Except for an occasional resounding soundbite, vice presidential debates haven’t had much impact on presidential elections. Will the faceoff between Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) prove to be any different?

The veep debate may not be a decisive, but it could be dramatic. The confrontation could be the last time voters see a confrontation between representatives of the national tickets. Win or lose in 2024, the GOP will need a new champion in 2028. Vance is trying to set himself up as Trump's successor.

Moreover, successful presidents make good choices, and the debate will showcase the first consequential choices that Trump and Harris have made as aspiring presidents.

The first rule of a vice presidential pick is to do no harm. Like many other choices Trump has made, he struck out swinging on this one. Only Trump could have picked someone as unpopular as Vance. Disgraced Republican North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson must have turned him down. I’m sure former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would have jumped at the chance to drag Trump down, as she did John McCain in 2008.

A recent national survey for the Associated........

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