Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told Newsmax on Monday that while the vice presidential candidates' debate tomorrow night between Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz "ought to be fun," it probably won't move the needle much in terms of the election.
"I don't think it makes a big difference in terms of, do people say, Oh, I'm going to vote for Donald Trump because I really like J.D. Vance, or I'm going to vote for Kamala Harris because I really like Tim Walz," Huckabee said during an appearance on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "The vice presidential debates can be disastrous for a candidate, and that can maybe bleed over a little bit, but it's not the game changer. It's simply a good opportunity for the American people to ask themselves, Of these two people, which one do I want to have within a heartbeat of the presidency?"
Huckabee said it's a good chance to get to know the candidtates.
"That's really the issue that will come before them, and it will give some indication of, OK, the person who selected this individual, What does it tell us about their judgment? If it's perceived that Kamala Harris picked a person who is, as I like to call him, Howdy Doody, then that may factor a little bit," he continued. "Same thing if J.D. Vance is able to convince voters that this is a really intelligent guy with an incredible personal story, that may bode well for Donald Trump. But generally, no, it doesn't make a big difference."
Huckabee predicted that "it's not going to be a good night for Tim Walz" because Vance is "calm" and "very, very articulate and methodical."
"J.D. Vance, this is his kind of forum," Huckabee said. "He handles it well. He's got confidence, he understands what he believes — he doesn't have to make it up — and he has core convictions that he's going to articulate. So, I look forward to it. It ought to be fun."
When asked which candidate is favored by the rules of the event — live microphones the whole time, no opening statements, no studio audience, no prewritten notes and no fact-checking — Huckabee said, "Probably J.D. Vance because he doesn't need prewritten notes; he has it written on his heart."
"Unlike Tim Walz, who's got to have a script," he said. "But, you know, I think these debates for the most part, aren't debates. They're interviews. I've said for many years and having been a veteran of over 30, maybe 40, debates at the presidential level, quite frankly, I think they ought to get rid of moderators.
"You don't need them, shouldn't have them. Let the candidates go out there on the stage. They each get a clock. They get to talk, they get to ask each other questions and they engage in a conversation. Don't let the moderators pick the topics and where it's going; let the candidates. … That's what they ought to do."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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