Staff Reports
In the aftermath of the highly anticipated vice presidential debate, the media’s eager attempt to predict outcomes suffered yet another embarrassing letdown—shocking, right? The debate featured Republican Senator J.D. Vance from Ohio squaring off against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. As usual, the mainstream media scrambled to create focus groups and quick analyses to make sense of the showdown, but that only left them scrambling for relevance. Enter CNN, the network that somehow thought its take on the debate would shed light on voter sentiment. Spoiler alert: it was painfully predictable.
CNN, in its usual style, threw together a poll almost as fast as the debate ended, eager to undermine good old J.D. Vance with their so-called unbiased data. In what could only be described as a desperate move, they proclaimed Vance the victor with a slim 51% to 49% lead. Yet, what’s more glaring is that these numbers were padded with a sample that skewed heavily toward the Democrats, with a five-point advantage for the blue team. So just imagine the jaw-drop moment when they realized the most pro-Democratic poll they could muster still resulted in a win for Vance. CNN truly excels at providing entertainment in the form of journalistic gymnastics.
The survey, as recounted by CNN’s David Chalian, revealed that participants were too eager to declare themselves “likely voters.” The breakdown of the sampling was a delightful mix of “surprise”—one-third Democrats, one-third Republicans, and one-third independents. Yet, this magical formula still couldn’t lift Walz above the disappointment of voters, who initially believed he would shine. Some 54% of viewers had their hopes high for Walz, but results fell flat, plummeting to a measly 49%. Even those who anticipated Vance’s defeat were met with a bitter reality when he surpassed expectations, earning a nod from more than just his own party.
🚨 JUST IN: First Post-Debate Poll Reveals Clear Winner In VP Showdownhttps://t.co/aGeyryG230
— JOSH DUNLAP (@JDunlap1974) October 2, 2024
The debate itself evolved into something unexpectedly mild, leaving many commentators scratching their heads. Observers had anticipated a ferocious battle with the two candidates hurling insults like high-energy sports teams. Instead, Vance brought the heat, labeling Walz with accusations of “stolen valor,” a dig that likely sent Walz into a defensive scramble. Walz’s connections to China, which he awkwardly admitted were a “knucklehead” move to ignore, provided Vance with ample ammunition.
Unsurprisingly, Walz’s tactics leaned toward portraying Vance and former President Trump as “weird,” a telling strategy for a Democrat desperate for any semblance of relevance. While Walz’s supporters paraded this statement as a badge of honor, the remainder of America saw through it as a fundamental miscalculation. The debate was, in a rare twist, more about civility than chaos, with moments of strange camaraderie, including Walz’s admission that he shares concern for the victims of school shootings—a strange sentiment from the left. The highly strategic build-up to this showdown turned out to be a reminder that sometimes, even on a night touted for its potential fireworks, it’s all just smoke and mirrors.
