6 things to know before the vice president debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz

WASHINGTON – More than in the previous two presidential debates, when vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz face off on Tuesday, much more will depend on how the CBS anchors handle the 90-minute showdown.

It's not just about the questions “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O'Donnell and “Face the Nation” anchor Margaret Brennan will ask Vance and Walz during their only debate, which begins at 8 p.m. Chicago time. Rather, it's about crucial decisions they must make about whether to mute a microphone and whether to truly just sit there and let egregious lies go either unanswered or without consequence.

Observations on the debate, which will take place at a CBS studio in New York:

On the topic of fact checking and open microphones: It appears CBS wants Walz and Vance to check each other out.

CBS rules differ from the presidential debates on CNN and ABC and this could significantly affect the outcome. On Tuesday night, the CBS microphones will not be automatically muted if the candidate does not speak. However, the rule states: “CBS News reserves the right to turn off candidates’ microphones.”

ABC rules for this month's clash between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris said the candidates' microphones should only be active when they spoke and muted when they did not speak.

The rules in the CBS microphone muting debate give Vance and Walz plenty of room to question each other.

During the CNN debate, the muted microphones played no role. President Joe Biden performed so poorly that Trump was more or less content to hold his fire and watch Biden collapse.

Then there's this big one. ABC rules said presenters would try to “ensure a civilized discussion”. That allowed for minimal fact-checking in the ABC debate, particularly for the Trump wrinkles over Democrats' support for “executing” babies “after birth”; that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, ate people's dogs and cats; and that Biden did not win the 2020 election.

Harris wasn't fact-checked by ABC anchors, but her gaffes didn't rise to the level of Trump's dangerous lies. There is a difference between speeding 5 miles over the speed limit and speeding 50 miles over the limit.

Pay attention to: Vance and Walz look for ways to use the open mic crosstalk opportunity to their advantage. The Republican Vance, a senator from Ohio, is far more combative in the election campaign than the Democrat Walz, the governor of Minnesota. There's too much at stake for Walz to play nice with Minnesota.

Will Vance be asked to answer for Trump's ugly dog ​​whistles? At rallies over the weekend, Trump tried to motivate his base by personally attacking Harris with strong language. In Wisconsin on Saturday, Trump said: “Joe Biden has been mentally impaired. Kamala was born this way. She was born this way.” Trump also called her “mentally disabled.” Will Vance repeat that? Will he be asked to defend it?

O'Donnell and Brennan have a tough job: What to do when facts don't matter: Even as they want to challenge Vance on why he keeps repeating the false claim that Haitians in Springfield eat pets, he has said he doesn't care what's true. Vance told CNN: “If I have to make up stories so that the American media will actually pay attention to the suffering of the American people,” he said, “then I will do that.”

Will probably come up even if it isn't asked for: Both Vance and Walz served in the military. Vance attacked Walz with this claim, which was debunked by PolitiFact. So don't be surprised if Vance offers some version of this: “Do you know what he did when Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq?” He resigned from the army and allowed his unit to leave without him.”

Debate preparation: The Rolling Debate Camp takes place in Harbor Springs, a city in northern Michigan. Vance does no such formal preparation.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg plays Vance during training sessions.

The Walz preparation team also includes attorney Zayn Siddique, who helped Biden and Harris prepare for their Trump debates; Liz Allen, Walz's campaign manager; long-time Walz consultant Chris Schmitter; and Harris Walz Communications Director Michael Tyler.

On Vance's side, Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., the No. 3 Republican in the House, portrays Walz, whom he has known for years.

Emmer told ABC's “This Week” co-host Martha Raddatz on Sunday: “I've known Tim probably since he was first elected almost 20 years ago, and I've worked with him directly for four years, the last month I've spent “Just going back there, all his old stuff, to get a handle on his phrases, his mannerisms and stuff like that,” Emmer said. “My job was to be able to play Tim Walz so that JD Vance would know what he was going to see.”