured mean?’: Fury as Trump downplays severity of brain injuries suffered by 109 US soldiers
18:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump is facing backlash for downplaying the traumatic brain injuries suffered by 109 US service members after an Iranian ballistic missile attack in 2020.
The Republican presidential candidate made the remarks at a campaign press event on Tuesday after a reporter asked him if he should have been “tougher” on Iran during his time in the White House following the attack that left troops injured.
“First of all, injured, what does injured mean?” Trump replied. “You mean because they had a headache?”
Ariana Baio reports on the former president’s shocking remarks.
Fury as Trump downplays severity of brain injuries suffered by 109 US soldiers
Can Trump break through his ceiling of support?
17:50 , Oliver O’Connell
The latest polling by The Cook Political Report also looks at one of the most important and enduring political questions for Donald Trump — can he ever expand his appeal, or does he really have a hard “ceiling” of support.
In 2016 and 2020, Trump was unable to break 49 per cent of the vote in some of the most important swing states, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Arizona.
The September Cook poll gives some credence to the theory that his support is fixed. Since May, Trump’s overall share of the vote has barely budged (47-48 per cent), even as Harris has been able to improve on Biden’s share by five points (44-49 per cent).
Moreover, a fixed percentage of voters – 32-35 per cent – are “all-in” for Trump; they like him and his leadership traits, while a fixed percentage of voters – anywhere from 45-49 per cent – dislike Trump both personally and policy-wise.
However, if you combine the percentage of voters who are all-in on Trump with the 17-22 per cent who dislike him personally but approve of his policies, there is a pathway for Trump to break through his ceiling.
While the conventional wisdom suggests that the “like his policies/don’t like his style” voter is more likely to be a middle-aged conservative white male, the data finds this type of voter to be disproportionately Latino (26 per cent) and specifically a Latino man (28 per cent).
Most importantly, over half of the “policy not personality” voters are undecided on how to vote or say they are supporting a third-party candidate. In other words, if Trump were able to keep focused on a policy-based message, it would give him a significant advantage with those voters who are still up for grabs.
Don Jr and Kaitlan Collins get into spat over Trump ‘Hitler’ comparisons
17:30 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump Jr clashed with Kaitlan Collins about his father previously being compared to Adolf Hitler – before the CNN journalist reminded him that JD Vance once did the very same thing.
On Tuesday night, the Ohio senator and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faced off for their first – and likely only – debate ahead of the election, broadcast live from CBS News’s New York City studio.
As the candidates exchanged barbs, Trump’s eldest son Don Jr waited in the wings in the spin room where he encountered Collins.
James Liddell has the story.
Don Jr gets into post-debate spat with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins over ‘Hitler’ comments
Harris-Walz campaign seizes on Vance’s ‘damning non-answer’ in new ad
17:10 , Oliver O’Connell
The Kamala Harris and Tim Walz campaign has seized on JD Vance’s “damning non-answer” concerning whether Donald Trump lost the 2020 election at last night’s vice presidential debate with a new ad focused on the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Watch it here:
Trump still more trusted on immigration, but lead has dropped in new poll
16:50 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump has his largest lead over Kamala Harris, 51 per cent to 42 per cent on the issue of border and immigration, according to the latest polling by The Cook Political Report. However, that is a five-point drop from his 53 per cent to 39 per cent lead over Harris in August. This drop comes even as the Trump campaign and its allies have run attack ads that put the blame for the surge of migrants at the southern border, and the crimes some of them have committed, at Harris’ feet.
The southern border is no longer as overwhelmed with the surge of migrants, and as such is no longer in the center of media coverage, which is likely helping Harris. Illegal crossings have dropped dramatically since June, when President Joe Biden’s executive action restricting asylum claims went into effect.
However, voters in border states like Arizona (+13) and Nevada (+12) continue to give Trump a significant advantage on the issue. But in states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina, Trump’s lead on the issue has been halved.
Don Jr claims media ‘radicalized people trying to kill his father’
16:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump Jr claims media ‘radicalised people trying to kill his father’
Trump campaign hopeful Vance’s debate performance will shake ‘weird’ label
16:20 , Oliver O’Connell
The Trump-Vance campaign is hopeful the vice presidential candidate’s debate performance last night will improve his “weird” image and could kick-start the campaign for the Republican ticket, according to reports.
For months, JD Vance has struggled to shirk off the “weird” label given to him by his Democratic opponent Tim Walz early on in the 2024 presidential campaign.
But last night could mark a turning point.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Trump campaign hope Vance’s debate performance can shake off ‘weird’ label
New poll shows Trump slipping on economy and inflation versus Harris
16:10 , Oliver O’Connell
The latest polling by The Cook Political Report, conducted between September 19-25, shows Donald Trump’s advantage slipping on the economy and inflation versus Kamala Harris.
Trump holds a five-point lead on the question of who voters trust to “deal with the economy” (50-45%). But, on the specific issue of “getting inflation under control,” Trump’s six-point lead from August has evaporated. In August, Trump led Harris on inflation and cost of living 48 per cent to 42 per cent. Today, voters are evenly divided (47 per cent) on who they trust more to handle an issue that 60 per cent of swing state voters say is the aspect of the economy that “concerns them the most.”
According to Cook there are a few explanations for this shift.
The first is that Harris’s message on the economy has broken through. Since kicking off her campaign two months ago, Harris has honed in on an “affordability” message that stresses reducing the costs of pharmaceutical drugs, cracking down on price gouging, and promoting affordable housing. She has also unveiled an 82-page economic policy plan.
Another is that Trump’s attempts to link her to “Bidenomics” and the role the Biden Administration’s economic policy played in driving up the cost of living have not been as effective as Republicans had hoped.
Voters give Trump only a three-point lead on a centerpiece of his economic agenda — tariffs and trade. Just 38 per cent of swing state voters said they thought that a 20 per cent tariff on imported goods would mean “companies would bring more manufacturing jobs back to the US”, while a plurality of voters (45 per cent) said that companies that import goods would “increase the prices consumers pay to pay for the tariff”.
Harris is likely also being helped by the fact that voters are slightly less pessimistic about the state of inflation and the economy today than they were in August. They also feel decidedly less gloomy about the economy and inflation than they felt in May, with 46 per cent saying things are getting better or staying the same in September, versus 38 per cent in May. The percentage of people who felt the economy is getting worse has dropped from 62 per cent in May to 54 per cent in September.
The gap between those who think inflation is getting better or staying the same and those who think it’s getting worse is eight points — a 17-point decrease in economic pessimism over the last four months.
Walz faces backlash after saying he has made friends with school shooters
16:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Tim Walz is facing backlash after saying he had “become friends with school shooters” in an apparent slip up during the vice presidential debate.
The father of a 2018 Parkland shooting victim was among those who called out the Democrat, branding the apparent gaffe “absolutely abhorrent” in a post on X.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Walz faces backlash after saying he has made friends with school shooters in debate
New polling shows Harris leading or tied with Trump in six battleground states
15:50 , Oliver O’Connell
A new Cook Political Report Swing State Project Survey conducted by BSG and GS Strategy Group of 2,941 voters between September 19-25, shows Vice President Kamala Harris leading or tied with former President Donald Trump in all but one of the seven battleground states.
Overall, she holds a narrow lead of 49 per cent to 48 per cent in a head-to-head race. August polling by the group had Harris leading 48 per cent to 47 per cent.
Harris has a lead within the margin of error in Arizona (+2), Michigan (+3), Nevada (+1), Pennsylvania (+1), and Wisconsin (+2). Trump is ahead 49 per cent to 47 per cent in Georgia, and the two candidates are tied at 49 per cent in North Carolina.
‘Nostradamus’ pollster reveals who won VP debate
15:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Allan Lichtman, the pollster dubbed the “Nostradamus of presidential predictions”, has delivered his verdict on last night’s vice presidential debate.
Speaking on a YouTube livestream, the 77-year-old described JD Vance as “very personable” and “slick” but concluded Tim Walz “finally found his voice” on a key issue, which then tipped the debate in the Democrat’s favor.
Rhian Lubin and Joe Sommerlad report.
‘Nostradamus’ pollster Allan Lichtman reveals who won VP debate
Recap: Vance labels climate change as ‘weird science’ as he refuses to say it’s real
15:20 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s Rhian Lubin on the Republican struggling to sidestep a question about global warming mere days after Hurricane Helene but deadly destruction to the southeastern United States.
JD Vance labels climate change as ‘weird science’ as he refuses to say it’s real
Recap: Walz admits he was a ‘knucklehead’ to misspeak about Tiananmen Square experience
15:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Let’s take a look back at some of the key interludes from last night’s head-to-head.
First up, here’s Josh Marcus on the Democrat having to backtrack on his past comments about his stay in China in 1989.
Walz admits he was not in Hong Kong during Tiananmen Square protests: ‘I misspoke’
Trump pulls out of 60 Minutes interview, four years after storming out of previous episode
14:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump pulled out of an election season interview with CBS News’s 60 Minutes that was set to air on Monday, with the Republican’s camp citing fact-checking provisions and a long-running dispute over the Hunter Biden laptop story as reasons why.
60 Minutes announced the cancellation over X.
“After initially accepting 60 Minutes’ request for an interview with Scott Pelley, former President Trump’s campaign has decided not to participate,” the show wrote in a statement.
The Trump campaign denied he was ever set to appear on the program, where Harris will also sit for an in-depth interview.
“There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung wrote on X.
“They also insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.”
Josh Marcus has more on the no-show.
Trump pulls out of ‘60 Minutes’ interview, after storming out of 2020 episode
Vance hit with Amy Adams jokes after boasting about bringing jobs back to America
14:20 , Joe Sommerlad
The Republican’s attack on the Biden administration for allowing clean energy jobs to go to China yesterday, part of an attempt to pitch himself as a dynamic job creator, has invited a slew of derision online, with many film fans noting the sad lack of work coming the way of the award-winning Amy Adams since she starred in the Netflix adaptation of his memoir Hillbilly Elegy in 2020.
Greg Evans reports.
JD Vance hit with Amy Adams jokes after boasting about bringing jobs back to America
Jimmy Kimmel mocks ‘boring’ VP debate between Vance and Walz
14:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s James Liddell with the view from late-night.
Jimmy Kimmel mocks ‘boring’ VP debate between Vance and Walz
What are the candidates up to on Wednesday?
13:40 , Joe Sommerlad
The day after the night before, JD Vance will be “delivering remarks” in Auburn Hills and Marne, Michigan, today while Tim Walz will be undertaking a bus tour of Pennsylvania.
The Minnesota Governor had expected Kamala Harris to join him on that trip but, instead, she will be travelling to Georgia to visit communities devastated by Hurricane Helene in recent days.
Her replacement on the Walz bus ride will be none other than Senator John Fetterman.
President Joe Biden will also be visiting Helene victims in North Carolina, a state Harris is expected to visit too “in the coming days”.
And Trump?
He doesn’t appear to be doing anything today but does have a rally planned in Saginaw, Michigan, tomorrow, followed by a town hall event in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Friday and a return to Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, the scene of the first attempt on his life back on July 13.
Linsey Davis likens Walz’s debate performance to Biden implosion
13:20 , Joe Sommerlad
MAGA social media is having a field day with this clip of Davis, one of ABC’s moderators in Philadelphia three weeks ago, trashing Tim Walz’s performance last night by comparing it to the night that ended the president’s pursuit of a second term on June 27.
ABC’s Linsey Davis says Walz’s debate performance was reminiscent of Biden’s humiliating performance in June.
Will Tampon Tim do the right thing and drop out of the race due to sheer embarrassment and incompetence? pic.twitter.com/Sf2kaiLaZb
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 2, 2024
Vance claims he never supported a national abortion ban. Here’s the truth
13:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Since Trump’s running mate does not appear to enjoy being fact-checked, here’s Rhian Lubin and Alex Woodward to do precisely that.
JD Vance claims he never supported national abortion ban. Here’s the truth
Furious Megyn Kelly drops F-bomb over Vance getting fact-checked
12:40 , Joe Sommerlad
I thought it was the libs who were supposed to be easily triggered?
Tried to fact check. JD put you in your place. You WONT HIM FIGHT YOU AND YOU WONT LET THEM DEBATE
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 2, 2024
This was the moment she was so incensed by.
Brennan: “Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio, does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status.”
JD Vance: “The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check.” pic.twitter.com/GPFka0PaAm
— Republican Voters Against Trump (@AccountableGOP) October 2, 2024
Kaitlan Collins confronts Donald Trump Jr: ‘Vance likened your dad to Hitler’
12:20 , Joe Sommerlad
The CNN correspondent hung Don Jr out to dry in the spin room last night after he attempted to blame the media for the two recent assassination attempts against his father.
Watch: The key moments from last night’s VP debate between Vance and Walz
12:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s a quick recap if you’re just joining us or waking up bleary-eyed in the United States.
Analysis: Vance plays Trump’s anger translator on the debate stage – but he is no less extreme
11:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Also taking in last night’s showdown, Rich Hall writes for Indy Premium:
“It was, at times, wonky – a style that suited Yale graduate Vance more than it did the vibes candidate Walz.
“Vance was more relaxed on the stage. He was most effective when he was plagiarizing entire paragraphs from his bestselling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy.
“Walz spoke fast. He tried to drag the conversation into his comfort zone by talking about farms as much as possible. He spoke about soybeans, corn, and topsoil. He even managed to get in a line about pheasant hunting after football practice.”
Here’s more.
Vance plays Trump’s anger translator on the debate stage – but he is no less extreme
Analysis: It took nearly 90 minutes, but Walz made clear exactly why Trump chose Vance
11:20 , Joe Sommerlad
Let’s take a broader view of this thing.
First up, here’s Andrew Feinberg on Vance proving his worth to the man he once suggested might just be “America’s Hitler”.
It took nearly 90 minutes, but Tim Walz made clear exactly why Trump chose JD Vance
CNN anchors interrupted by dog puppet dressed as Vance’s late grandmother
11:00 , Joe Sommerlad
“Oh boy, this is how you know it’s almost 1am,” sighs Dana Bash as co-anchor Jake Tapper introduces Robert Smigel’s Triumph the Insult Comic Dog in the early hours of the morning.
Trump needs to ‘speak less’ and pass the mic to Vance, veteran pollster says
10:40 , Joe Sommerlad
The Republican running mate was so good last night, in the opinion of GOP pollster Frank Luntz, he should do all of Trump’s talking for him.
Vance’s weakest moments tonight have been in trying to defend Trump. #VPDebate
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 2, 2024
Whether you agree with that assessment or not, one person who certainly will not like it is Donald J Trump himself.
With both sides inevitably claiming victory, here’s Mike Bedigan’s report on who won the vice presidential debate.
Who won the vice presidential debate? Walz ‘fumbled bigly’ in spar with Vance
I joined Democrats at a VP debate watch party. The vibes in the room were telling
10:20 , Joe Sommerlad
A world away from poor John, Eric Garcia watched the action in Arlington, Virginia, last night, where the mood among the Democrats surrounding him shifted from silent to celebratory as Tim Walz gradually found his feet and got in some timely jabs.
I joined Democrats at a VP debate watch party. The vibes in the room were telling
A night out with the edgelords: Watching the Walz-Vance debate with DC’s young MAGA mob
10:00 , Joe Sommerlad
There were more fireworks in the Dirty Water bar in Washington DC last night – where the local Young Republicans chapter had gathered to watch Vance and Walz duke it out – than there were on the debate stage, writes poor old John Bowden, who had the grave misfortune to be there.
Watching the Walz-Vance VP debate with DC’s MAGA mob
Harris, Biden and Obama cheer Walz after debate
09:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s how Kamala Harris and the 46th and 44th presidents reacted to last night’s encounter in New York.
Trust me, I know what a good vice president looks like. Tonight’s debate made it clear my friend @Tim_Walz has what it takes.
Join me in getting the Harris-Walz team across the finish line:https://t.co/6Z2ZcnS5lv
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 2, 2024
Tonight’s debate is a reminder of what’s at stake in this election. @Tim_Walz is focused on real solutions for working families and Americans across this country. We need leaders like him who will fight for progress.
Support the campaign today: https://t.co/DRN8sVALyV
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 2, 2024
Snap polls after VP debate reveal what voters think of Vance and Walz’s performances
09:20 , Joe Sommerlad
The general consensus among network pundits from both sides of the political aisle last night was that the Ohio Senator came across as more confident, polished and well-prepared than his Democratic rival.
But, according to a CBS/YouGov flash poll of 1,630 voters who tuned into the VP clash, it was an almost even match.
James Liddell has this report.
Snap polls after VP debate reveal what voters think of Vance and Walz’s performances
Walz celebrates with slice of sausage pizza after debate
09:00 , Joe Sommerlad
While JD Vance remained in the spin room talking to the media in the aftermath of last night’s encounter, Tim Walz and his wife Gwen huddled with their team before stepping out for pizza.
Here he is leaning into his “coach” persona to sum up the evening:
Watch: The VP debate highlights, as chosen by the candidates
08:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s a look back at the night’s key exchanges according to JD Vance and Tim Walz themselves, judging by the excerpts they chose to post on their social media accounts.
These are the moments the Republican was most pleased with…
“I was raised in a working class family…I stand here asking to be your Vice President with extraordinary gratitude for this country…if we get Donald Trump back in the White House, the American Dream is going to be attainable once again.” – Senator JD Vance🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/pcigL3ARgA
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 2, 2024
Senator JD Vance: “For three years Kamala Harris went out bragging that she was going to undo Donald Trump’s border policies. She did exactly that. We had a record number of illegal crossings. We had a record number of fentanyl coming into our country, and now that she’s running… pic.twitter.com/bqPxwiFH1J
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 2, 2024
“You’ve got a tough job here. You’ve got to pretend that Donald Trump didn’t deliver rising take home pay, which of course he did. You’ve got to pretend that Donald Trump didn’t deliver lower inflation, which of course he did. And then you’ve got to defend Kamala Harris’s… pic.twitter.com/s8hvHOxPNB
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 2, 2024
Whether you’re rich or poor, you ought to be able to afford a nice meal and live in a safe neighborhood, but the American people are struggling due to our broken leadership.
Donald Trump has proven his ability to lead this country. I’d ask that you please give him your vote. pic.twitter.com/0D9O0SGjLF
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 2, 2024
…and here are the Democrat’s personal favourites.
Trump live-trolls debate and brands Walz ‘Low IQ Disaster’
08:20 , Joe Sommerlad
Despite making a fool of himself at his own debate against Kamala Harris in Philadelphia last month (“In Springfield, they’re eating the dawgs!”), Trump was on crowing form on Truth Social as he spent his evening posting along to the Vance-Walz showdown.
This is the sort of high-calibre meme he’s been firing out.
Other notable posts from the Republican nominee included his claim that “JD crushed it!”, his angry all-caps denial that he would support a federal abortion ban and his leaping on Walz for misspeaking about gun violence.
JD crushed it! Walz was a Low IQ Disaster – Very much like Kamala. Our Country would never be able to recover from an Administration of these two. Can you imagine them representing us with sharp, fierce Foreign Leaders? I can’t!
Donald Trump Truth Social 11:01 PM EST 10/01/24…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) October 2, 2024
EVERYONE KNOWS I WOULD NOT SUPPORT A FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WOULD, IN FACT, VETO IT, BECAUSE IT IS UP TO THE STATES TO DECIDE BASED ON THE WILL OF THEIR VOTERS (THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE!). LIKE RONALD REAGAN BEFORE ME, I FULLY SUPPORT THE THREE…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) October 2, 2024
Why aren’t the after shows talking about the fact that Walz said, “I’m friends with school shooters!”
Donald Trump Truth Social 11:11 PM EST 10/01/24 @realDonaldTrump
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) October 2, 2024
Here’s Mike Bedigan’s report.
Trump shares rapid-fire, all-caps reactions on Truth Social during Vance-Walz debate
Trump campaign insists Vance ‘absolutely torched’ Walz
08:00 , Joe Sommerlad
In the interests of balance, here’s what the Trump campaign had to say about their man’s performance:
“Tonight, Senator JD Vance succinctly outlined the Trump-Vance plan for restoring prosperity, safety, and security to the American people after four years of destruction at the hands of Kamala Harris.
“Tampon Tim Walz, meanwhile, humiliated himself by offering the same failed, weak, radical leftism that has failed us — unable to answer the most basic question: why hasn’t Kamala done any of what she’s proposing during her 3.5 years in the White House?”
The statement goes on to list 16 bullet points of supposed Walz “fails” before concluding:
“Walz made clear why Americans will reject the Harris-Walz ticket in November: Kamala Harris has had three-and-a-half years in the White House — and Americans are worse off because of it.
“Why would Americans reward her with another term?”
Harris campaign urges Trump to agree to another debate
07:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Shortly after the vice presidential debate ended, the Harris–Walz campaign ‘s chair Jen O’Malley Dillon released a statement asking Donald Trump to debate Vice President Kamala Harris again:
“The choice facing the American people in November was on full display tonight: between charting a new way forward, or going backwards. Vice President Harris believes that the American people deserve to see her and Trump on the debate stage one more time. She will be in Atlanta on October 23 – Donald Trump should step up and face the voters.
“Tonight, Governor Walz showed exactly why Vice President Harris picked him: he is a leader who cares about the issues that matter most to the American people. In the debate, Americans got to see a real contrast: a straight talker focused on sharing real solutions, and a slick politician who spent the whole night defending Donald Trump’s division and failures.
“On every single issue – the economy, health care, foreign policy, reproductive freedom, gun violence – Governor Walz won. He spoke passionately about the Vice President’s vision for a new way forward for the country. And in what was the most critical moment of the entire debate, which came in its final exchange, he stood up for our Constitution, while JD Vance admitted he’d put Trump ahead of the country.”
This was Trump’s response to that on Truth Social:
Lyin’ Kamala just put out a request for another Debate because they lost so badly tonight – Again, it’s like the fighter who lost, gets up and says, “I WANT A REMATCH.” I beat Biden, I then beat her, and I’m not looking to do it again, too far down the line. Votes are already…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) October 2, 2024
JD Vance and Tim Walz keep it cordial in policy-driven debate but Trump is inescapable
07:20 , Joe Sommerlad
Good morning!
If you’re just joining us, here’s a recap of what happened as the US vice presidential nominees JD Vance and Tim Walz went head-to-head on the CBS debate stage in New York City on Tuesday night.
In what was a largely cordial encounter in which actual policy discussions broke out on immigration, abortion and gun control, Vance largely got the best of Walz, delivering a smooth, calm and assured performance.
Things were so civil, in fact, that statements like this were heard as the two men found common ground while attacking each other’s respective running mates:
Walz: “I agree with a lot of what Senator Vance said about what’s happening – his running mate, though, does not. And that’s the problem.”
Vance: “Tim just mentioned a bunch of ideas. Now some of those ideas I actually think are halfway decent, and some of them I disagree with. But the most important thing here is: Kamala Harris is not running as a newcomer to politics. She is the sitting VP.”
The Republican did particularly well during a portion of the debate on gun control when he expressed genuine compassion after Walz mentioned his son witnessing a school shooting incident, responding: “I’m sorry about that and I hope he’s doing OK. Christ have mercy, it is awful.”
Walz meanwhile was more nervous and tentative but did grow into the 90-minute contest, forcing Vance into a corner over his false claim about Haitian immigrants eating residents’ pets in Springfield, Ohio, January 6 and Donald Trump’s 2020 election denialism, slamming his rival’s evasive response to that as “a damning non-answer”.
Walz was forced to admit he had been a “knucklehead” in misspeaking about having been in attendance during the Tiananmen Square protest in China in 1989 but fired back at Vance for suggesting abortion rights should be decided by the states because “California has a different viewpoint on this than Georgia”.
“The states will decide what’s right for Texas might not be right for Washington? That’s not how this works. This is basic human rights,” the Minnesota Governor shot back.
Here’s Alex Woodward’s report on a fascinating evening.
Vance and Walz keep it cordial in policy-driven debate but Trump is inescapable
Watch: Vance claims that Harris ‘use children as drug mules’
07:00 , Ariana Baio
Even on Vance’s big debate night in New York, Trump is still center stage for MAGA’s faithful
06:30 , Ariana Baio
Though many Republicans gathered outside the CBS studios on Tuesday were confident of the Ohio Senator’s debating skills, there was one person who could not escape a mention. Mike Bedigan got their views
On JD Vance’s big night in New York, it’s still Donald Trump who takes center stage
New poll shows the debate was a deadheat
06:15 , Eric Garcia
A new poll found the debate turned out essentially a draw. CBS and YouGov put out a survey immediately following the vice presidential debate, which found that 42 percent of people thought that Republican vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance got the better of his Democratic counterpart Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
But 41 percent thought that Walz got the better of Donald Trump’s running mate. Similarly, people seemed to like the tone of the debate as 88 percent of those surveyed said the tone was generally positive.
Walz tries to dodge but admits ‘discrepancy’ in his comments on time in Hong Kong
06:00 , Josh Marcus
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz gave a rambling answer Tuesday night during the vice presidential debate against JD Vance when asked about reports that he falsely claimed to have been in Hong Kong during the June 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in China.
“All I said on this was is, I got there that summer and misspoke on this, so I will just, that’s what I’ve said,” Walz responded to the CBS moderators. “So I was in Hong Kong and China during the democracy protests… and from that I learned a lot of what needed to be in governance.”
Josh Marcus reports:
Walz admits he was not in Hong Kong during Tiananmen Square protests: ‘I misspoke’
Rachel Maddow: ‘JD Vance was very polished and very slick’
05:45 , Ariana Baio
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said Vance was “polished” and “slick” but believes that Walz “won”.
“One of these candidates is much slicker than the other is a much more practiced, kind of professional debate-style speaker and the other candidate won,” Maddow said.
She acknowledged that Walz had an unflattering while responding to criticisms about the Tiananmen Square protests but that he succeeded on “every issue on substance” like healthcare, the economy, immigration, abortion and more.
“JD Vance was very polished and very slick and Tim Walz beat him on the substantive points.”
Rachel Maddow’s instant reaction to the debate and the “one very blunt, very easily disprovable lie on a very important issue that is gonna be real trouble for JD Vance coming out of this.” pic.twitter.com/Cs51ecd0An
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 2, 2024
The scene at the Democratic debate watch party
05:30 , Eric Garcia
At the Democrat debate watch party in Arlington, it was initially, quiet and folks were a bit stressed. Then once Walz started to hit his stride, they felt better.
Van Jones says JD Vance ‘lied’ the entire debate
05:14 , Ariana Baio
CNN host and legal analyst Van Jones said JD Vance “lied the entire night”.
Jones said Vance repeated falsehoods about American energy production, Trump’s past healthcare policy, the peaceful transfer of power in 2021 and supporting a national abortion ban.
“I think Americans need to be very, very careful this is a very, very deceitful guy,” Jones said on CNN.
Jones: Vance lied the entire night. American energy production is up. He said it’s down. He said Donald Trump saved Obamacare. He lied about the insurrection, he said we had a peaceful transfer of power. He lied and said he never supported a national abortion ban pic.twitter.com/2zvtxUzdVB
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 2, 2024
The scene from the DC Young Republicans watch party
05:10 , John Bowden
Guests were losing interest in the wonky debate by the second half and a fight nearly broke out after one man told another guest that his views were “repulsive” and stormed out threatening to kick his ass.
Vance forced to confront his previous criticism of Trump on debate stage – and blames the media
05:00 , Ariana Baio
Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance has blamed the media for his savage past criticisms of the former president.
Speaking in a televised debate against his Democratic opposite number Tim Walz, the Ohio senator claimed that he was misled by “dishonest fabrications” when he compared Trump to Hitler and said he had “thoroughly failed to deliver his economic populism”.
“I’ve always been extremely open about the fact that I was wrong about Donald Trump,” Vance said on Tuesday night. “I was wrong first of all because I believed some of the media stories that turned out to be dishonest fabrications of his record.
Io Dodds reports:
Vance blames media for his brutal past criticism of Trump during debate with Tim Walz
Who won the vice presidential debate?
04:53 , Mike Bedigan
Despite a civilized and at times even convivial vice presidential debate, Democratic nominee Tim Walz at times appeared nervous and unprepared, while his rival JD Vance worked to downplay his image of an uncompassionate weirdo.
Ultimately, the Ohio Senator’s confidence, command of party lines and smooth delivery made a largely positive impression on Tuesday night, in contrast to that caused by several campaign controversies in recent weeks.
Mike Bedigan reports:
Who won the vice presidential debate? Walz ‘fumbled bigly’ in spar with Vance
A review on Walz’s performance
04:48 , Eric Garcia
By his own admission, Vance says he likes to talk a lot. When I watched his debate performances from when he ran for Congress and Governor, Walz can rattle off tons of facts.
The downside to that is that sometimes he isn’t quick on his feet. This was how he at times struggled to respond to questions about his response to violent demonstrations after George Floyd’s killing. In the same way, he slipped when he did not directly address the timeline when of when he went to Hong Kong.
It also meant he tried to pack in his rehearsed lines about abortion rather than responding to accusations about Minnesota’s abortion law.
Who is Usha Vance? JD’s wife is evolving alongside him on the political stage
04:30 , Ariana Baio
When JD Vance began law school at Yale, the Rust Belt native encountered total culture shock — but also met his wife, the whipsmart daughter of Indian immigrants who helped him navigate the Ivy League, healthy relationships and his run for Vice President alongside Donald Trump. Sheila Flynn chronicles their romance
Who is Usha Vance? The wife and family of Trump’s VP pick JD Vance
Both JD Vances—the Hillbilly and the running mate—came out in full force tonight
04:21 , Eric Garcia
Vance did what he needed to do.
For the longest time, one of his biggest downsides is that he has come off as too abrasive or mean-spirited. Here, we saw the Vance that made Hillbilly Elegy a bestseller.
He talked about the woman who raised him—his mamaw—and the fact they were Democrats. He mentioned his three children where in the past he has said he told his kid to “shut up” about talking about Pokémon. Vance mostly succeeded when talking about himself. But he fell short when he tried to skate past his previous comments about Springfield, Ohio or when he talked about how he changed his mind.
Toward the end, we started to see the hard right warrior Vance we have seen since he ran for Senate. He talked about big tech censorship and said it was a bigger issue than the 2020 election. That might be enough to hurt him
Watch: JD Vance refuses to say that Trump lost the 2020 election
04:10 , Ariana Baio
Walz and Vance shake hands to end the night
04:05 , Ariana Baio
Vance appeared more confident during debate
03:56 , Ariana Baio
Both candidates maintained a more even-toned attitude than expected going into the debate, but ultimately Vance seemed more confident in his answers.
At the start of the debate, Walz’s nerves were palpable as he tried to deliver an answer on Israel. His confidence got better throughout the debate and he delivered more punching answers toward the end.
But Vance ultimately seemed more unbothered and well-prepared for the vice presidential debate.
Walz paints a positive picture, Vance attacks Harris in closing
03:49 , Ariana Baio
In their closing statements, Walz maintained a positive outlook of the United States while Vance attacked Harris.
The Democratic vice presidential candidate reminded people that Harris wants to create a more affordable, accessible country for everyone. It was reminiscent of the beginning of the Harris–Walz campaign when they promoted a message of hope for a better future.
But Vance spent most of his closing statement attacking Harris and her policies – a familiar strategy that Trump invokes in his rallies and speeches.
Vance refuses to admit Trump lost 2020 election
03:41 , Ariana Baio
Walz is having a notably strong moment while denouncing January 6 and confronting Vance for refusing to admit Trump lost the 2020 election.
The Democratic vice presidential candidate asked Vance if he believed Trump won the 2020 election, to which Vance said he wanted to focus on the future.
“That is a damning nonanswer,” Walz said.
The Minnesota governor is warning Americans that this discourse over January 6 and the 2020 election. “has got to stop”
“It’s tearing our country apart,” Walz said. He urged Americans to vote for the person who will uphold democracy.
Vance swerves question on rejecting 2024 results
03:33 , Ariana Baio
When confronted about election certification and January 6, Vance immediately pivoted to inflation and later to censorship.
Vance briefly answered moderators’ question, saying the 2020 election had “problems” and defended his running mate for telling rioters to go peacefully to the Capitol on January 6.
The Republican presidential candidate tried to make the attack on the Capitol appear like a health debate. However, more than 1,200 people have been charged in connection to the violent day.
Paid family medical leave is a staple of Walz’s governorship
03:28 , Ariana Baio, Alex Woodward
Walz is advocating for more paid family medical leave on the debate stage.
Last year, Walz signed a bill to provide paid family medical leave with partial wage replacement for 12-20 weeks of leave in a 52-week period for medical leave or family care. That kicks in January 2026.
Walz passionately speaks about the Affordable Care Act
03:21 , Ariana Baio
In response to Trump and Vance potentially overturning ACA, Walz reminds people that Trump did not successfully repeal the ACA while in office and the policy preserves healthcare coverage for those with preexisting conditions.
Walz, using his hands a lot, is passionately explaining why the ACA is important.
Walz had to defend his vote on Obamacare in 2010. He talked about the benefits. He narrowly won re-election afterward by 13,123 votes. https://t.co/FxQHRwMdRy
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) October 2, 2024
Vance claims migrants are contributing to housing prices
03:16 , Ariana Baio
Supporting Trump’s mass deportation policies, Vance claims that migrants are contributing to high housing costs in the U.S.
An economic study said a mass deportation of eight million immigrants would increase consumer prices.