How to watch the 2024 vice presidential debate live between Tim Walz and JD Vance, including free streaming options
Start spreading the news. It’s time for the running mates to shine in the Big Apple. The 2024 vice presidential debate is set to take place on Tuesday, October 1, at CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. On the Republican side is Senator JD Vance of Ohio, while the Democrats are relying on Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota. The stakes are high as this is the only time that these two candidates will meet to discuss the issues, and Vice President Kamala Harris has taken a slight lead in national polls over former president Donald Trump. Let’s get up to speed on what you need to know before you tune in. Who is in charge of the 2024 VP debate? One of the many unprecedented aspects about this presidential election cycle is the exclusion of the Nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. This is the first time since 1988 that the organization has not been the driving force behind the debates. Recall that the Republican National Committee (RNC) pulled out of the commission in 2022 because their members believed that their candidates were being treated unfairly. In May of 2024, President Biden—the democratic candidate at the time—announced that he would not participate in debates sponsored by the commission. This time around individual televisions networks have negotiated directly with the campaigns, with CBS winning the vice presidential prize. Who are the moderators of the 2024 VP debate? CBS has chosen two respected journalists from its roster to oversee the debate. Norah O’Donnell is the anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News. Margaret Brennan lends her talents to Face the Nation. What are the rules and format of the 2024 VP debate? The debate will be 90 minutes long with a couple of breaks lasting four minutes each. There will be no audience or opening statements. Walz will be introduced first and stand on the left with Vance taking the right. Walz and Vance will be given a pen, pad of paper, and water. They are not allowed to take in any notes or talk to their campaign once the debate has started. Neither will know the questions ahead of time. Vance will have the last word with his closing statement. Each candidate will be given two minutes to answer a question from the moderators. The remaining candidate will be given two minutes to respond to the other’s answer. One-minute rebuttals will then be allowed. Candidates will be able to see how much time they have left on countdown clocks and through light signals. What about the microphones? Microphones have been front and center during this presidential election cycle. The first presidential debate, hosted by CNN, when President Biden was still in the race, muted the mics when the other candidate was speaking. The second presidential debate, hosted by ABC, with Vice President Harris, followed the same format, even though attempts were made to change it. This time around the mics will be on throughout but the moderators will have the ability to mute them. How did the candidates prepare for the VP debate? Both campaigns have brought in additional personnel to help their candidates prepare for the big day, as the Washington Post reports. Walz has been working with Zayn Siddique, a lawyer who worked in the Biden White House, and Rob Friedlander, a former member of the National Economic Council. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been playing Vance in mock debates so Walz can practice. Vance has been studying with Tom Emmer, the majority whip in the House of Representatives from Minnesota. Emmer has long been acquainted with Walz so he is bringing insider knowledge to the table. How can I watch or stream the 2024 VP debate live? If you have an over-the-air antenna and reception, watching this debate is easy. Just tune into your local CBS station at 9 p.m. ET. The broadcast is also available for simulcast so most other networks will pick it up as well. Cord-cutters can live-stream it on CBS News 24/7, the network’s free news-focused streaming service, and on Paramount Plus. Other live TV-streaming options include DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV, and Sling TV, which all have a free trial option. Finally, one of the easiest options is PBS NewsHour, which will offer the debate via its YouTube page with a free live stream. You can find that here and in the video embedded below.
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Start spreading the news. It’s time for the running mates to shine in the Big Apple. The 2024 vice presidential debate is set to take place on Tuesday, October 1, at CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
On the Republican side is Senator JD Vance of Ohio, while the Democrats are relying on Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota. The stakes are high as this is the only time that these two candidates will meet to discuss the issues, and Vice President Kamala Harris has taken a slight lead in national polls over former president Donald Trump.
Let’s get up to speed on what you need to know before you tune in.
Who is in charge of the 2024 VP debate?
One of the many unprecedented aspects about this presidential election cycle is the exclusion of the Nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. This is the first time since 1988 that the organization has not been the driving force behind the debates.
Recall that the Republican National Committee (RNC) pulled out of the commission in 2022 because their members believed that their candidates were being treated unfairly. In May of 2024, President Biden—the democratic candidate at the time—announced that he would not participate in debates sponsored by the commission. This time around individual televisions networks have negotiated directly with the campaigns, with CBS winning the vice presidential prize.
Who are the moderators of the 2024 VP debate?
CBS has chosen two respected journalists from its roster to oversee the debate. Norah O’Donnell is the anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News. Margaret Brennan lends her talents to Face the Nation.
What are the rules and format of the 2024 VP debate?
The debate will be 90 minutes long with a couple of breaks lasting four minutes each. There will be no audience or opening statements. Walz will be introduced first and stand on the left with Vance taking the right.
Walz and Vance will be given a pen, pad of paper, and water. They are not allowed to take in any notes or talk to their campaign once the debate has started. Neither will know the questions ahead of time. Vance will have the last word with his closing statement.
Each candidate will be given two minutes to answer a question from the moderators. The remaining candidate will be given two minutes to respond to the other’s answer. One-minute rebuttals will then be allowed. Candidates will be able to see how much time they have left on countdown clocks and through light signals.
What about the microphones?
Microphones have been front and center during this presidential election cycle. The first presidential debate, hosted by CNN, when President Biden was still in the race, muted the mics when the other candidate was speaking. The second presidential debate, hosted by ABC, with Vice President Harris, followed the same format, even though attempts were made to change it. This time around the mics will be on throughout but the moderators will have the ability to mute them.
How did the candidates prepare for the VP debate?
Both campaigns have brought in additional personnel to help their candidates prepare for the big day, as the Washington Post reports.
Walz has been working with Zayn Siddique, a lawyer who worked in the Biden White House, and Rob Friedlander, a former member of the National Economic Council. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been playing Vance in mock debates so Walz can practice.
Vance has been studying with Tom Emmer, the majority whip in the House of Representatives from Minnesota. Emmer has long been acquainted with Walz so he is bringing insider knowledge to the table.
How can I watch or stream the 2024 VP debate live?
If you have an over-the-air antenna and reception, watching this debate is easy. Just tune into your local CBS station at 9 p.m. ET. The broadcast is also available for simulcast so most other networks will pick it up as well.
Cord-cutters can live-stream it on CBS News 24/7, the network’s free news-focused streaming service, and on Paramount Plus.
Other live TV-streaming options include DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV, and Sling TV, which all have a free trial option.
Finally, one of the easiest options is PBS NewsHour, which will offer the debate via its YouTube page with a free live stream. You can find that here and in the video embedded below.
