After Kamala Harris and Donald Trump went head-to-head on the debate stage, it was time for their running mates to battle it out on October 1. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz faced off against Ohio Sen. JD Vance in the one and only vice-presidential debate of the 2024 election. While both men had their moments, Vance stole the show — and not for the reasons you think. But yes, Vance’s infamous “eyeliner” definitely made a comeback.
Moderated by Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan at CBS News’ Studio 45 in New York, the 90-minute showdown touched on hot-button issues like abortion, immigration, and the economy. Both candidates held their ground, but Vance stuck out like a sore thumb. For starters, the man just couldn’t stop talking despite the moderators’ best efforts to get him to wrap it up. Then there were the side-eye-worthy statements that had to be embarrassingly fact-checked on the spot. He also had to backpedal — in a cringeworthy moment — on that time he called Trump “America’s Hitler, admitting that he royally “screwed up” and “misspoke.” Sure, JD!
But the real highlight — or lowlight — was Vance’s unnerving, dead-eyed stare into the camera. Combine that with his heavy-handed “eyeliner,” and viewers couldn’t decide if they were watching a political debate or the trailer for a horror movie.
Vance was laser-focused on the cameras
The internet had an absolute field day during the debate, with JD Vance becoming the prime roast material of the night. His intense, borderline unsettling stare at the camera left viewers feeling more spooked than swayed. Some even speculated that Vance was trying to show off his piercing blue eyes — made all the more dramatic by his “eyeliner,” which we had a makeup artist weigh in on.
Fans kept the jokes pouring on X (formerly Twitter) the whole time, with one quipping, “jd vance is staring so deeply into the camera hes gonna reach through the screen & ask me what stage im on in my menstrual cycle.” Another chimed in, “jd vance staring unblinking at the camera like damn girl we see em.” Some outright virtually begged him to stop because of how unsettlig it was. “I need JD Vance and his Maybeline eye stix to stop staring directly at the camera. #VPDebate2024,” another viewer tweeted. And many compared his look to a teenage Miley Cyrus. Well, when the shoe fits! Maybe
JD Vance staring into the camera whenever he “answers” a question during this debate: pic.twitter.com/4nxbUBOP3F
— Nick Villan (@villan1122) October 2, 2024
While we still don’t know if he’s actually wearing eyeliner (and he’s yet to deny it, by the way), we can all agree his intense gaze and constant breaking of the fourth wall were a bit too much. Too bad we won’t get another debate to see him try not to stare us down!
