Middle East question leads off debate between Walz and Vance

The first question from Tuesday’s vice-presidential debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio focused on the Middle East.

The CBS moderators asked whether they would back Israel if it chose to launch a preemptive strike against Iran in response to the barrage of missiles it launched earlier in the day.

Mr. Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ Democratic running mate, used the opportunity to launch a broadside against former President Donald Trump.

“Steady leadership is going to matter. A nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes is not what we need at the moment,” Mr. Walz said, referring to a moment in the last presidential debate.

“He should be nowhere near the White House,” he said.

Mr. Vance said it is up to Israel to choose whether it launches a strike against Iran.

He also introduced himself personally, briefly telling the story of his hardscrabble upbringing made famous in his biography “Hillbilly Elegy.”

“I know a lot of you are worried about the chaos in the world. Donald Trump actually delivered stability in the world,” he said, noting that the Biden-Harris administration had released billions of dollars to Iran in sanctions relief.

“They’re using it to buy weapons that they’re launching against our allies,” he said. “Donald Trump recognized that for people to fear the United States, you need strength.”