NOTE: NBC Chicago will offer a live stream of the CBS debate in the player above beginning at 8 p.m. CT.
How long will JD Vance and Tim Walz have to debate each other Tuesday night in what will be their first, and possibly only, meeting ahead of the November election?
The long-awaited debate is set to bring with it a new set of rules as it is televised and streamed nationally.
It will feature Vance, a Republican freshman senator from Ohio, and Walz, a two-term Democratic governor of Minnesota, offering both the chance to introduce themselves, make the case for their running mates, and go on the attack against the opposing ticket.
Here's what to know:
What time is the debate tonight?
The debate starts at 8 p.m. CT, or 9 p.m. ET, on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
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How long is the VP debate?
Both campaigns agreed to a 90-minute debate with two four-minute commercial breaks, according to host CBS.
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Who is moderating the VP debate?
It will be moderated by “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan of CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Where to watch the VP debate: Channel, streaming and more
NBC Chicago will offer a live feed of the debate both in the player above and on television beginning at 8 p.m. CT Tuesday.
NBC News will broadcast the full debate live, and will offer extensive primetime coverage around the event.
Viewers can watch the debate live on their local NBC station or via the NBC 5 Chicago streaming channel, which is available 24/7 and free of charge across nearly every online video platform, including Peacock, YouTube, Samsung TV Plus and on smartphones and smart TVs.
Where is the debate?
The vice-presidential debate will be in New York City.
VP debate rules
CBS announced Friday that it will be up to the candidates to keep each other honest at Tuesday’s debate — a sticking point from earlier debates this year.
In the June debate between Trump and Biden, CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash limited follow-up questions and did not fact check either participant.
In the September debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, ABC’s David Muir and Linsey Davis interjected with matter-of-fact corrections to some of Trump’s most glaring misstatements.
According to CBS, candidates, who will not be allowed to bring pre-written notes or props on stage, will have two minutes to answer a question and two minutes to respond. They will be allowed one minute for rebuttals.
At moderators' discretion, candidates may get an additional minute to continue a discussion, CBS said.
No audience will be present, and there will be no opening statements.
What to know about the candidates
Walz, the 60-year-old Minnesota governor, and Vance, a 40-year-old U.S. senator from Ohio, have previewed potential approaches for weeks. Walz, before Harris selected him, was the Democrat who coined “weird” as a go-to pejorative for the Republican ticket. Vance assails the governor’s progressive record as proof Democrats are too far left for voters.
The role of a presidential running mate is typically to serve as an attack dog for the person at the top of the ticket, arguing against the opposing presidential candidate and their proxy on stage. Both Vance and Walz have embraced that role.
Vance's occasionally confrontational news interviews and appearances on the campaign trail have underscored why Trump picked him for the Republican ticket despite his past biting criticisms of the former president, including once suggesting Trump would be “America’s Hitler.”
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Walz, meanwhile, catapulted onto Harris’ campaign by branding Trump and Republicans as “just weird,” creating an attack line for Democrats seeking to argue Republicans are disconnected from the American people.
Vance, speaking to reporters last week, said he didn’t “have to prepare that much” for the debate because he had “well-developed views on public policy.”
But Vance has been doing debate prep sessions where he’s been joined by his wife Usha Vance, Miller, senior Vance aides, and Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who has played Walz, according to a person familiar with his preparations who requested anonymity to discuss strategy. Moderating their mock debates was Monica Crowley, who served in the Trump administration, hosts a podcast and contributed to Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for remaking government that Trump claims he knows " nothing about.”
Walz’s debate prep has included sessions hunkered down in a Minneapolis hotel, with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg standing in for Vance, according to a person familiar with the process who requested anonymity to discuss the campaign's internal dynamics. Others helping in the preparations include Rob Friedlander and Zayn Siddique, who helped Harris prepare for her debate with Trump, along with other aides to Walz and the campaign.
