Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
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News (1)
Eight body languages discovered during the debate between Vance and Waltz, expert interpretation
Reporter : Qiusheng / Editor : Ren Zijun / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/2/n14342965.htm / Image : On 1 October 2024, Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance (left) and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz shook hands before the start of the vice presidential debate. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
On Tuesday (1 October 2024), CBS hosted the presidential election vice presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance (The first and only debate between R-Ohio J.D. Vanceand Minnesota Governor Tim Walz). In this typical midwestern debate, both sides were humble and courteous. There were no personal attacks as expected. Instead, they focused on discussing policies, orderly attack and defense, and striving for progress in stability. The body language used by both parties seemed to be more powerful than words, functional and intriguing.
Author, speaker, and former FBI agent and supervisor Joe Navarro specializes in nonverbal communication and body language reading. He wrote in Politico that "Vice presidential candidates Vance and Walz started talking to me before they even opened their mouths on the debate stage in New York tonight."
He states that he is not a telepath, but a body language expert with more than fifty years of experience, 25 of which were spent with the FBI and in the Elite Behavioral Analysis Program. behavioral analysis program, using expertise in the subtle science of nonverbal communication to help identify spies and apprehend criminals.
He analyzed the body language used by Vance and Walz in the vice presidential debate and summarized the following 8 body language characteristics, which can reveal the debaters' true thoughts and feelings behind the key points of their debate.
1. Vance’s Beard
One of the first nonverbal communications that emerged during the debate was the beard on the face of Vance, the first White House candidate in 80 years to sport a beard. Navarro noted that "research shows that voters view beards as more masculine," connoting aggressiveness, strength and competence, although some, especially some women, including some feminists, believe beards suggest some kind of aggression.
2. Vance makes a precise fist
Vance, the Ohio U.S. senator, is known for his ability to grasp the heat.
Navarro found that throughout the debate, Vance repeatedly made a gesture called a "precision grip" with his hands, which is to put his index finger and thumb together to form an OK gesture. He believed that this gesture conveyed a sense of confidence and precise control of the issue being discussed.
When paired with other gestures, such as open hands and open palm gestures, the precise fist-clench emphasizes that the speaker is paying attention to something of particular importance, so it is a sign of fluidity and authority that is very useful to use in those crucial moments and persuasiveness.
3. Walz reminds you to pay attention
Walz addressed the audience directly several times during the debate, including in one dramatic instance when he criticized Trump for "paying no federal taxes in 10 of the last 15 years, unlike you, tax-paying voters." ”. He is pointing his index finger at the camera now, like Uncle Sam in one of those old "I Want You" posters.
Navarro explains, "It's a bold, almost accusatory gesture that's perfect for a poster, but it can also come across as hostile, and our brains immediately perceive a feeling of being 'named out.' —In other words, a threat, Walz wanted us to pay attention to him, and of course he succeeded."
4. Walz’s big eyes show enthusiasm
Navarro found that when Walz was particularly passionate about something, his eyes would open "as big as saucers." He points out that wide eyes can sometimes indicate surprise, but for Walz it simply indicates the intensity of his emotion, "like when discussing abortion, the orbicularis oculi works in conjunction with the corrugator supercilii and frontalis muscles, which causes the eyebrows to rise when contracted, this energetic and emphatic facial movement attracts the viewer's attention."
"Early humans would use this facial expression to convey strong emotions, such as 'danger is near,' but for Walz, this expression heightens his emotions and attracts our attention," he noted.
5. Vance draws the audience’s attention to his heart
During the discussion about abortion, Vance made a dramatic move: He put his hand over his heart and patted his chest. Navarro said that the heart is of great significance to humans. "The vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) controls the heart bilaterally, which is why we often feel emotions there. When someone abandons you, that feeling in your heart is real pain, not just metaphorical, but a real feeling.”
People often place their hands over their hearts to convey deep emotion and sincerity. This is a very strong gesture that is often taught in public speaking training. However, this comes with the risk that if you do it deliberately, you can get into trouble because coming across as dishonest is worse than doing nothing at all. Navarro analyzed, "I can't say whether Vance is sincere or not - I have to see how he does this gesture in other different situations, but it is to express a heartfelt emotion."
6. Walz expresses his disapproval with his eyebrow lines
From birth, a person expresses negative emotions by frowning their glabellar lines (the space between the eyebrows), using them to express doubts, insecurities, and disagreements in real time. "Walz gave us a textbook example: During a divisive debate about democracy, he frowned hard at Vance's remarks, and then he frowned like this," Navarro said. The eyebrows continued for a long time, silently saying, "No, this is not right, I want to question it."
7. Vance’s slight frown revealed his weakness
When Walz mentioned "Plan 2025," Vance narrowed his eyes slightly and frowned slightly, sending a hint and conveying an important message. Obviously, "Plan 2025" is a topic that makes him unhappy. Navarro noted that when people hear something that makes them unhappy or uncomfortable, negative emotions can flash across their faces, "just like what we see on the faces of debaters."
Navarro reminded readers, "In high-stakes exchanges such as negotiations or the vice presidential debate, we must be wary of such behaviors because they can reveal to your opponent the topics you want to avoid as well as your vulnerabilities."
8. What both sides have in common: Midwestern politeness “gives way”
Navarro said Vance and Walz have at least one thing in common: a move known as "turn yielding." Simply put, "giving way" means showing respect for the other person by giving up time and allowing the other person to speak. People often signal it is their turn to speak by turning their body towards the other person or tilting their head, non-verbally indicating that you are paying attention to them and are willing to listen to what they have to say.
This is in sharp contrast to the presidential candidate debate, where Trump and Harris interfered with each other and showed their sharpness. Navarro said, "Both Vance and Walz are from the Midwest, and this may be the polite manner for which the Midwest is famous. After all, culture is a major factor in how we express nonverbal behavior."
News (2) to (21) / Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Ren Zijun / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/2/n14342363.htm
News (2)
[Updates] Vance Waltz Debate: Gentlemen's battle is evenly divided
Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz have engaged in the key vice presidential debate. This debate may be the last important TV debate before the US election in November.
A few weeks ago, Trump and Vice President Harris competed on stage in Pennsylvania. Currently, the two have no other presidential debates scheduled.
Walz and Vance were not well known before becoming vice presidential candidates. Tuesday night's showdown has become an opportunity for them to showcase themselves and make themselves better known to voters.
The following are real-time updates.
News (3)
Debate shows Midwest friendliness, two people evenly matched
After the U.S. vice presidential debate, many media described Vance and Walz as showing "Midwestern friendliness" and attracting moderate voters.
While Vance and Walz occasionally savaged each other during the campaign, they mostly struck a cordial tone during the debates and refrained from making personal attacks. Compared with the tit-for-tat confrontation between Kamala and Trump three weeks ago, the tone of the conversation between the two has undergone a surprising change.
After the debate, they also hugged each other, shook hands, and patted each other on the back, showing the demeanor of a "gentlemen's dispute."
"I enjoyed tonight's debate. I think there's a lot of common ground here," Walz said at the end of the debate.
Several different media polls showed there was no clear winner in the debate.
According to a CBS survey, 42% of debate observers thought Vance won the debate, while 41% thought Walz performed better. Another 17% thought the two performed equally.
CNN pointed out that 51% of the respondents believed that Vance was slightly better, and 49% of the respondents believed that Walz performed better in the debate.
The vice presidential debate is over
The first and only vice presidential debate in the United States has come to an end, and it is likely that the entire 2024 debate season will also come to an end.
During the nearly two-hour debate, Walz and Vance sparred on issues ranging from the economy to gun violence in schools, abortion and election integrity.
For the most part, both men remained gentlemanly in their debates, expressing a willingness to partially accept the other's views on different issues. They also believe that the other party will personally work to solve key issues such as immigration and health care.
Currently, neither Trump nor Harris has any other upcoming debates scheduled on their schedules.
Before the second break, Waltz had a slight lead in speaking time.
About 90 minutes after the live broadcast of the debate began, Senator Vance spoke for about 36 minutes and 56 seconds, while Walz spent about 38 minutes and 40 seconds.
News (4)
In his closing argument, Vance emphasized that the United States needs to change
In his closing argument, Vance targeted Harris' economic policies and emphasized that the United States needs to make changes.
The senator blamed Kamala Harris' policies for rising energy costs, housing costs and other goods.
"We need change. We need a new direction," he said. "We need change, we need a new direction, and we need a president who has done it once before and will do it well."
During closing arguments, Waltz spoke first.
Walz said he was "proud" of the coalition Kamala has been able to build since becoming the nominee, from Sen. Bernie Sanders to Taylor Swift.
"They believe this country has a really optimistic future," he said.
Walz said Harris offered people a "new way forward," while Vance would only support Trump's agenda.
News (5)
Vance: Trump calls for peaceful protests on 6 January 2021
Vance said Trump did tell the crowd gathered near the White House to "make your voices heard in a peaceful and patriotic way."
Asked whether he would challenge the results of this year's election, Vance did not rule it out.
Vance said he believes "we should debate these issues peacefully in the public square."
Walz said this was "disturbing."
"When the election is over, we need to shake hands and make peace, and the winner needs to be the winner," Walz said. "This has to stop. It's tearing our country apart."
When Walz asked if he acknowledged that Trump lost the election in 2020, Vance did not answer.
"Tim, I'm focused on the future," Vance said.
News (6)
As the debate comes to an end, the two talk about election integrity
Towards the end of the vice presidential debate, the candidates were asked about the integrity of the election.
News (7)
Vance: His health care plan will cover Americans with pre-existing conditions
Vance was asked how his plan to change the way chronically ill Americans get health care would work and whether he could guarantee that Americans with pre-existing conditions wouldn't pay more.
"We will certainly cover Americans with pre-existing conditions," he said.
However, Vance did not go into detail about any part of his plan and said he "is not going to stand on the debate stage and introduce a 900-page bill. It would be boring for everyone."
Image : On 1 October 2024, Republican vice presidential candidate and U.S. Senator J.D. Vance spoke at the vice presidential debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
News (8)
Vance: Immigration drives up housing costs
Vance said at least one piece of economic analysis from the Federal Reserve supports his assertion that immigrants drive up housing costs.
He did not provide details but he likely cited a May 2024 blog post by Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari.
Kashkari said the long-term impact of immigration on inflation was "not yet clear" but immigrants needed places to live and their arrival overlapped with higher prices.
It is true that the arrival of immigrants in some areas may put upward pressure on housing prices. But some economists believe the problem in the United States is that there is not enough housing on the market. Builders say immigrants can build homes for the United States.
News (9)
Walz: We need to make housing more affordable
Walz emphasized that Harris' plan will make housing affordable for Americans and help Americans create wealth.
He said he laid out Harris's plan to build 3 million more housing units and provide first-time homebuyers with down payment subsidies of up to $25,000.
However, the non-profit organization Enterprise Community Partners estimates that the United States needs 7 million new units to stabilize the housing market.
The housing shortage has caused U.S. housing prices to reach record highs, pushing up prices and making it impossible for many people who would like to buy a house to realize the "American Dream."
Walz pointed to Minneapolis as a successful example.
He pointed to a 12 percent increase in housing stock in Minneapolis, which he claimed led to a 4 percent drop in rents.
However, Walz appears to be citing incorrect data on rent declines.
A report released by the Pew Charitable Trusts earlier this year showed that Minneapolis' housing stock grew by 12% from 2017 to 2022, while rents increased by 1%. During the same period, housing stock in other parts of Minnesota increased by 4%, while rents increased by 14%.
News (10)
Walz: My kids witnessed the shooting
In response to a question about gun violence, Walz mentioned that his children witnessed a shooting in the community.
"Listen, I have a 17-year-old kid who witnessed a shooting that happened while they were playing volleyball at a community center," Walz said.
Walz said he met with parents of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting before proposing gun laws that respect the Second Amendment.
"Their seven-year-old child is dead and they're asking us to do something," Walz said. "I'm a hunter. I own a gun. The vice president and I both understand that the Second Amendment exists, but we Our first responsibility is to protect our children.”
Walz said Minnesota has passed strengthened red flag laws and cited Finland as a country with high rates of gun ownership and low rates of gun violence.
In response to questions, Vance expressed his condolences for what Walz's son witnessed.
"I regret it," Vance said.
News (11)
Vance: We must improve school safety to combat gun violence
The CBS host asked Vance if he thought holding parents criminally responsible for mass shootings involving their children at schools would help curb the problem.
"I certainly trust local law enforcement and local authorities to make these decisions," Vance said.
"I think in some cases the answer is yes and in some cases the answer is no." Vance said the question is what is the right way to curb gun violence.
Vance went on to talk about "illegally obtained guns" and attack Harris' border policies. He stressed the need for the state to improve school safety rather than push for more gun restrictions.
He said schools need to have more security measures, including stronger windows and more school security personnel.
News (12)
The second half of the debate started with the gun issue
During the first half of the debate, Vance and Walz debated topics including the Middle East, immigration, the economy and abortion.
They addressed gun rights first in the second half, before they could get into heated debates on issues related to race, civil rights and national security.
News (13)
Walz admits he was not in China during Tiananmen incident
Walz admitted that he "misspoke" when he claimed he was in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen incident.
Walz has publicly stated that he was in the then British colony of Hong Kong on June 4, 1989, the day of the Tiananmen Square massacre. However, according to public documents, he did not arrive until August.
In his response, he called himself an "idiot" and said he had said the wrong thing.
News (14)
Vance: I can give Trump advice he does not want to hear
When asked by the host why Vance went from being a well-known Trump critic to his supporter. Vance said that he had misunderstood Trump in the past because he believed the media's false reports on Trump.
"I admit that my initial view of Trump was wrong," he said.
However, he also said he was confident he could be a vice president willing to give Trump advice he might not want to hear.
"There are a lot of things we can do better in the Trump administration," Vance said.
After 45 minutes of debate, the two men had the same speaking time.
So far, Vance has spoken in the debate for about 17 minutes and 7 seconds while Minnesota Governor Walz has spoken for about 16 minutes and 24 seconds.
News (15)
Both sides promote their economic policies
Both Walz and Vance say they can improve the U.S. economy after taking office.
Vance defended former Trump's economic plan, saying he acknowledged that Americans are struggling to pay their bills and that the cost-of-living crisis "will stop on the first day of Trump's second term."
Trump said that by imposing historic tariffs and deporting millions of illegal immigrants, he can improve the economic conditions of ordinary Americans. However, some economists believe Trump's plan could cause inflation to spike and reduce U.S. job growth.
Walz praised Vice President Kamala Harris' economic plan and said he and his running mate "really believe in the middle class."
He emphasized the role of increasing available housing stock to help reduce unaffordable housing prices. Harris proposed building 3 million new homes across the country. However, some experts say the United States needs 7 million new housing units to stabilize the market.
"A house is more than just a tool that can be traded," Walz said.
Kamala also unveiled a plan to combat price monopolies. However, some economists have criticized the plan as potentially having unintended consequences, leading to more price increases.
Economists also say her attempts to help Americans pay for down payments could have an unintended consequence: It could push up home prices.
News (16)
The two candidates clash over immigration
The two had a heated discussion on the issue of illegal immigration in the United States. Vance said the Biden administration’s border policies have led to a surge in illegal immigration.
Vance said it was time to "stop the bleeding." He believed the policies of the Harris administration would lead to more criminal activities in the United States.
He insisted that the first group of deportees should be those with criminal histories and that the United States should return to the border policies of the Trump era.
In response to criticism of immigration policy, Walz suggested that Congress already had a plan to address immigration issues, yet Trump pushed Republicans to abandon the bill.
"Pass the bill and she will sign it," Walz said.
CBS turned off the microphones of both candidates for the first time after Vance explained how Haitian immigrants obtained temporary legal status in the United States.
News (17)
Vance talks energy production
Vance was asked what Trump would do to try to reduce climate change if elected.
Vance believes that if the goal is a cleaner environment, the United States must invest in more energy production because energy produced in the United States is cleaner.
"We want the environment to be cleaner and safer," he said.
News (18)
The candidates talk about the situation in the Middle East first
The first question in the vice presidential debate was about Tuesday's attacks in the Middle East.
Walz said the United States needs to maintain a military presence in the Middle East and expressed his support for continuing to stand with Israel against Iran-backed proxies.
Both candidates were asked whether they would support a preemptive attack by Israel on Iran if it was determined that Iran possesses nuclear weapons. Walz did not answer the question directly, saying only that Harris would provide "stable leadership."
When Vance answered the question, he first mentioned his personal experience again. Then he said that Trump actually brought "stability to the world" and that he practiced "peace through strength." He criticized the Biden administration for unfreezing Iranian funds and facilitating Iran's ability to attack.
In fact, the United States agreed last year to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian funds as part of a deal to release five American citizens held by Tehran. The Biden administration insists, however, that the funds have not yet entered Iranian government coffers.
The vice presidential debate has officially taken place in New York City. There are expected to be 90 minutes between Walz and Vance to debate and answer questions.
The moderator said that there will be two A four-minute spot, and unlike the presidential debates, the candidates' microphones will not be muted.
News (19)
Walz launches Pennsylvania bus tour after debate
Following the vice presidential debate, Walz has embarked on a bus tour in key battleground states.
According to the Associated Press, Walz will embark on a bus tour in Harrisburg, Reading and York, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday.
The Harris-Walz campaign stated that this is Walz’s second campaign in central Pennsylvania and his fifth visit to Pennsylvania since becoming the vice presidential candidate.
News (20)
Some Trump allies want another presidential debate
Some Trump allies hope the former president will commit to another presidential debate.
Trump has repeatedly said he believes it's "too late" to have another debate but sources told CNN that he privately listened to and considered suggestions to face Kamala on the debate stage again.
Although the Vance Walz Debate may be the last candidate showdown in the 2024 presidential election, some Trump advisers hope that if Vance performs positively, he can persuade Trump to hold another debate.
News (21)
Michigan voters: Vice presidential debate can help make voting choices
Undecided voters in Michigan have watched Tuesday's vice presidential debate closely to decide who to vote for in November.
Seven voters spoke to CNN to share their thoughts on the debate in real time.
One of the voters told CNN that she is inclined to vote Republican but she hopes Walz and Vance can talk about more specific policy positions instead of "personal attacks."
Another voter said he did not think Harris was sufficiently different from Biden but he was not a fan of former President Trump either. He said he hoped their vice presidential debate would help him make his decision.
"A good president needs a good vice president," the voter said.
Michigan is a key battleground state in this election and crucial to who wins the White House.
News (22)
The U.S. Vice Presidential Debate talked about the Tiananmen Incident, but the CCP was busy cutting off the broadcast
Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Li Lin / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/2/n14342601.htm / Image : On 1 October 2024, at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City, Democratic vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz spoke during the debate. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
According to a photo shared by foreign media reporters in China, Chinese Communist Party censors once interrupted the broadcast of the U.S. Vice Presidential Debate. At the time, Walz was talking about the Tiananmen Incident in 1989.
On Wednesday (2 October 2024), BBC China correspondent Stephen McDonell posted a photo on the social platform X. The photo seems to be a scene where the broadcast signal is interrupted, and the words "NO SIGNAL PLEASE STAND BY" are written on the screen.
McDonell said that he was watching CNN's broadcast of the U.S. Vice Presidential Debate.
He speculated that the reason why Chinese censors interrupted the broadcast signal was that Walz was answering questions about the Tiananmen incident. The Tiananmen massacre, in which the CCP deployed tanks and troops to violently suppress unarmed student demonstrators, has been a subject of intense scrutiny in China.
He wrote, "My guess is that Chinese censors terminated CNN's coverage of the U.S. vice presidential debate because the question of when Walz would arrive in China was raised and the bloody crackdown in Tiananmen Square was mentioned."
During the vice presidential debate, the moderator asked Walz that he had publicly stated that others were in Hong Kong when the Tiananmen massacre broke out. However, why did the media report that he did not arrive in Hong Kong until August of that year?
Walz admitted that it was a slip of the tongue and that he "misspoke" at the time. He did not arrive in Hong Kong until August of that year.
"I'm confused sometimes," he said. "I didn't get there until that summer, and I made a mistake."
He added, "I was in Hong Kong and China during the pro-democracy protests, and I learned a lot about governance."
During Tuesday night's debate, past statements by Walz and Vance were under amplified scrutiny.
The host also questioned why Republican presidential candidate Vance, who had harshly criticized Trump in the past, then voted for him to become president and now serves as his running mate.
The host asked, given the back-and-forth of positions, whether Americans can trust Vance as vice president to give Trump the advice he needs, rather than just saying what Trump wants to hear.
Vance said his initial criticism of Trump was incorrect and he said it was because the media spread false reports about Trump that led to his initial misjudgment of Trump.
Vance said he supports Trump now because he "serves the American people."
Vance also acknowledged that Trump could have done better in his first term if congressional Republicans and Democrats focused more on governance.
Chang to Newsmax : Walz unfit to serve due to China ties
News (23)
The U.S. vice presidential debate attracted 43.15 million viewers
Reporter : Li Haoyue / Editor : Ren Zijun / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/2/n14342932.htm / Image : On 1 October 2024, Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz held a vice presidential debate. The 90-minute debate was hosted by CBS News at the Broadcast Center in New York City. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
Data from Nielsen Media Research showed that the vice presidential debate on Tuesday (1 October 2024) was watched on 15 TV networks in total and attracted a total of approximately 43.15 million viewers.
The first and only vice presidential debate of the 2024 U.S. election was held at the CBS News (CBS) Broadcast Center in New York City. Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and the Republican Party Vice presidential candidate and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance participated in the debate.
The two vice presidential candidates sparred over issues such as immigration, climate change, abortion and the incident at the U.S. Capitol on 6 January 2021 but the two were civil in the night's debate. Despite fundamental differences of opinion, the two sometimes agreed with each other and nodded in approval of each other's answers.
Vance's performance in the debates earned him rare praise from the liberal media. In a post-debate CNN poll, Vance won by a slim 2 percent margin.
According to a CBS poll conducted after the debate, 42% of viewers believed Vance won the debate, 41% believed Walz was the winner, and 17% believed the two were tied. To most viewers, both candidates' speeches were "reasonable" rather than "extreme."
The report said that the overall image of both candidates in the minds of voters has improved compared with before the debate. More viewers had an unfavorable view of Vance before the debate, but after the debate, slightly more voters had a favorable view of Vance than had a negative view. The CBS poll was based on the opinions of 1,630 likely voters, who lean slightly more Democratic than the national electorate.
According to Bloomberg, CBS led the show with 9.1 million viewers. Other networks also carried the show, including Fox News, which led the cable channel with nearly 7.7 million viewers.
However, the ratings for this vice presidential debate were lower than those of the previous presidential election.
On 10 September 2024, the debate between Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Harris Harris and Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump attracted 67.1 million U.S. television viewers. In 2020, nearly 58 million viewers watched the vice presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence.
News (24)
Vance vs. Walz: Will the vice presidential debate affect the election?
Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/9/30/n14340947.htm / Image : Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance (left) and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (right). (Rebecca Noble, Allison Bailey/AFP via Getty Images)
With less than 40 days left before the U.S. election, the debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance is the first and only vice presidential debate held on 1 October 2024. Analysts believe that this vice presidential debate may be more important than before.
Historically, vice presidential candidates have often acted as political attack dogs, going toe-to-toe with their opponents, allowing presidential candidates to appear aloof from the political fray. However, this political norm has changed after former President Trump entered the American political arena.
The two candidates offered radically different visions for the country. Vance represents Trump's "America First" agenda, while Walz touts the record of the Biden-Harris administration and his progressive policies as governor.
The vice presidential candidates show that the two parties are returning to their "basics"
David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University in Minnesota, told the Epoch Times that Trump and Harris chose Vance and Walz, seemingly hoping to return the election to the "basic base" of politics.
Neither is from a key battleground state, and both have strong appeals to their party’s base. Vance enjoys high approval ratings among Trump supporters, while Walz was affirmed by many progressive leaders in the Democratic Party before he was selected as the vice presidential candidate.
"At this moment, neither campaign is actively courting support from moderates," Schultz said.
Even so, a showdown between the two candidates could still give them a chance to appeal to undecided voters in one of the most unique elections in modern history.
How do voters view the vice presidential candidates?
According to the U.S. Constitution, the vice president also serves as the president of the Senate and has the right to cast a key vote when the vote is deadlocked.
Harris voted 33 times to break the deadlock in the Senate, breaking a 191-year-old record and becoming the vice president who cast the most critical votes in American history. As you know, the Vice President of the United States will also preside over the certification of election results in Congress.
However, the main job of the Vice President of the United States is still to be ready to take over if something unexpected happens to the President. Historically, nine vice presidents have taken over the president's job after the president died or left office, the most recent being Gerald Ford, who became president after President Nixon resigned in 1974.
Vice presidential historian Joel K. Goldstein told The Associated Press that two recent assassination attempts on Trump have heightened "the salience of the succession issue."
He said that while some voters view vice presidential nominees only as accessories to the presidential candidates and not necessarily as potential future presidents.
"But some people do consider whether they could inherit the position at any time," Goldstein said. "People can also tell whether the person who selected them is a good decision-maker."
Will the vice presidential debate affect the election?
Historically, vice presidential debates have little impact on the outcome of an election, but that may be different this year.
The vice presidential debate has little impact on polls because fewer voters watch it than the presidential debate. Data released by the Pew Research Center in June showed that 84 million people watched the first debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016, but only 37.2 million people watched their running mate, then Debate between Indiana Governor Mike Pence and Senator Tim Kaine.
Four years later, 57.9 million people watched the debate between Harris and Pence, still fewer than the 73.1 million who watched the showdown between Biden and Trump.
In addition, debate viewers tend to be the most politically engaged people and are therefore likely to have made up their minds before the debate.
However, Mark P. Jones, a professor of political science at Rice University, told the Associated Press that the vice presidential debate may still be important given the tight races in swing states this year.
In addition, because the Democratic Party changed its presidential candidate, Harris and Trump only debated on the same stage once in early September. That means Tuesday could be the last time voters see candidates from both parties face off before Election Day.
Jones also said Walz and Vance must avoid making memorable mistakes that could be replayed endlessly.
Jones said such an election-shattering blunder is unlikely but not impossible.
"They're all well-trained," Jones said, "but all it takes is one mistake."
Vance vs. Waltz Debate Preparation and Strategy
Whatever the final impact of the upcoming debate, both vice presidential candidates have been preparing for it lately.
Vance hired Congressman Tom Emmer to serve as Walz's stand-in to preview the debate. Emmer has worked with Walz for many years and has been actively studying Walz’s past debates and policy positions.
Walz sought help from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Buttigieg served as Pence's stand-in before the 2020 Harris debate.
In an interview with The Epoch Times, Schultz offered his advice to both candidates: "Don't cause harm, don't make mistakes. They both just need to defend their presidential candidates, not make mistakes or make voters dislike them." .
Aaron Dusso, a professor of political science at Indiana University, Indianapolis, told the Epoch Times that a good debate strategy for the two candidates is to perform appropriately on topics that are not advantageous, and then quickly Turn to the issues on which voters trust them most.
For Walz, that meant emphasizing abortion, health care, education and "criticizing the 2025 plan," Dussault said.
Dursault advised Vance to stick to policy issues, especially the border, the economy and crime.
"Even if crime is down and the economy is doing well, the best strategy for Republicans is to focus on these issues because the average voter sees them as their strengths," he said.
News (25)
U.S. dismantles neo-Nazi gang, 68 involved in extortion, drug trafficking fraud
Reporters : Li Jiayin and Jiang Linda / Editor : Zheng Xing / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/3/n14343023.htm / Image : On 2 October, 2024, U.S. federal and local law enforcement agencies announced the dismantling of a neo-Nazi violent extremist organization. Its gang members had been involved in crimes such as extortion, drug trafficking, robbery, financial fraud, and illegal gun possession for several years. (Courtesy of FBI)
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on 2 October 2024 that federal and local law enforcement agencies disrupted a violent neo-Nazi extremist group in the Los Angeles area. Organization - "Peckerwood" (Peckerwood), its gang members have been involved in crimes such as extortion, drug trafficking, robbery, financial fraud, and illegal gun possession for several years.
Image : On 2 October 2024, U.S. federal and local law enforcement agencies announced the dismantling of a neo-Nazi violent extremist organization. Its gang members had been involved in crimes such as extortion, drug trafficking, robbery, financial fraud, and illegal gun possession for several years. (Courtesy of FBI)
The "Woodpecker Gang" is mainly concentrated in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. Its gang members have tattoos representing Nazis, "SFV" and other symbols on their bodies, and they post hate crimes online.
The Justice Department said the Woodpeckers not only have close ties to the notorious Aryan Brotherhood, but also maintain alliances with the Mexican Mafia prison gangs that control most Latino street gangs in California.
"The Woodpeckers, the Aryan Brotherhood and their associates in the San Fernando Valley are all united by one thing: hatred," said Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's Los Angeles Division. Driven by this, they also engage in other criminal activities, including distributing drugs and putting deadly fentanyl on our streets."
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said: "The Woodpeckers are characterized by planning attacks against racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. They raise funds through a variety of crimes, including gun trafficking, illegal Gun possession, financial fraud, identity theft, bank fraud, and even COVID-19 fraud (theft of government-provided pandemic funds).”
These gang members also specialize in opening fake drug treatment centers, writing false documents to exonerate gang members, and defrauding health insurance. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized a large number of illegal firearms, explosives manufacturing materials, and a large amount of narcotics.
"So far in 2020, law enforcement has seized 97 pounds of fentanyl, 115 pounds of methamphetamine and 125 guns," Estrada said.
To generate income for the gang, its members trafficked drugs such as fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine, according to the indictment. Specifically, one of the main defendants, who lived in Chatsworth, worked with two other associates to maintain and supervise the drug stash house. They would mail illegal drugs to "customers" and use apps like Zelle and CashApp to receive money from drug buyers and wire the funds to drug suppliers.
So far, 68 "Woodpecker Gang" members and gangs are facing felony charges, 42 of whom have been arrested: 29 defendants arrested on Wednesday are expected to be tried in the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles that afternoon; 13 have been arrested previously The defendant is being held in custody. If convicted, some of the indicted members will face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles office, said the operation was the largest sweep in Los Angeles County's history.
According to the indictment, gang members and associates use Facebook to share information about criminal activities and gang regulations with each other. They have member-only groups on Facebook and members also use private messages to communicate directly with each other.
From at least December 2016 to September 2024, members of the "Woodpecker Gang" conducted criminal operations through violence and threats of violence to maintain the size of their gang.
During the search, law enforcement officers also found a large number of Nazi-related items, including Hitler posters and Nazi uniforms. All defendants are currently presumed innocent. More details of the case remain under investigation.
Police appeal to the public that anyone who knows the whereabouts of other members of the Woodpecker Gang should contact the police or the FBI immediately to provide important clues.
News (26)
Election approaches, Middle East conflicts, hurricanes and strikes test candidates of both parties
Reporter : Qiusheng / Editor : Li Lin / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/2/n14342915.htm / Image : On 1 October 2024, U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris delivered a speech at the Josephine Butler Parks Center in Washington after Iran launched about 200 missiles at Israel. . (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, devastating hurricanes, the expanding conflict in the Middle East, and the longshoremen’s strike that threaten the U.S. economy are three major tests. It is approaching, affecting the mood of voters, and testing the two presidential candidates Kamala Harris (Kamala, Harris) and Trump.
In this tumultuous moment, as the current president, Joe Biden remains at the helm of U.S. economic and foreign policy and will likely bear ultimate responsibility for developments, but how the presidential candidates of both parties handle these three different issues may directly Decide who can win over voters in key battleground states and ultimately win the election.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday (October 1), "Unfortunately, incidents like this will continue to occur at a time when the president's leadership is demonstrated. At this time, I think Americans should understand that it matters whether the person behind the desk is decisive or not.”
The performance of the two candidates in the face of a series of difficult issues
With Biden's help, Kamala has been trying to appear calm and cool as a series of thorny issues arise.
On Tuesday, she joined Biden to direct recovery and relief efforts from Hurricane Helene, and later joined aides in the White House Situation Room to see how the United States would help Israel defend itself against a massive Iranian retaliatory attack after Tehran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah leader killed.
In the meantime, they are in close contact with their economic advisers. Longshoremen went on strike Tuesday, with strikes from ports in Maine to Texas threatening supply chains and leading to shortages and higher prices if they last for weeks.
Trump criticized Harris for being "at a loss" and claimed that this kind of accumulation of problems would never happen during his administration.
"We've been talking about World War III," Trump said at a campaign event in Wisconsin. "I don't want to make predictions. The whole world is laughing at us. That's why Israel was attacked not long ago because they didn't respect our country again.”
Speaking to reporters before meeting with aides on Tuesday to discuss hurricane response, Biden appeared to recognize growing frustration with the federal government's response to massive storms.
Biden said, "I am in frequent contact with governors and other leaders in the affected areas, and we must start recovery efforts as soon as possible." He will travel to North and South Carolina on Wednesday to inspect the damage caused by the hurricane. He is also expected to visit hurricane-affected areas in Georgia and Florida later this week. "People don't know if they're going to make it through this, and they're scared," he said.
At the same time, Kamala will travel to Georgia on Wednesday and North Carolina in the next few days to inspect the local disaster situation.
The response of the two campaign teams
Tuesday's vice presidential debate showed how teams in both campaigns are reacting to new developments to sharpen their messages and intensify attacks on their rivals. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz promised "stable leadership" under Kamala Harris, while Ohio Senator J.D. Vance promised to restore "strength to power" if Trump returns to the White House.
President Biden has not participated in the campaign since announcing the end of his re-election campaign in July due to declining public support.
Christopher Borick, director of the Public Opinion Research Institute at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, said Biden's absence underscored Democrats' belief that his campaign for Kamala Harris would only bring more burdens and not assistance.
However, how Biden, as the current president, handles the three recent emergencies could have a significant impact on how undecided voters view Kamala in the final days.
"President Biden can't help Harris in his campaign speech, but in a campaign, in order to win over those undecided voters, you have to do everything in several states, and he will be in the next few years," Bolick said. How these crises are dealt with during the week could have important consequences."
The Harris campaign is well aware of the risks associated with multiple crises occurring simultaneously, especially given their volatile and unpredictable nature. If the strike persists, the response to the disaster is inappropriate, or the conflict in the Middle East worsens, it could raise questions about Biden's leadership and, by extension, his vice president.
Meanwhile, aides on Harris' campaign see dangerous moments as an opportunity to show voters who holds the position matters and who can take it seriously, according to campaign officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In a speech and social media posts in Waunakee, Wis., on Tuesday, former President Trump prayed for those affected by Helen, expressed concern and criticized Harris' response to the longshoremen's strike, by the way. It’s time to cast for the movie “Full Metal Jacket” starring Stanley Kubrick.
"It should never have come to this, not if I were president," Trump said in a statement about the strike.
Harris' aides specially arranged for the vice president to give a brief speech on Iran's attack on Israel during an interview taped for the campaign on Tuesday, aiming to portray her as calm and in charge of the overall situation.
October surprise in past instances
There are many instances of turbulence in the middle and late stages of U.S. presidential elections, sometimes as a result of scandal, sometimes as the sitting president looks to prove that he or his backed successor can remain calm in uncertain times.
George W. Bush pushed a Troubled Asset Relief Program through Congress to stabilize the shaky financial system at a time when people were worried that the economy was on the verge of collapse. The overall economic situation did not help. He ultimately lost the election to Barack Obama, thanks to Republican John McCain.
In 1980, Jimmy Carter's re-election campaign was paralyzed by the Iran hostage crisis. On January 20, 1981, shortly after his successor Ronald Reagan was sworn in, 52 hostages were released.
Days before the 1968 election, Lyndon Johnson announced that he would stop bombing North Vietnam, hoping that this would lead to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. However, South Vietnam said it would not engage in negotiations, and Johnson's Vice President Hubert H.H. Hubert Humphrey narrowly lost to Republican candidate Richard Nixon.
Edward Frantz, a historian at the University of Indianapolis, said, "Incumbents often use 'October surprises' to help themselves or their party's candidates. This practice has a long history, but in the current situation, I'm not sure how many voters will be persuaded by a candidate trying to demonstrate competence late in the campaign."
(This article refers to the Associated Press report)
News (27)
Iranian missiles attack Israel. Kamala: Reckless and Shameless Attack
Reporter : Zeng Ziheng / Editor : Li Muen / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/2/n14342474.htm
Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel in the evening of 1 October 2024, attracting global attention. U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris delivered a speech on the 1st, severely condemning Iran's launch of about 200 missiles to attack Israel as "a reckless and shameless attack."
"I strongly condemn this attack," Harris said. "Iran is a destabilizing and dangerous force in the Middle East, and today's attack on Israel is further proof of that fact. Earlier today, I spoke with President Biden and the National Security Council Teams are in the crisis room, monitoring this attack in real time and ensuring the safety of American personnel in the region is paramount. I fully support President Biden’s order for the U.S. military to shoot down Iranian missiles targeting Israel, as we did in April.
Iran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel in April, but almost all of the missiles launched by Iran were intercepted and shot down one by one by the U.S.-led coalition. Only some of the missiles made mistakes during launch or crashed during flight.
Kamala said the White House was still assessing the impact, but early indications were that Israel successfully repelled the attack with assistance from the United States. "Our joint defense policy is working, and this operation and cooperation saved many innocent lives. As I have said in the past, I will always ensure that Israel has the ability to defend itself against the threat of Iran and Iranian-backed terrorist militias. I Our commitment to Israel’s security is unwavering.”
"Let us be clear: Iran is not just a threat to Israel; Iran is also a threat to U.S. personnel, U.S. interests, and innocent civilians in the region who are persecuted by Iran and the terrorist proxies it supports," she further said.
"We will never hesitate to take any action necessary to defend U.S. forces and interests against Iran and the terrorists it supports. We will continue to work with our allies and partners to disrupt Iran's aggression and hold them accountable .
According to outside analysis, this attack symbolizes the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran, which may further plunge the Middle East into turmoil or even trigger a full-scale war.
Meuser to Newsmax : Iran "emboldened" by Biden admin
News (28)
Trump raises more than $3 million on GoFundMe for hurricane victims
Reporter : Zeng Ziheng / Editor : Li Muen / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/2/n14342423.htm / Image : On 1 October 2024, former US President and Republican presidential candidate Trump spoke at a rally at Discovery World in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Trump launched a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe for hurricane victims on Tuesday (1 October 2024). As of 9 o'clock that night, a total of 3.63 million U.S. dollars had been raised. Hurricane Helene has killed at least 133 people in six states. At least 56 people were killed in the hardest-hit state of North Carolina, and nearly two million households were without power.
"President Donald J. Trump launched this GoFundMe campaign as an official response from Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters to assist fellow hurricane victims," the fundraising page reads. "In the aftermath of the storm, Many people in the southeastern United States are facing challenges, and President Trump is on the ground in various communities to inspect the aftermath. All donations, regardless of the amount, will be used to help our fellow Americans who are suffering. It’s a great help.”
The event is supported by Florida Senator Rick Scott, musician Kid Rock, and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White, who each donated $5 million dollars.
The current top donor is Trump’s old golf friend and Florida real estate agent Steve Witkoff, who donated $500,000 to Trump’s relief efforts.
Trump visited Georgia on Monday (30 September 2024) and distributed supplies to local residents. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is expected to visit Georgia on Wednesday to assess the impact of the hurricane.
According to the latest Quinnipiac University poll, Trump leads Harris by 6 percentage points in Georgia.
News (29)
Hurricane hits southeastern United States, communications disrupted, Trump invites Musk to start Starlink
Reporter : Zeng Ziheng / Editor : Li Lin / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/1/n14341623.htm / Image : On 30 September 2024, U.S. Republican presidential candidate Trump visited businesses damaged by Hurricane Helene in Valdosta, Georgia. Trump met with local officials, first responders and residents affected by the hurricane. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern coast of the United States, killing at least 100 people and cutting off power to more than 2 million homes and businesses. Republican presidential candidate Trump visited the hurricane-hit area in Georgia on Monday (30 September 2024). Trump told residents that he had negotiated with Musk and hoped to use "Starlink" to Technology solves communication problems in disaster areas.
When Trump visited Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, he mentioned that he had spoken with Elon Musk and invited him to help restore communications in communities affected by Hurricane Helene. He also said Musk, as an important supporter of his, would help when needed.
"We hope that Starlink can connect communications in disaster areas, because these places have absolutely no way to communicate." Trump said, "We will get Starlink in there as soon as possible because they have absolutely no communication. Our hearts go out to the entire region, We are with you and will support you until you no longer need help."
After making landfall in Florida last Thursday, Hurricane Helene swept across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and other states, including key constituencies that may determine the outcome of the presidential election.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday that he would do his best to help disaster victims tide over the crisis. The government is working around the clock to mobilize all available resources to support the life-saving response in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. Work. He will travel to North Carolina in the coming days to assess the damage and ask Congress to approve additional funds to provide federal aid to people who have lost their homes and businesses.
The storm has left more than a hundred people dead, hundreds missing and many communities facing flooding and power outages.
There are just five weeks left until Election Day. Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris have paused their respective campaign activities to visit disaster areas to reassure voters in key battleground states affected by the disaster that they are the ones best able to provide relief.
Kamala, who was campaigning in Las Vegas over the weekend, decided to cut her trip short and return to Washington on Monday to receive a briefing on the hurricane. "More than 33,000 federal personnel have been mobilized. We are deploying food, water and generators and working to restore water and power," she said.
News (30)
Suspect in 9/15 Trump assassination attempt pleads not guilty to charges
Reporter : Qiusheng / Editor : Li Lin / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/9/30/n14341476.htm
Earlier this month, a man was accused of trying to assassinate the former President at Trump’s golf course in Florida. The man on Monday (30 September 2024) pleaded not guilty to five federal charges.
According to the Associated Press, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh appeared in federal court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to charges including attempting to assassinate a major political candidate and assaulting a federal official. Roos also pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing a gun with an obliterated serial number, despite being a convicted felon for a violent crime.
He allegedly poked the barrel of a rifle around Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach when a Secret Service agent spotted him and shot him.
Prosecutors said Ruth planned to kill Trump while he was golfing on September 15 and lay in wait near the sixth hole for about 12 hours until he was discovered and escaped.
Prosecutors revealed last week that Roos allegedly wrote a letter months before the attempted assassination detailing another of his plans.
"Dear world, this (was) an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, but I'm sorry I failed you and I have failed," Ruth wrote, according to the letter obtained and submitted by prosecutors. Try your best, try your best.”
The identity of the recipient and the contents of the plan have not been reported.
According to NewsNation, Monday's arraignment lasted less than five minutes, and Routh's attorney asked for a jury trial; while waiting for the judge to enter the courtroom, Routh smirked at the media in the courtroom and sketched to the court teacher nodded.
The attempted assassination on 15 September 2024 was the second time recently that someone attempted to assassinate Trump. Previously, the former president was shot in the ear by a bullet at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper after he fired at Trump and killed a rallygoer.
The Secret Service said Routh did not fire his weapon and Trump was never in his sights. When Secret Service agents discovered Routh, he allegedly fled the scene, leaving behind two bags, a loaded rifle, scopes and other items.
He was stopped by law enforcement on Interstate 95 in a neighboring county and responded affirmatively that he knew why he was being stopped, according to an FBI affidavit.
Prosecutors later revealed that Routh traveled from Greensboro, North Carolina, to West Palm Beach, Florida, on 14 August 2024. A month before the incident, his cell phone was used at Trump's golf courses and Mar-a-Lago (Mar- a-Lago) which is connected to a cell phone tower nearby.
Regarding the 9/15 assassination attempt, authorities said Routh camped out for nearly 12 hours, carrying food and a rifle, outside the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump played golf on Sunday, but fled after Secret Service agents spotted him and shot him and he did not fire back. Routh was subsequently arrested.
It is unclear how Routh gained access to Trump’s whereabouts.
Routh's extensive criminal record includes dozens of prosecutions for traffic violations in North Carolina and felony convictions for possession of weapons of mass destruction and stolen property.
Former President Trump believed that the attempted assassination was related to the presidential election and suggested that the Justice Department and FBI of Kamala Harris and the Joe Biden administration were "not competent to handle the case." Because Routh had only previously faced two gun charges (possessing a gun as a convicted felon and possessing a gun with an obliterated serial number), the Trump campaign called it "a big deal downplayed." On the 24th, he was charged by prosecutors with three additional charges, including attempted assassination, possession of a firearm to commit a violent crime, and assaulting a Secret Service officer.
According to Reuters reports, the gunman Ruth supported Trump in the 2016 election, but later switched to supporting the Democratic Party and was a supporter of the radical wing of the Democratic Party. In 2020, he posted on X, expressing his support for the US Democratic presidential candidate and Democratic radical Bernie Sanders, and mocking Biden as "Sleepy Joe".
Earlier this year, Routh posted a tweet to Biden on X, parodying Trump's campaign slogan "MAGA, Make America Great Again," suggesting that Biden's campaign should be called KADAF (Keep America Democratic And Free); Trump’s campaign should be called MASA (Make Americans Slaves Again).”
Routh previously responded to Biden and Harris' anti-Trump comments on her social media page, saying "Democracy is on the ballot and we cannot lose." He posts frequently about politics and only donates to Democrats.
(This article refers to the report of "Capitol Hill")
News (31)
Alliance is solid. Shigeru Ishiba and the presidents of the United States and South Korea talk on the phone to cooperate on security
Reporter : Chen Yue / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/10/03/a103918757.html
On 1 October 2024, Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba promised US President Biden on the phone that he would inherit the US policy of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, continue to strengthen the Japan-US alliance, and maintain regional peace and stability.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba: "We discussed how former Prime Minister Kishida and President Biden strengthened the Japan-US alliance, and how we can continue along this path and further strengthen the alliance."
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and US President Biden reached an agreement on strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-US alliance during the call. Shigeru Ishiba promised the United States that he would continue the previous prime minister's alliance policy with the United States.
He specifically mentioned that the current surrounding environment of Japan faces the most severe security threats since World War II, and Japan's defense should be strengthened in the Japan-US alliance.
Shigeru Ishiba: "I also talked about strengthening Japan's defense capabilities, not only quantitatively but also substantively, and strengthening Japan-US cooperation."
Shigeru Ishiba hopes to establish a military alliance similar to NATO in the Asia-Pacific region and cooperate with neighboring partner countries such as South Korea and the Philippines to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Shigeru Ishiba won the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election on September 27 and was elected as the new prime minister. At that time, there was public opinion that some of Shigeru Ishiba's previous pro-China positions would undermine the US-Japan alliance. Judging from the attitude of Shigeru Ishiba in this call with Biden, observers believe that Shigeru Ishiba is actually a "China-knower" and not a "China-promoter."
Senior international affairs commentator Tang Hao: "Although Shigeru Ishiba has said twice in the past that the CCP is a 'zero threat', he is essentially a 'China-savvy', not a 'pro-China', and he is a pragmatic politician with 'Japanese values at the center'. In addition, he specializes in national defense and security policies, and he knows very well that the CCP is definitely the biggest threat to Japan and the Indo-Pacific countries today. Therefore, if Japan wants to ensure national security, it must adhere to the US-Japan-South Korea alliance and the military cooperation of the US-Japan-India-Australia 'Quadrilateral Dialogue', so as not to be divided and broken by the CCP."
The analysis also pointed out that the anti-Japanese sentiment that the CCP has been inciting has gradually deepened the threat to Japan. Japan has to be "pro-US and far from China".
Tang Hao: "Starting from Shinzo Abe, the subsequent Suga Yoshihide, Kishida Fumio and today's Ishiba Shigeru have all continued the line of 'pro-US and anti-China'. This is because the CCP has been constantly militarizing and inciting anti-Japanese sentiment in the past decade, posing a serious threat to Japan; and China's economy has been declining, Japanese companies have withdrawn one after another, and 92% of Japanese people oppose the CCP, so Ishiba Shigeru's diplomatic line has been anchored, and he must continue to move forward on the track of the US-Japan-South Korea alliance."
At the same time, on Wednesday (2 October 2024), Ishiba Shigeru also had his first phone call with South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol. During the call, the two leaders agreed that South Korea, Japan and the United States need to unite to deal with North Korea's repeated provocations.
Yoon Seok-yeol said that he is willing to put aside the historical issues left over from the past, improve Japan-South Korea relations, and jointly establish a security cooperation relationship with the United States.
Yoon Seok-yeol's office and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs both said that the leaders of the two countries agreed to meet soon.
News (32) to (33) / Reporter : Luo Tingting / Editor : Wen Hui / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/10/02/a103918563.html
News (32)
"October 1st" is an ominous sign! A comet that occurs once in 60,000 years swept across Beijing
Image : In the early morning of 1 October 2024, a comet that occurs once in 60,000 years swept across the sky over Beijing, sparking heated discussions. Some people bluntly said that "the appearance of a broom star is not a good phenomenon." (Video screenshot)
From 1 to 2 October 2024, a comet that occurs once in 60,000 years swept across the sky over Beijing, sparking heated discussions. Comets are also called broom stars in the folk, and some people bluntly said that "the appearance of a broom star is not a good phenomenon."
During the National Day, a "broom star" appeared over Beijing
Some netizens posted a video saying that in the early morning of October 1st, a 60,000-year alien visitor C/2023 was photographed Comet A3 (Purple Mountain-Atlas) swept across Beijing.
The video shows that when the comet appeared, a strange light appeared in the sky. At first, it was just a faint halo, and gradually, the halo became stronger and stronger, and a comet with a tail was clearly visible, appearing over Beijing and sweeping quickly.
On the 2nd, the CCP official media CCTV News also filmed the comet sweeping over Beijing in the early hours of the morning.
Image : In the early morning of 2 October 2024, the once-in-60,000-year Purple Mountain-Atlas Comet swept across Beijing, sparking heated discussions. (Video screenshot)
The Purple Mountain-Atlas Comet was discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2023. Discovered in 2009, its orbital period is tens of thousands of years.
On the eve of the National Day, people in Shenzhen, Tibet and other places in China saw this comet sweeping across the sky. It is reported that shortly after sunset from October 10 to 12, the comet will pass over Beijing again.
Image : On 28 September 2024, a comet appeared over Shenzhen. (Weibo picture)
Comets, because of their long tails and shapes that resemble brooms, are also called broom stars. In traditional Chinese culture, the appearance of comets is considered an ominous sign, which will bring disaster and death to the king or male nobles.
The once-in-60,000-year comet swept across the sky over Beijing, sparking heated discussions among mainland netizens: "Another name for comets is broom stars." "The appearance of broom stars is not a good phenomenon."
Image :TikTok Screenshot
"Remember comets, which showed strange phenomena in ancient times, indicating that destiny had changed. ”
“Don’t talk about superstition or not, but in the Chinese cultural context, this thing has never been associated with good luck.”
Image : Baidu screenshot
News (33)
Comets are a harbinger of disasters, wars and murders
The ancient Chinese called comets “Star Beta”. Dong Zhongshu, a thinker in the Western Han Dynasty, believed that “Beta is the source of evil air.”
Liu Xiang, a minister of the royal family and a writer in the Western Han Dynasty, said: “Beta is a sign of rebellious ministers and a sign of usurpation and murder. ”
In the Book of Han and the Book of the Later Han, dozens of "star-beam" phenomena were recorded, and disasters, wars, murders and other events occurred in the corresponding places on earth.
The Book of the Later Han. Astronomy Records records that in June of the third year of Yongping in the reign of Emperor Xiaoming (60 AD), a comet swept across the northern part of Tianchuan Star, moving from north to south for 135 days. Tianchuan Star represents water, and the water in Yi and Luo surged that year, rising all the way to the gate of Jincheng, and washed away Yi Bridge. That year, seven counties and 32 counties suffered from major floods.
In February of the sixth year of Yonghe (141 AD), a comet appeared in the eastern sky, sweeping across the stars of Yingshi and Tomb, and disappeared after sweeping across Xuanyuan (name of the constellation). The result of this astrology was, "The comet rises in Yingshi and Tomb, and within five years, there will be a great funeral in the world. "Less than five years later, Emperor Shun of Han, Liu Bao, passed away.
According to Zuo Zhuan, in the fourteenth year of Duke Wen of Lu (613 BC), "in the seventh month of autumn, a star entered the Big Dipper. Zhou Nei Shi Shufu said: 'Within seven years, the rulers of Song, Qi, and Jin will all die in civil strife.'"
In the cognition of the ancients, the Big Dipper symbolized a great country. As the comet swept across the Big Dipper, Shufu observed this star sign and predicted that within seven years, the rulers of Song, Qi, and Jin would all be killed and die in civil strife.
Du Yu annotated Zuo Zhuan: "Three years later, Duke Zhao of Song was killed, Duke Yi of Qi was killed in the fifth year, and Duke Ling of Jin was killed in the seventh year. "This confirmed Shufu's prediction. Shufu did exist in history and was proficient in astrology and physiognomy.
The "Records of the Grand Historian. Book of Celestial Officials" records that in the 15th year of Emperor Qin Shihuang, four comets appeared, "some lasted for 80 days, and some lasted all the way to the sky." Later, Emperor Qin Shihuang destroyed the six kingdoms, repelled the barbarians, and unified the Central Plains. Afterwards, the other countries realized that people were obsessed with "uniting to resist Qin", but in the end, they could not escape the fate of the country's destruction because of the will of heaven.
News (34)
Shanghai had a "gray code" when it was locked down, and the privileged class was not subject to Dabai's control
Editor : Zhou Guihang / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/10/02/a103918667.html / Image : A residential building in Shanghai that was locked down on 31 March 2022. (Hector Retamal /AFP via Getty Images)
Overseas media revealed that during the CCP's "lockdown and covid epidemic prevention", in addition to the red, yellow and green health codes, there was also a "gray code" enjoyed by the privileged class. There were 600,000 "upper class people" in Shanghai who were not subject to any epidemic prevention control.
On 2 October 2024, the Chinese media "Duan Media" published a report "People who left China and returned", and one detail quickly attracted the attention of netizens.
The article mentioned a "upper class person" Liu Yuanjiang who returned to Shanghai from New York during the CCP's "three-year lockdown". He was born in an "elite family" in Shanghai, but after immigrating to New York, he found it difficult to "compete with outstanding talents from all over the world", so he chose to return to Shanghai and continue to enjoy "privileges far beyond ordinary people".
The report said that Liu Yuanjiang's "superior" status allowed him to quickly find his place after returning to China. After he entered Shanghai and checked into the quarantine hotel, his family "operated" to add him to the "white list" of epidemic prevention and control. From the moment he walked out of the quarantine hotel, the "privilege" took effect.
His "privilege" lies in: unlike the red, yellow, and green health codes held by ordinary people, he has long held a "gray code" - the color of the missing people marked in the official sense. During the lockdown, "gray code" holders were given "special rights and interests", including that when the streets counted the nucleic acid results and health code colors, they would be automatically excluded from the statistics when they saw the "gray code".
Therefore, from the time he returned to Shanghai until the end of the "covid prevention" period at the end of 2022, he had not done a nucleic acid test, nor had he been harassed by "Dabai" (CCP epidemic prevention personnel) at his door.
Even during the lockdown in Shanghai, he did not have to participate in the rush to buy supplies and medicines. At that time, he lived in three villas, a house and two flats. The villa housekeeper and property management would deliver daily necessities on time. He never felt the suffering of the epidemic.
He even proudly showed his "gray code" to his friends. Relevant CCP officials once revealed to him that during the entire "lockdown", 600,000 people in Shanghai held "gray codes".
The report mentioned that as a "superior person" in Shanghai, Liu Yuanjiang believed that the "invisible and intangible freedom and democracy" abroad were "not that important".
After reading this article, many netizens said: "So this is how the upper class people avoided epidemic prevention and control." "You haven't heard of (gray code), anyway, this is the first time I heard of it." "(This report) is so desperate. Some people's memories are different from yours because their experiences are indeed different from yours."
Some netizens left messages: "The rich are drunk and feasting, and there are frozen bones on the road." "When ordinary people can't buy imported medicine while waiting for the country to become richer, the upper class people come back and say that freedom and democracy are not important." "When someone tells you that air is not important, except for going crazy, he may be confident that he has air. He said it's not important, meaning that whether you have air or not is not important to him."
The three-year "covid prevention" period of the Communist Party of China has brought severe disasters to the Chinese people. Many people have been "centrally isolated" and displaced, and many people have been locked up at home until they go crazy or even starve to death. In 2022, many residents in Urumqi, Xinjiang, who were locked in their building doors, died in a fire, triggering a "white paper" movement that swept across the country, and the authorities were forced to lift the lockdown.
News (35)
Surveillance upgrade: CCP plans to force electric bicycles to install Beidou positioning
Reporter : Li Li / Editor: Xu Gengwen / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/10/02/a103918680.html / Image : Electric bicycles in mainland China frequently catch fire. Recently, the CCP revised new regulations, requiring the mandatory installation of Beidou positioning, which was accused of upgrading surveillance. (Internet screenshot)
CCP surveillance continues to escalate. Recently, the CCP revised the safety technical specifications for electric bicycles, intending to force electric bicycles to install Beidou positioning and communication functions, and comprehensively monitor the whereabouts of the people, triggering a strong backlash.
On 19 September 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the CCP publicly solicited opinions on the "Electric Bicycle Safety Technical Specifications (Draft for Comments)" jointly made with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Emergency Management, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the National Fire and Rescue Bureau for a period of one month.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the Communist Party of China claimed that in order to enhance the safety of electric bicycles, the draft opinion has improved fire retardancy, improved batteries, controllers and speed limiters, motor maneuverability and other aspects, and also emphasized that the Beidou positioning function and communication function requirements have been added, claiming that it is for the convenience of consumers.
On 2 October 2024, Beijing citizen Li Wei made comments to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the Communist Party of China on the document, suggesting that the choice of Beidou positioning and communication modules should be left to consumers.
The opinion said that the main purpose of the specification is to improve the safety of electric bicycles, but the safety of electric bicycles has little to do with the positioning and communication functions of electric bicycles.
The opinion analyzed that according to common sense, the safety of electric bicycles mainly comes from aspects such as controllability, vehicle speed and braking performance, especially batteries. Most electric vehicles self-ignite or explode during charging. In addition, many owners often remove the battery to charge in designated charging cabinets or charging places.
Therefore, safety should be improved in terms of battery quality standards, charging devices and safe charging places.
The opinion pointed out that according to relevant laws, when obtaining sensitive personal information such as personal "trajectory", the individual's separate consent should be obtained.
According to the provisions of the technical specification, the requirement to install Beidou positioning and communication modules is not an optional standard, but a mandatory requirement.
Forcing electric bicycles to install positioning and communication modules actually deprives the majority of low- and middle-income people of the right to choose between using electric bicycles and protecting personal information!
"If electric bicycles are forced to install Beidou positioning and communication functions, will fuel cars and station wagons also be forced to install Beidou positioning and communication modules?"
After the opinion was put forward, many netizens complained about the draft for soliciting opinions on the mandatory installation of Beidou positioning and communication modules on electric bicycles. Among them, the author of WeChat public account "9527 Sweeping Monk" said in an article entitled "Electric vehicles have no pedals, but Beidou positioning is here", "Why is it so difficult to buy a simpler car?"
In recent years, natural accidents involving electric vehicles have occurred frequently in mainland China, and even caused fires, resulting in casualties.
On 23 February 2024, an electric bicycle in Nanjing caused a fire, killing 15 people and injuring 44 people.
On 18 July 2021, a father and daughter were riding an electric bike on Yuhuangshan Road in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, when the electric bike suddenly caught fire and exploded, injuring three people. A 7-year-old girl, Qiqi, was burned and later died. The Hangzhou Fire Rescue Brigade reported that the cause of the electric bike fire was related to a lithium battery failure.
After the accident, various places introduced regulatory measures, mainly stipulating that batteries should not be brought into corridors or rooms for charging.
Beidou positioning refers to positioning using the CCP's Beidou navigation system.
News (36)
The Zhongnanhai crisis is unprecedented. Wen Jiabao landed safely. There are only two more dramas left
Editor : Zhongkang / Source : NTDTV / https://www.aboluowang.com/2024/1002/2110222.html / Image : Currently, China's economy is in trouble and the internal struggle among the top leaders of the Communist Party of China is becoming increasingly fierce. The picture shows a schematic diagram. (Jim Bourg/AFP via Getty Images)
CCP China's economy is in trouble, and infighting among high-level officials is becoming increasingly fierce. Recently, the Chinese Communist Party authorities held a "National Day" reception, in which retired veterans Wen Jiabao and Li Ruihuan made high-profile appearances, attracting attention from the outside world.
At night of 30 September 2024, the CPC's "National Day" reception was held in Beijing. Current senior officials such as Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng attended; retired veterans included Li Ruihuan, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Qishan, Zhang Gaoli and others.
The outside world noticed that former CPC leader Hu Jintao, former Premier Zhu Rongji, former Chairman of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo, and 107-year-old CPC veteran Song Ping did not attend the reception that night.
The video footage broadcast by the CPC official media showed that on that day, 82-year-old Wen Jiabao and 90-year-old Li Ruihuan sat at the main table, and the two were arranged to sit on the left and right sides of Xi Jinping respectively. At the table, Xi and Wen had exchanges from time to time.
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun wrote on the overseas X platform on 1 October that the "October 1" reception is an important window for observing Chinese politics. In addition to the current members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, 15 former members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, including Li Ruihuan and Wen Jiabao, attended the reception. Li Ruihuan and Wen Jiabao were arranged to sit on both sides of Xi Jinping at the reception.
The author believes that Wen Jiabao has always been the target of attack by conservative forces and the second generation of reds within the Communist Party of China, and often makes a fuss about corruption. However, Xi's ten-year anti-corruption campaign has thoroughly investigated Wen Jiabao's family for several rounds and found that Wen is honest, has not cultivated his own sphere of influence, and has experience in governing the country. At this time, Xi is facing huge pressure from both inside and outside the party, and it is not ruled out that he will bring up Wen Jiabao to cheer himself up.
The author said that Li Ruihuan never concealed his political stance and dared to directly criticize the former CCP leader Jiang Zemin. At the 20th National Congress, when Xi Jinping took the stage to give a speech, the audience "applauded enthusiastically", but Li Ruihuan did not applaud. He kept his eyes on Xi and did not listen to Xi's speech as attentively as others did. Instead, he buried his head in writing notes.
The author believes that Li Ruihuan, like Wen Jiabao, has no criticism of Xi's re-election. Li does not have his own sphere of influence and does not pose any threat to Xi. On the contrary, letting Li sit next to Xi conveys the message of "gathering together" within the party.
Former CCP official Du Wen also said on the X platform that Xi Jinping's extraordinary and painstaking arrangements are obviously to convey to the outside world the message that the new and old leaders of the CCP are "united".
Current affairs commentator Zhou Xiaohui wrote in the Epoch Times a few days ago that except for the 2019 reception that mentioned that many former members of the Politburo Standing Committee and many incumbent and former senior officials attended the meeting, they were not seen in reports in other years. What message is it conveying to the outside world when they appear this year?
Zhou Xiaohui believes that from the CCTV video, Wen Jiabao and Li Ruihuan are sitting on Xi Jinping's left and right hands respectively, which is extremely rare in the past six years and is different from the seating arrangement in 2019. What is the story behind this?
Chen Pokong, a political commentator living in the United States, believes that the political elders appeared at the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and the party media also reported the names of the political elders who attended one by one, "The biggest reason is that the Communist Party of China is in an unprecedented crisis." On the surface, it is to show the unity of the party, but it is mainly a crisis, an economic crisis and a political crisis.
Commentator Kunlun said, "After Zhou Yongkang was taken down, who will be the next member of the Standing Committee? The consensus of the government and the opposition in Beijing points to Wen Jiabao."
Wen Jiabao has become an iconic figure for the Chinese conservatives to attack the reformists. In the two sessions of the Standing Committee in 16 and 17, it was not Xi Jinping and Zhou Yongkang who often quarreled in the Standing Committee meetings, but Wen Jiabao. At that time, the second generation of the red family almost unanimously pushed Xi Jinping to take down Wen Jiabao as a sacrifice for the second generation of the red family to purge the reformists. This was because Wen Jiabao advocated political reform regardless of occasions and timing, becoming a thorn in the eyes of China's extreme left conservatives.
In the end, Wen Jiabao was able to escape unscathed because the political impact of the liquidation of the party-state premier was too great, and Wen Jiabao had hardly cultivated his own power team, and did not pose a substantial threat to Xi Jinping. Unlike Zhou Yongkang, he could almost launch the Chenqiao mutiny on his own, so taking down Wen Jiabao would fade out of the anti-corruption list.
Compared with the family family, the advantage of the group family dynasty is that the foundation of rule is very broad, which is conducive to the stability of rule. Its disadvantage is also obvious, that is, political power struggles almost run through it.
Today, Wen Jiabao and Xi Jinping are tasting wine at the same table, announcing that the liquidation of the Senate has come to an end. The next step is the real drama, which is two.
One is Taiwan, the other is Xi Jinping’s successor…
News (37) to (40) / Reporter : Wang Duruo / Editor : Fang Xun / https://tw.aboluowang.com/2024/1003/2110333.html
News (37)
Insider news: The Chinese Communist regime is in danger! Financial depletion triggers a collapse!
Since the beginning of this year, at least 67 senior officials in the financial industry have been investigated, and many powerful people in the securities industry have also been dismissed one after another. It is generally believed that Xi Jinping’s intensified anti-corruption efforts in the financial field are closely related to the intensification of China’s economic difficulties. However, Professor Yuan Hongbing, a well-known legal scholar living in Australia and who often reveals the inside story of the CCP’s top leaders, pointed out that this is a new dynamic evolution of the power struggle. The tolerance of Xi Jinping and the princelings has reached its limit, and the political duel between the two parties has officially begun. According to reports from conscientious people within the CCP system, there is a deeper crisis hidden behind Xi Jinping's recent policy changes. Among them, the collapse of local government finances and the threat of unemployment are two key factors that have forced Xi Jinping to adjust his strategy.
News (38)
Local government finances dry up more than expected
According to conscientious people within the CCP system, local government finances are drying up faster than Xi Jinping expected, which has become one of the important reasons for his policy changes. Many local governments are close to bankruptcy, and even police officers are unable to pay their salaries on time. The phenomenon of wage arrears and suspension of bonuses has become widespread. What is particularly serious is that when faced with such financial difficulties, local officials generally adopt a "lay-down" strategy, and the phenomenon of maladministration becomes more and more serious. Because grassroots personnel such as police officers and urban management officials cannot guarantee their salaries, they no longer actively perform the task of maintaining order. This situation triggered turmoil within the system. Xi Jinping felt that the "flattering" of local officials had become a popular way to resist financial difficulties. Dissatisfaction and sabotage within the system seriously threatened the stability of his rule.
Xi Jinping realizes that without timely action, local fiscal crises could lead to greater political instability. Therefore, he had to abandon his previous moderate policies and adopt radical economic stimulus measures to try to solve the fiscal crisis and stabilize the system.
News (39)
Bad boys and bad soldiers: two major threats to political instability
In addition to financial problems, the "unfinished children" and "unfinished soldiers" amid the unemployment wave also pose a great threat to Xi Jinping's rule. Yuan Hongbing revealed that "bad kids" refer to college students who are unemployed after graduation. This group is forming quasi-organizations, such as societies and mutual aid societies, through which they vent their anger and dissatisfaction with reality. The resistance expressed by young people is getting stronger and stronger, becoming a potential destabilizing factor for the Chinese Communist regime.
Even more serious are the "bad soldiers", that is, retired soldiers who are unemployed. Not only are they dissatisfied with their living conditions, but they also use the military skills they learned in the army to carry out home invasions and robberies against officials' families. The Xianyang family murder case mentioned by Yuan Hongbing is a typical case. These "bad soldiers" violently robbed the families of corrupt officials, highlighting their direct resistance to the regime. According to a report from the Ministry of Public Security of the Communist Party of China, more than 180 similar cases occurred in the first half of 2024, of which more than 90% were committed by veterans.
The resistance of the two major groups, the "unfinished boys" and the "unfinished soldiers", has become an important force for internal instability within the CCP regime. Faced with these threats, Xi Jinping had to change his original economic policy of "consolidating the foundation and cultivating the people" and instead adopted tougher measures in order to quell the fiscal and social crisis.
News (40)
The political challenge of princelings
Meanwhile, Xi Jinping’s purge of the financial system is actually a major retaliation against the CCP’s princeling families. Representative princelings such as Liu Yuan, Deng Pufang, and Chen Yuan control important political resources by relying on the military industry, rocket army and other systems, and have repeatedly challenged Xi Jinping's rule. Faced with these challenges, Xi Jinping has weakened the economic foundation of princeling families through financial anti-corruption and attacked their monopoly in the financial system. However, whether it is crisis management of local finances or response to social dissatisfaction, Xi Jinping's rule is facing severe tests. The final outcome of this political struggle will have a profound impact on China's future political situation.
The purge is not just about cracking down on financial corruption, but also about the threat posed by princeling families to his autocratic rule. The final outcome of this political struggle will have a profound impact on China's future political situation.
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