MSNBC’s Chris Hayes ‘Bummed Out’ After Tim Walz ‘Almost Apologizes’ For JD Vance Jan. 6 Takedown

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes described how he felt “bummed out” at Democratic running mate Tim Walz’s apparent hesitancy to deliver a takedown of Republican rival Senator JD Vance (R-OH) during Tuesday’s CBS-hosted vice presidential debate.

In post-debate analysis Hayes pointed to the moderators’ question about former President Donald Trump’s denial of the 2020 election result and Vance’s past comment that he would not have certified the result, and the January 6 Capitol riots in 2021.

Near the end of the debate, which co-panelists called “cordial” and “civil,” a question on January 6, which Hayes called out Walz for “almost” apologetically taking a stand. After host Rachel Maddow praised Walz’s response to the question for knocking Vance “out cold,” Hayes delivered his take:

There was something about the debate too in terms of format and tone, a slow burn, I remember that [Dick] Cheney and [Joseph] Lieberman debate in 2000, they were sitting next to each other, it was very collegial, very avuncular, very ‘we agree on stuff’ and there was some of that vibe.

But the thing that really sort of cut it was, to get back to the democracy question at the end, Walz almost apologizes for it where he says like we are agreeing on a lot of stuff, and there is bipartisan [agreement] this is a thing I cannot go with you on, and I just thought it was very human. You could see it in his face, because you can hear when someone’s throat is a little closed, he does not like fighting and arguing, he doesn’t like delivering the blow, that’s not who he is. He had to steel himself, he almost had to apologize for it.

“I’m so shocked,” Maddow interrupted.

Hayes continued, almost apologetic himself: “I’m kind of bummed out by this, dude, you would say that! But, I found that part all the more effective because of what you were saying about the slow burn and the collegiate, and pretty wonky on stuff like housing – I thought that was a good exchange.”

When it came to the Jan 6. question, however, he said it was different: “That part was like right, we can all walk and talk together on policy things up to a point, but there’s a point which we can’t, and I, Tim Walz, am saying this is the point.”

Watch above on MSNBC.