The V.P. Debate

Most political scientists will tell you that vice presidential debates rarely matter. But this year is different. Even the New York Times admitted that this “V.P. Debate Is A Bigger Deal Than Usual.”

In many ways, the selection of a vice president is the most important decision a presidential candidate makes because that person could become president of the United States. Given that we were watching two potential presidents, last night’s debate between Senator J.D. Vance and Governor Tim Walz was a big deal.

Post-debate polling was split down the middle. CBS and CNN polls found that most viewers believed Vance won the debate -- just barely. But it was clear to me that one of those two men was far more presidential.

I also believe Vance won. The Ohio senator was calm and he demonstrated a strong command of the issues. The governor’s performance is best summed up in his own words, “I’m a knucklehead.” He was also very nervous and made several gaffes.

Perhaps that’s why the Harris campaign is now making excuses for Walz. Kamala Harris admitted this week that “she was sleep-deprived” when she picked Walz to be her running mate. 

Here are some additional observations.

Communist China

Gov. Walz was pressed to explain why he lied about being in communist China during the Tiananmen Square massacre when he was actually in Nebraska. Walz stumbled through his answer, eventually admitting that he’s a “knucklehead” and “misspoke.” The moderators seemed satisfied with that and moved on.

But there’s a very disturbing issue that should have been addressed here. Of course, the left-wing media went straight to the least important point.

What the moderators should have focused on wasn’t when he went to communist China, but why he repeatedly went to communist China on trips paid for by the Chinese Communist Party. Experts say this is a classic example of communist China’s ongoing efforts to groom rising figures in America.

What is the relationship between Walz’s multiple trips and the soft line he has taken on communist China year after year?

Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has subpoenaed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for all the information it has regarding Walz’s “longstanding connection” with communist China. A whistleblower told Comer that DHS has such information on Walz.

This is an extremely serious issue.

We know the communist Chinese infiltrated the office of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

We know the communist Chinese compromised Rep. Eric Swalwell, who was a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

We know a Chinese agent worked for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein for years.

We know Hunter Biden had extensive dealings (here and here) with Chinese communist officials.

We know communist China set up one of its secret police stations in Minnesota.

Then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo repeatedly warned (here and here) that Chinese agents were aggressively grooming elected officials from both parties at every level. More questions should be asked.

Abortion

Gov. Walz was asked about the abortion bill he signed repealing all restrictions on abortion and whether he supported any restrictions at all. He misled viewers about the radical legislation he signed and refused to name even one abortion restriction he would support.

Sen. Vance also asked whether a Harris/Walz administration would force Catholic hospitals to perform abortions. Walz didn’t answer. But it is a legitimate concern because some left-wing politicians are trying to do just that. (Here and here.)

And not only Catholic hospitals, they want to force Christian doctors to perform abortions and they want to force ministries like the James Dobson Family Institute to cover abortions for their employees.

This was an important and revealing part of the debate. The left says women have a “right to choose.” Christians also have a right to choose not to be complicit in the destruction of innocent life.

The Second Amendment

A lot of jokes have been made about Walz saying, “I’ve become friends with school shooters.” But in a symbolic way, he could be seen as a friend to school shooters.

Vance’s solution to school shootings is to hire more school resource officers who could stop shooters. Walz disagreed and said children shouldn’t have to go to school “in a fortress.”

School shooters will thank Tim Walz because, if he’s in charge, they won’t have to worry about an officer in the school trying to stop them.

The Bias

The bias of the moderators was on full display. In one really over-the-top interference, they attempted to fact check Vance on immigration, claiming that the Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, are here legally. When Vance tried to explain how they are exploiting Biden administration programs, the moderators talked over him and muted his microphone.

Their bias was also evident in how the questions were phrased.

When the subject of immigration was introduced, they didn’t ask Walz why Biden opened the border by repealing all of Donald Trump’s commonsense executive orders, leading to a flood of illegal immigration. They didn’t ask what our “border czar” has been doing these past four years.

Instead, they asked Vance if Trump was going to separate children from their parents. So instead of talking about the problems we have now, they were speculating about what Trump might do.

Vance, however, turned the question around. He pointed out that the Biden administration has the real family separation policy because it lost hundreds of thousands of migrant children. Vance also talked about how illegal immigration is crushing local communities, driving up housing prices and rents, and overcrowding schools and hospitals.

Another example of bias is how the moderators exploited Hurricane Helene. Many communities have been devastated. There’s a huge controversy about the slow federal response. The president was at the beach and the vice president was attending fundraisers, while many Americans lost their homes.

Instead of addressing any of that, the moderators made the issue about climate change.

Helene Update

Joe Biden is going to North Carolina today to survey the damage. It’s about time. Not one Biden cabinet official has bothered to go. That’s revealing.

Biden clearly realizes the PR damage that he has sustained because he’s now mobilizing 1,000 U.S. Army troops to help with the relief efforts. What took so long?

Well, part of the problem is leftist ideology that puts Americans last.

The Biden/Harris administration raided $1 billion from FEMA’s budget, money meant for disaster relief like hurricanes and catastrophic flooding, and spent it “to provide humanitarian services” for illegal aliens.

The administration is bragging that it sent $1 billion of your tax money to the Palestinians over the past year. Adding insult to injury, they just sent $336 million this week in the devastating aftermath of Helene.

Unfortunately, there’s more.

As communities across the southeast struggle to rebuild and restore power, the Biden administration has raided our reserve of emergency electrical equipment and sent it to Ukraine. They’ve been doing this even as our own country has been struggling with a critical shortage of electrical transformers.

And there are new reports that Kamala Harris has been skipping regularly scheduled hurricane preparedness briefings.

Tune In To Family Talk

Please tune in to Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk radio show. On today’s broadcast, I speak with Dr. Owen Strachan, senior director of the Dobson Culture Center, about his new e-book entitled Voting and the Church: Why Christians Engage the Public Square. Dr. Strachan reminds us of the great blessing we have “to be able to participate in a political system.”

You can find station listings here. You can listen online here.

L'Shanah Tovah

To all of our Jewish friends and supporters, Carol and I wish you a happy Rosh Hashanah!