In what has been considered largely civil for the first and only vice-presidential debate of the 2024 election, a heated argument resulted in both Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance‘s microphones being temporarily muted.
Both candidates shook hands after taking the stage at CBS Studios Tuesday evening and moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan ran through the rules.
“CBS News reserves the right to mute the candidates’ microphones to maintain decorum,” O’Donnell said during the opening of the debate.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a vice presidential debate with Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, Oct. 1, 2024, in New York City.
Matt Rourke/AP
After responding to a question about Donald Trump’s proposal to conduct mass deportation of migrants, including Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, who he falsely claimed are in the country illegally, Walz said, “It becomes a talking point. And when it becomes a talking point like this, we dehumanize and villainize other human beings.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating, they’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” Trump said then.
Vance did not attempt to walk back or apologize for his baseless claims about Haitian migrants in Springfield, he continued to state they were in the U.S. illegally — which they are not.
Before O’Donnell pivoted the debate toward the economy, Brennan noted that Springfield, Ohio, has a large number of Haitian immigrants with legal status.
“Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio, does have a large number of Haitian migrants, who have legal status,” Brennan said.
Vance talked over both moderators about an asylum application, with Walz chiming in to fact-check Vance, resulting in both candidates’ mics being muted.
“Gentlemen, the audience can’t hear you because your mics are cut. We have so much we want to get to,” O’Donnell said to the vice presidential hopefuls.