JD Vance Agrees to Debate But Warns CBS Against Playing Games

Senator JD Vance (R-OH) confirmed his willingness to debate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in the upcoming CBS News vice presidential debate this fall, but with a caveat: the network must commit to fair and transparent debate conditions.

In an interview on Wednesday evening, Vance expressed his readiness to participate, provided that CBS does not manipulate the debate parameters. “We want to actually look at the debates, look at the moderators, talk about the rules a little bit,” Vance said during a Fox News appearance. He noted that CBS had only contacted his team about the debate a few hours earlier, while he was returning from a rally in Michigan.

CBS News extended invitations to both Vance and Walz for the debate, offering four potential dates in New York City: September 17, September 24, October 1, and October 8. Walz quickly accepted the October 1 date, which is noteworthy as it falls after early voting has already begun in several states.

Vance highlighted that his participation hinges on ensuring the debate serves as a genuine platform for discussion, rather than a media stunt. “We’re not going to do one of these fake debates, where they don’t actually have an audience there,” Vance emphasized, adding that the debate should facilitate “a good exchange of ideas.”

He concluded with a pointed remark directed at the network: “We’re not going to walk into a fake news media garbage debate. We’re going to do a real debate, and if CBS agrees to it, then certainly we’ll do it.”

As the debate date approaches, all eyes will be on CBS to see if it meets Vance’s demands for a fair and transparent process, one that will allow voters to see a true contest of ideas between the vice presidential candidates.

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