Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, and Kamala Harris’s vice presidential pick, Tim Walz, are set to debate on October 1, making it the last debate of the 2024 election cycle.
The debate will start at 9 pm ET and is being hosted by CBS News, which released the rules on Friday. It will be moderated by CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan.
Here are the rules for the vice presidential debate:
Debate structure
The debate will begin with the moderators introducing the candidates, with Walz being introduced first as he is the nominee from the incumbent party.Afterwards, the moderators will ask questions, giving each candidate two minutes to respond. This will be followed by one-minute rebuttals and additional responses.
Unlike the Presidential debates, the candidates’ microphone will remain active throughout the debate, though CBS reserves the right to turn them off if necessary.
In line with the presidential debate, the Vance-Walz debate will have no live audience in order to avoid disruptions. This format is different from the traditional format that usually includes the audience.
Unlike the Presidential debate, the Vice Presidential debate will not include opening statements but a closing statement. The order of this statement was determined by a virtual toss. Vance won the coin toss and decided to speak last during closing statements.
Both candidates will stand at identical podiums, a format last used in 2008. During the 90-minute debate, Walz will occupy the left side while Vance will be seen on the opposite side (right).
There will be two commercial breaks, similar to the prior debates. During these breaks, candidates will not be permitted to consult with their campaign staff or receive touch-ups to ensure a focused environment.
Both Walz and Vance have been practising with mock debates to prepare for their upcoming showdown.
Vance has mostly been preparing at home in Cincinnati with the help of his wife, Usha, and Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller, according to a source familiar with his preparations.
Walz has been participating in a “multiday debate camp” in rural Michigan with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as a stand-in for Vance.
