In a closely watched vice-presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance, voters were split in a snap poll on who performed better, with a 50-50 split. Democrats mostly thought Walz won, while GOP supporters mostly thought Vance won. Independents leaned towards Walz. The debate was seen as a reflection of the country’s hyper-polarized politics as it enters the final stretch of the election.
Following the debate, Tim Walz headed to Pennsylvania for a campaign rally with Senator John Fetterman in a bid to gain support in a battleground state. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting to address the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with Iran launching missiles at Israel and Israel retaliating with incursions into Lebanon.
In another notable development, President Joe Biden is set to survey the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the Carolinas, where at least 166 people have died. The strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association has caused disruptions at US ports, impacting the economy.
Vance refused to say whether Trump lost the 2020 election during the debate, while Walz criticized the former president’s false claims of voter fraud leading to the Capitol attack in January 2021. Despite a mostly civil debate, tensions rose during this exchange. CNN’s post-debate poll showed Vance narrowly winning the debate, adding another dimension to the closely contested election.
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