Harris 2024 campaign senior adviser previews upcoming vice presidential debate: 'Two very different visions'

A senior adviser to the 2024 Harris campaign said Gov. Tim Walz is "looking forward" to debating Sen. JD Vance Tuesday at the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate in New York City in what could be the first and last meeting between the two before the November election. 

Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum asked Ian Sams, the former White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, Monday on "The Story" about a CNN report that says Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate is nervous heading into the debate. 

CNN spoke with aides close to Walz and top campaign staffers who said the Minnesota governor is worried about letting Harris down and reportedly said in his running mate interview that he was a bad debater.

Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz (Getty Images )

"I think voters are going to get a chance to see two running mates who are advocating for two very different visions for the country," said Sams.

"Just today, for example, we have a new report out from the campaign on famously, Donald Trump in the first debate, saying he has a 'concept of a plan' on health care. Well, right after that, JD Vance, his running mate, came out and explained what that plan meant by pushing - that we're going to reopen what are called high-risk pools. That's for people with preexisting conditions."

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MacCallum interrupted the senior adviser, returning to her question about Walz’s reported nerves and how he was feeling ahead of the debate. 

CBS News signage ahead of the first vice presidential debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"He's looking forward to the debate," Sams said of Walz. "I think he's looking forward to debating JD Vance, who, again, is continuing to advocate for returning to high-risk pools that'll put people with preexisting conditions back into these high-risk pools that cost them more money and could kick them off of their insurance."

Vance gave an interview in mid-September on NBC’s "Meet the Press" in which he attempted to put more meat on the bones of former President Donald Trump’s "concepts" of a health care plan that would be an alternative to the Affordable Care Act. 

Ohio Sen. JD Vance speaks to a crowd during a rally at the Berks County Fairgrounds on Sept. 21, 2024, in Leesport, Pennsylvania. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)

"You want to make sure that preexisting coverage – conditions – are covered, you want to make sure that people have access to the doctors that they need, and you also want to implement some deregulatory agenda so that people can choose a health care plan that fits them," said Vance. 

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"We want to make sure everybody is covered. But the best way to do that is to actually promote some more choice in our health care system and not have a one-size-fits-all approach that puts a lot of people into the same insurance pools, into the same risk pools, that actually makes it harder for people to make the right choices for their families."

The Harris-Walz campaign released a 43-page report attacking their Republican opponents’ health care plan and highlighted four key concepts it says the Trump-Vance campaign wants to end. 

A demonstrator outside the U.S. Supreme Court as it hears oral arguments that challenge the Affordable Care Act in Washington on Nov. 10, 2020. (Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Sams said he ultimately believes the November election will be "really close," and voters will be the ones who have the final say in which issues are most important for them as they head to the ballot box. 

"I think when we look [at] the fact that we have only 36 or so days left until the election, you know, the candidates are going to have to be out there earning people's support. And this is a 50-50 race," he told MacCallum. 

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"And so when you think about a state like Michigan or you think about Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, where President Trump was this weekend for his rally in Erie, you know, the voters want to hear, what are you going to do for me?"