CNN contributors Dana Bash, Jake Tapper, and Abby Phillip, all of whom have previously expressed critical views of former President Donald Trump, agreed that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz struggled in his debate against Republican challenger J.D. Vance.

The debate, held on Tuesday, revealed significant differences in preparation and execution between the two candidates, according to the panelists.

Abby Phillip, a CNN political analyst, remarked on Vance’s assertive performance, stating, “J.D. Vance came to this debate to land a bunch of punches, and he did. He landed a lot of punches in between all the niceties and all of that.”

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Phillip also speculated that Walz seemed unprepared for the debate, suggesting that his nervousness about debating a “lawyer type” like Vance may have contributed to his difficulties.

CNN had previously reported that Walz was apprehensive about the debate and concerned about disappointing Vice President Kamala Harris, according to conversations with senior campaign aides and close associates.

“There was a clear lack of preparation and execution here on Walz’s part,” Phillip added, highlighting what she saw as a missed opportunity for the Minnesota governor to effectively counter his opponent.

Dana Bash, another CNN contributor, offered a different perspective, arguing that Walz may have been overprepared. “I think actually it’s the opposite. I think he had too much preparation,” Bash said. “He had so many lines that he was clearly trying to say, that he didn’t listen.”

Bash pointed out that when Vance targeted Vice President Harris with several criticisms, Walz failed to respond effectively, appearing more focused on delivering pre-planned remarks.

Bash also suggested that Walz’s lack of media availability throughout the campaign may have contributed to his lackluster performance. “I think the lack of interviews that he has done with national media, with local media, it showed he needed more reps,” she explained.

Walz has been relatively unavailable to the press during this campaign cycle, conducting limited interviews, including one with Bash.

Jake Tapper, another prominent CNN host, echoed his colleagues’ assessments, noting that Vance’s experience in public speaking gave him an edge. “J.D. Vance is much more experienced at this, at public speaking, at defending himself, at pivoting,” Tapper said, agreeing that Vance’s experience helped him navigate the debate more effectively than his opponent.

The praise for Vance’s performance extended beyond the CNN panel.

Former CNN contributor and current News Nation host Chris Cuomo also commended Vance, particularly for how he handled one-sided “fact-checking” and what Cuomo described as biased questions from debate moderators Margaret Brennan and Norah O’Donnell.

Cuomo highlighted a specific moment when Vance attempted to correct information about how Haitian migrants entered the United States, only to be interrupted by the moderators. “Vance wanted to correct something about how Haitians got into this country, and he was right,” Cuomo said. “And the moderators wouldn’t let him correct it, very interesting.”

The general consensus among these commentators was that Vance performed strongly in the debate, while Walz struggled to keep pace, raising concerns about the governor’s preparation and his ability to respond to criticism effectively.

With the debate now behind them, the candidates continue their campaigns as the election season intensifies.

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