JD Vance explains viral reaction during debate after being compared to meme from 'The Office'

Vice presidential candidate JD Vance talks about that viral debate appearance in his first interview since going head-to-head with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday.

Vance, the junior Republican senator from Ohio, and Walz, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, debated in what was likely the last face-off before Election Day. Election observers essentially declared the event a draw. According to a CBS News poll, 42 percent of debate watchers said Vance won the debate, while 41 percent believed Walz emerged victorious.

Overall, debate observers viewed the tone of the debate as positive. 17 percent described the debate as undecided.

On the Ruthless Podcast, Vance said he wasn't sure how he did during the event until it was over.

“You don't really know when you're doing it, your adrenaline is pumping, you're trying not to say anything stupid. “You don’t really know how things are really going,” said former President Donald Trump’s vice president.

“But my wife comes out at the very end, sort of in that final, you know, segment for the television cameras. Gwen Walz comes, my wife comes and I look at Usha's face and I just knew.

“Usha doesn’t lie to me and especially her face doesn’t lie to me and I knew at that moment that we had had a very good debate.”

Vance posted a snap of him from the event that has now gone viral. In one moment, he is seen looking into the television cameras, being referred to on social media as “Jim Halpert.” The office see.

The contestant said he tries to pay attention to the timer right next to the camera so he'll be ready when it's his turn.

“The timer is right next to the camera,” Vance said. “So I just tried to pay attention to something [Walz] says. But then you have to be ready when his time is up because then it will be your turn to speak.”

Vance said he could see Walz was struggling when CBS News anchors asked him if he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests. The governor said he had “misspoken” and that he was not actually in Hong Kong at the time, but had been there once that summer.

“It's like the old Sun Tzu quote, right?” Vance said, referring to the Chinese military general and philosopher. “If your enemy makes a mistake, don’t interrupt him. I just thought: Shut up. Don't say anything, JD. Be silent.”

The quote is often attributed to another famous military strategist, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Vance said his ultimate strategy during the debate is to use it as an opportunity to inform voters about Vice President Kamala Harris' record.

“Ultimately it was the right strategy,” he said.

However, Vance himself was said to have had difficult moments during the debate, particularly when he was questioned about Trump's efforts to change the outcome of the 2020 election and when Vance claimed that Trump had “saved” Obamacare despite his repeated vows and attempts to overturn it “. It.