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2 October 2024
Walz, Vance go toe to toe
In a rare display of civility, vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz held a robust yet respectful debate that tackled a host of substantive policy issues like immigration, climate change and abortion.
Vance – who has struggled with low favourability ratings – came across as a calm, commanding debater and more personable. He was strongest talking about border control, blaming Vice President Kamala Harris for the surge of fentanyl into American communities and immigrants driving down wages for working Americans.
The affable Walz was strongest on abortion, highlighting stories of women who had died seeking abortions and saying it’s an issue that politicians need to “mind [their] own business on.” In a shift, Vance responded that Republicans have to "earn people’s trust back" on the issue.
Unlike the Trump-Harris debate, the candidates did not talk over each other and were generally cordial – even conceding occasionally that the other had made a good point. While vice candidates tend not to move the needle in presidential elections – in one that will be decided by a fraction of votes in swing states, both Vance and Walz were clearly making an effort to appeal to moderate and undecided voters. The debate was also an audition for Vance, who is widely tipped as a potential presidential candidate in 2028.
NEWS WRAP
Trump politicises hurricane response
Candidate visits damaged swing state | Former president Donald Trump attacked the Biden administration’s response to Hurricane Helene as he toured a city in Georgia, one of several swing states hit by the storm. President Joe Biden accused Trump of “lying” and pledged to visit North Carolina this week, while Vice President Kamala Harris said she would visit “as soon as possible.” READ MORE HERE
More US troops to Mideast | The Pentagon is dispatching an additional 2,000-3,000 troops and increased airpower to bolster its assets in the Middle East, said Defense officials. The deployment comes amid escalating violence in the region and a ground invasion by Israeli troops into Lebanon. READ MORE HERE
Trump fraud case appealed | Trump sought to overturn a civil fraud conviction and US$454 million fine in a New York appeals court. The judges appeared receptive, questioning the legitimacy of the judgement against Trump, who was convicted of inflating his assets to secure favourable interest rates in February. A ruling could come before the election on 5 November. READ MORE HERE
NATO overture to Trump | Outgoing NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged European leaders to work with Trump if he is elected to a second term. In an interview with Politico, he said that European governments must "do whatever we can" to convince Trump to continue US support for the war in Ukraine. READ MORE HERE
Jimmy Carter turns 100 | Former president Jimmy Carter marked his 100th year with a benefit concert in Atlanta featuring Georgia rock band the B-52s and a charity project to build 30 homes in Minnesota, led by country music singer Garth Brooks. Carter has been in hospice care at his home in southern Georgia since early 2023. READ MORE HERE
Happy 100th birthday, President Carter! Thank you for your friendship, your fundamental decency, and your incredible acts of service."
President Barack Obama on X | 1 October 2024
EVENT
Two weeks after the US elects its next president, the United States Studies Centre will host its flagship conference, the Sydney International Strategy Forum – bringing together key national security strategists from the Biden-Harris and Trump-Pence administrations, along with other experts and senior policymakers from the United States, Australia, Japan, Korea and elsewhere – to assess the outcome of the election and its impact on the world.
The forum will dive into how the next US administration will address challenges such as China’s rising influence, regional security architecture, and economic integration in the Indo-Pacific. It will also provide unrivalled insight into the next steps on AUKUS and defence cooperation, US trade policy and the decoupling debate.
WHEN
20 November 2024
WHERE
The Fullerton Hotel, 1 Martin Place, Sydney, NSW 2000
COST
Standard ticket $750, student ticket $400
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Did you USSC?
- COMMENTARY | Why the Vance-Walz debate is more important for 2028
USSC Research Associate Samuel Garrett on how the debate could elevate JD Vance. READ HERE
- COMMENTARY | Why competition laws could increase the risk of blue screen attacks
USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Jane Hardy and Admiral Michael Rogers on the impact of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. READ HERE
- COMMENTARY | What JD Vance and Tim Walz need to do to get Trump or Harris elected
USSC Research Associate Ava Kalinauskas on how the Vance-Walz debate could move the needle. READ HERE
- PODCAST | Energy security and the US-Australia alliance
The USSC's Briefing Room podcast talks to Visiting Fellow Jane Nakano about the growing importance of economic security to national security. LISTEN HERE
BY THE NUMBERS
Canberra's balancing act on trade
Australia’s approach to economic security balances its close trading relationship with China and its growing national security concerns, primarily pursuing inwards-facing policies rather than trade barriers. A series of shocks over the past few years, including Covid-19 supply disruptions, its experience of economic coercion by China and the energy transition have driven its economic security policymaking.
When it comes to trade, there are concerns about Australia’s reliance on China for its export market, particularly after China blocked exports of multiple Australian products following geopolitical disputes in 2020. The Australian Government has signalled its desire to diversify its trading relationships beyond China, launching Southeast Asian and Indian economic strategies and pursuing FTAs with the EU and United Arab Emirates. However, China continues to account for 36.05% of Australia’s trade, followed by Japan (13.7%) and South Korea (7.33%).
Read more in ‘Economic security policies compared: The United States, its allies and partners’ by Research Associate Georgia Edmonstone.
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United States Studies Centre
Institute Building H03
University of Sydney NSW 2006
