As I sat in my living room and turned on the T.V. to watch the vice-presidential debate, I prepared for the worst. 

Except as I watched the next possible vice-presidents debate America’s current issues, I was reminded of the possibility that two people on very different sides of the political spectrum can have a civil debate over policies and values. I watched the two candidates not just get along, but have decorum. This was utterly surprising. 

Since 2016, I have sat through debates which consisted of yelling and name calling; candidates following one another around the debate stage, candidates interrupting their opponent and the moderators, and a basic disrespect for the rules of debating.

However, this time around, the candidates treated each other with respect. They were polite towards one another and the moderators. There were few interruptions, no yelling, and an overall sense of order and admiration for the process. 

This is not to say that the debate was perfect or that Walz and Vance treated each other as friends. However, it is to say that there was a stark difference in this debate compared to recent ones where candidates appeared to be arguing more against one another than the other’s actual policies and ideas.

The candidates even shared a heartfelt moment when Governor Tim Walz mentioned his son had witnessed a shooting. 

“Tim, first of all, I didn’t know that your 17-year-old witnessed the shooting,” Vance responded. “And I’m sorry about that and hope he’s doing okay.”

This shocked and delighted me. Along with many Americans, I have become accustomed to candidates attacking not just the other’s policies or their candidacy, but each other as people. By this simple act of empathy, the candidates acknowledged the humanity within each other and were able to look beyond the fact that they are running against each other. 

Before taking their own stance on the subject, many of the candidates’ responses started with “I agree with you, JD,” or “I agree with you, Tim.” This reinforced the idea that they were not just there to argue with each other and demonstrate differences in their campaigns, but to try and prove that they will support the best interests of the American people, even if they have different ideas of what those are. 

This display of peaceful and polite disagreement gave this reporter hope. It reminded me of the original values of our democracy. Not merely competition and rivalry, but a way for the peoples’ voices to be heard. JD Vance and Tim Walz were standing behind their podiums as more than candidates. They stood there as symbols of the United States founding fathers’ ideals. That democracy is not just a fight, a race for leadership, or a way to divide the country. No, this debate proved that the country can be united again, and we can achieve that through democracy. 

So, as the calendar creeps closer to November, we must keep this debate as a reminder that we are not just red and blue, but red, white and blue. We are not Republicans and Democrats, but Americans who believe in democracy and the natural right of freedom.