Senior advisor to Harris 2024 campaign looks ahead to the upcoming vice presidential debate

A senior adviser to Harris’ 2024 campaign said Gov. Tim Walz “looks forward” to debating Sen. J.D. Vance on Tuesday during the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate in New York City, in what would be the first and last meeting between the two could be before the elections. November elections.

Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum asked Ian Sams, the former White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, about a CNN report that says Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate is nervous heading into the debate.

CNN spoke to aides close to Walz and top campaign staffers who said the Minnesota governor is worried about abandoning Harris and reportedly said in his running mate interview that he was a poor debater.

Republican vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance, left, and Democratic vice presidential candidate Governor Tim Walz. (Getty Images)

“I think voters will have the opportunity to see two running mates advocating for two very different visions of the country,” Sams said.

“For example, today we have a new report from the campaign about the famous Donald Trump in the first debate, saying that he has a ‘draft plan’ on health care. Well, right after that, JD Vance, his running mate, came out and explained what that plan meant by pushing – that we’re going to reopen so-called risk pools, which is for people with pre-existing conditions.

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MacCallum interrupted the senior adviser and returned to her question about Walz’s nerves and how he was feeling ahead of the debate.

CBS News signage prior to the first vice presidential debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City on Monday, September 30, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“He’s looking forward to the debate,” Sams said of Walz. “I think he’s looking forward to the debate with JD Vance, who once again continues to advocate for a return to risk groups, which puts people with pre-existing conditions back into these risk groups, which cost them more money and could kick them out. from their insurance.”

Vance gave one job interview in mid-September on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” in which he attempted to put more meat on the bones of former President Donald Trump’s “concepts” about a health care plan that would be an alternative to the Affordable Care Act.

Republican vice presidential candidate Ohio Senator JD Vance speaks to a crowd during a rally at the Berks County Fairgrounds on September 21, 2024 in Leesport, Pennsylvania. During the meeting, Vance spoke about illegal immigration and repeated claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)

“You want to make sure that pre-existing coverage – conditions – are covered, you want to make sure people have access to the doctors they need, and you also want to implement a deregulatory agenda so that people can choose a health care plan that suits their needs.” them,” Vance said.

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“We want to make sure everyone is covered. But the best way to do that is to actually promote some more choice in our healthcare system and not have a one-size-fits-all approach that puts many people in the same situation. insurance pools, in the same risk pools, essentially making it harder for people to make the right choices for their families.”

The Harris-Walz campaign brought a 43 page report attacking their Republican opponents’ health care plan and highlighting four key concepts that the Trump-Vance campaign says it wants to end.

A protester holds up a pro-Affordable Care Act sign outside the U.S. Supreme Court as he hears oral arguments challenging the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020, in Washington. (Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Sams said he ultimately believes the November election will be “very close,” and voters will be the ones who have the final say on what issues matter most to them when they go to the polls.

“I think if we look at the fact that we only have 36 days to go until the election, the candidates will have to be out there to earn the people’s support. And this is a 50-50 race,” he told MacCallum.

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“And so when you think about a state like Michigan or Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, where President Trump was this weekend for his rally in Erie, voters want to hear: What are you going to do for me?”