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‘Thank you, senator’: Debate moderator sarcastically shuts down JD Vance in fact-check feud

It was very sarcastic ‘thank you.’

Photo of Katherine Huggins

Katherine Huggins

A split screen of JD Vance interrupting the debate moderator, Margaret Brennan.

At today’s vice presidential debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), the conversation pivoted to the biggest moment from last month’s presidential debate: Haitian migrants in Springfield.

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“Look, in Springfield, Ohio—and in communities all across this country—you’ve got schools that are overwhelmed, you’ve got hospitals that are overwhelmed, you’ve got housing that is totally unaffordable because we brought in millions of illegal immigrants to compete with Americans for scarce homes,” Vance said.

“The people that I’m most worried about in Springfield, Ohio are the American citizens who have had their lives destroyed by Kamala Harris’ open border,” he added. “It is a disgrace, Tim, and I actually think I agree with you. I think you want to solve this problem. But I don’t think that Kamala Harris does.”

Walz hit back by blasting the demonization of migrants and cited a Bible passage about compassion.

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Moderator Margaret Brennan then began to move on while providing a quick side note for viewers that the Haitian migrants in question have temporary protected legal status.

Vance then interrupted as the moderators tried to move on, protesting: “The rules were that you weren’t going to fact check, and since you’re fact checking, me, I think it’s important to say what’s actually going on.”

“So there’s an application called the CBP One app where you can go on as an illegal migrant, apply for asylum or apply for parole and be granted legal status at the wave of a Kamala Harris open border wand,” he continued. “That is not a person coming in applying for a green card and waiting for 10 years.”

“Thank you, senator,” Brennan replied, before cutting him off again with a sarcastic, “Thank you, senator, for describing the legal process.”

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His mic was then cut off.

The back-and-forth exchange quickly became a hit among Vance’s critics online.

“‘thank you senator for explaining the legal process’ was actually so funny i laughed out loud,” wrote one person.

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Other critics mocked Vance’s rebuttal to Brennan’s fact-check.

“We mad about being fact checked huh?!” wrote Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas).

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“‘You said you weren’t going to fact check’ is HUGE loser energy,” quipped someone else.

But his supporters seem unbothered by Vance’s line.

Opined the right-wing account Libs of TikTok: “JD Vance refuses to accept the fake fact check and calls out the moderators on it so they shut his mic. Incredible”


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