The vice presidential debate was a welcome sight in our often absurd and divisive political landscape. And I believe that future debates should strive to emulate it for the benefit of the candidates and the nation.
In recent years, national debates have gone from two candidates who differ on policy and positions but share the common goal of making the country better. Debates now have become filled with personal attacks and divisive rhetoric where supporters fan the flames on both sides of the aisle.
But, it has not always been this way.
Even as recently when Senator John McCain was the Republican nominee for president against Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, McCain made it a point to stamp out personal attacks against his opponent and kept discussions focused solely on policy that would impact Americans, not allegations that would create headlines.
This political shift from mutual respect between candidates who differ on the best way forward for the country towards two enemy sides who will do nothing to help the other picked up steam during former President Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Since then, America has become increasingly divided, with the focus now more on ‘beating’ the other side than doing what is considered best for the country.
This strategy of ensuring that every negative thing that happens in the country is blamed on the other party worked wonders for Trump, winning him an election, but the damage it caused is still being felt almost a decade later.
That is why the vice presidential debate was such a surprise.
J.D. Vance and Tim Walz engaged in good faith discourse centered on policy and platforms – engaging in almost no personal attacks against each other. The two even agreed with each other multiple times and shared some truly humanizing moments of decency that have not been seen in politics for what feels like a lifetime.
It felt like a turning point in our political landscape compared with the presidential debate between Trump and Vice President Harris a month before.
We saw the example of two opposing political candidates making the conscious effort to admit when the other side makes sense and show a real willingness to work together, even if it is just for the cameras.
The optics are everything in politics.
How a person looks, sounds and presents themselves to the public plays a massive role in their perception before they even open their mouths.
The optics of American politics for the last decade have been nothing short of a circus. Personal attacks, insults, indictments, scandals and online beef have become the new norm and we are straying further away from the country that we desire to become as a result.
Vance and Walz have their supporters and their detractors but the way that they conducted themselves in this debate was so refreshing to see. Presenting themselves as two adults with clear ideas for the future who don’t stoop to schoolyard antics in order to make their points.
This type of politics may be going out of style with headlines and clicks becoming more important than good-faith discussion, but this brand of politics is better for both the candidates and for the country.
But of course, that’s just one man’s opinion.
Categories: Opinion
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