How to Watch the Vance-Walz Vice-Presidential Debate

Vice-presidential candidates J.D. Vance, the Republican Ohio Senator and Tim Walz, the Democratic Governor of Minnesota, will participate in the only vice-presidential debate of the 2024 U.S. election in an event hosted by CBS News. It will be moderated by Norah O’Donnell, the CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor, alongside Margaret Brennan, a chief foreign affairs correspondent at CBS News and moderator of Face The Nation.

CBS News has laid out the rules for the debate. Much like the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, which took place in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, there will be no audience in the studio when the VP candidates meet. As for whether the candidates' microphones will be turned off when it is not their turn to speak, the network said: "CBS News reserves the right to mute the candidates' microphones, but otherwise, they will be hot."

This is the first election cycle since 1988 for which the Nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates is not involved in arranging presidential and vice presidential debates. In 2022, the Republican National Committee voted unanimously to withdraw from the Commission on Presidential Debates, largely due to concerns of perceived bias against Republican candidates, such as former President Donald Trump. During the 2024 election, news organizations have been negotiating directly with presidential campaigns in order to schedule debates and establish rules. 

When is the VP debate? 

The debate will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 1. It is set to begin at 9 p.m. EST and is expected to last 90 minutes.

Where is the VP debate? 

The debate will take place in New York City at the CBS Broadcast Center. The event comes as the city is reeling from a major political scandal after Democratic Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on charges of bribery and fraud.

How can I watch the VP debate?

Viewers in the U.S. can watch the debate in full on the CBS News television network in their locality. They can also stream it online via CBS News 24/7 and Paramount+. The debate is being simulcast, so other platforms such as PBS News, C-Span, and Fox News will also broadcast the event.