Sep 30, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Who are the moderators for the vice presidential debate

April Rubin

A collage of photos of Norah O'Donnell (left) and Margaret Brennan (right) over a gray backdrop — Norah O'Donnell (left) reports from the United Center in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 21. Margaret Brennan (right) reports in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Jan. 3. Photos: Michele Crowe (left) and Josh Huskin (right)/CBS via Getty Images

CBS News' Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan will moderate the vice presidential debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The debate will give voters the first, and likely only, opportunity to see the two candidates square off with just over a month until Election Day.

The big picture: Vice President Kamala Harris saw a slight polling boost following her September debate with former President Trump. So far, Trump hasn't agreed to a second debate.

CNN and ABC News were the hosts of the presidential debates this election cycle. The ABC debate moderators, in particular, were recognized for quality live fact checking of many of the candidates' statements, though they faced criticism from Trump and conservatives.

State of play: The debate will last 90 minutes with two four-minute breaks. Unlike the presidential debates, mics won't be muted.

The moderators may choose to give candidates an additional minute each to further discuss a topic.

Norah O'Donnell

O'Donnell, 50, is the anchor and managing editor of "CBS Evening News." She is also a "60 Minutes" contributing correspondent.

She joined CBS News in 2011 as chief White House correspondent, and this is her seventh presidential election cycle as a journalist, she said earlier this year.

Zoom in: She won the 2018 Emmy for an outstanding investigative report on in a newscast for a "CBS Mornings" story on sexual assault within the U.S. Air Force Academy.

She has been nominated for nine other Emmy awards.

What's next: O'Donnell will leave her anchor desk role after the election, she announced earlier this year.

"I have spent 12 years in the anchor chair here at CBS News, connected to a daily broadcast and the rigors of a relentless news cycle. It's time to do something different," she wrote in July.

Margaret Brennan

Brennan, 44, is the moderator of CBS News' "Face the Nation" and the network's chief foreign affairs correspondent.

She interviewed former President Trump during his term and President Biden while he was campaigning in 2020.
Brennan has reported in Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Flashback: Brennan covered global financial markets before joining CBS News.

She won an Emmy for a 2018 interview with the father of a student killed in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting.

Go deeper: Axios Vibes: Voters see Walz as more authentic than Vance

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Who are the moderators for the vice presidential debate

Norah O'Donnell

Margaret Brennan

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