The question of American manhood appeared at the turn of the 21st century, famously depicted in the inaugural season of The Sopranos. In one memorable instance, Tony, the criminal kingpin and embodiment of masculine authority, poses a poignant question to his psychiatrist, Dr Melfi: “What became of Gary Cooper? The archetypal resolute yet taciturn man. He was a true American.”
The peculiarity of this year’s vice-presidential race is that both political parties have sought representation from the country’s interior, selecting two relatively unknown men from the Midwest to set the standards of American masculinity under the national spotlight.
Tony Soprano’s worry over the dwindling presence of the likes of Gary Cooper acted as a harbinger of a heated dialogue on the identity crisis many of America’s young males are enduring as they wrestle with the expectations of manhood in a society that appears increasingly sceptical of established traits. The younger generation seems to be paying the price for their forefathers’ missteps. Jobs that once commanded respect and depended on physical prowess are now fading. The awkward rise to fame of tech geeks, with figures like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg being crowned as the new rulers, is a testament to the ultimate triumph of the underdog. The dream of homeownership and raising a family achieved through traditionally ‘blue-collar’ employment is becoming more of a pipe dream than a norm.
Richard Reeves, the head of the American Institute for Boys and Men, argued last year, “What we need to establish is a progressive concept of manhood that aligns with notions of gender equality.”
It’s vital, he added, ‘”to assist men in acclimatising to the profound shifts we’ve seen in recent decades, without having them forsake their masculinity. We need a socially responsible definition of manhood relevant to a post-feminist era, and it’s high time we achieved it.”
Tim Walz and JD Vance, though starkly contradictory in their perspectives, might agree on one mutual conclusion – they are certainly not Gary Cooper. Both are renowned talkers, having been engaged in endless dialogue ever since they were nominated as running mates, providing an intriguing sidetrack to the fundamental battle between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
They indisputably harbour a profound aversion for each other. This mutual contempt makes tonight’s CBS debate in New York likely to be among the most thrilling vice-presidential debates on record. As Trump has consistently ignored Harris’s repeated challenges for a second debate, it may well be the last direct confrontation between the Republicans and Democrats, potentially making it the most significant of all vice-presidential debates.
For many Americans, it may be a vague recollection, but when Trump selected Vance as his running mate during the July Republican convention in Milwaukee, the GOP was on a high. The Democrats were in a chaotic state, with Joe Biden’s popularity dipping, especially since Trump had miraculously escaped an assassination attempt just two days prior.
Vance’s selection was met with some surprise. Aside from an inspiring personal journey – growing up on the fringes of the Rust Belt, serving in Iraq, studying at Yale, and transforming his life completely – it was hard to discern what the relatively low-key Ohio senator brought to the party. After receiving acclaim from liberal media for his 2016 memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy’, Vance transitioned from a vocal critic to one of Trump’s primary protectors and advocates in recent years. He has been embroiled in controversy, including the reappearance of an old remark he made about “childless cat ladies” that sparked a Democratic slogan, and his reinforcing of an unwarranted allegation regarding Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. It’s clear that Vance cannot be accused of being bland.
Harris’s selection of Walz as a running mate might not have been the most predictable, but it certainly made sense once confirmed. The resident of Minnesota checked multiple boxes, including being a governor and senator in recent years, a past teacher, an army national guard member, and most intriguingly, a high-school football coach. Walz, a supporter of progressive ideologies, owns a toolkit that would make any Democratic strategist cheer – he’s a military serviceman, a gun owner with excellent marksmanship, and an efficient social media user. During his opening public rally alongside Harris in Philadelphia, he delivered a cutting remark about Trump and Vance that sent the Republican camp into disarray: “These guys are creepy and, yes, just weird as hell.”
Such a cunning yet simple jab was enough to leave the Republicans breathless. Trump, who is rarely speechless, felt the sting and hastily retreated from the comment’s insinuation. In a public gathering, in response to a donor’s question about the insult, he claimed it was aimed at JD and not himself. He then let the topic linger, almost suggesting it could well be valid. It took the Republican team several weeks to generate a strategy to counter the mockery and scorn Harris and Walz levelled at them.
Eventually, they resolved to a drastic and growingly murky narrative, with Trump warning of a disastrous outcome should Harris win, touring critical states to spread the message. His bitter critique even branded his opponent as “mentally disabled” in one notably antagonistic speech. Both vice-presidents are set to continue doing their principal’s bidding this Tuesday. Trump’s campaign is increasingly aligned with issues of economy and immigration which will take precedence. Vance will scrutinise Walz’s handling of the pandemic as Minnesota’s governor. In parallel, Walz, a defender of women’s reproductive rights, will seek to expose Vance’s controversial views on abortion and IVF treatment.
While the general opinion since the inaugural vice-presidential debate in 1976 is that these events rarely create significant ripple effects, the upcoming debate has piqued interest in both Vance and Walz. The televised event is anticipated to be as much about image as it is about issues. Thus far, Walz, with his relaxed pub-like manner of conversation, has been leading in the polls. However, the reason behind Trump’s selection of Vance remains unclear. The individual from Ohio understands that his employer will be eager to see him articulate this during the 90-minute debate.
Despite the comparison to a boxing match, this encounter presents an opportunity for Vance. Despite his affable authenticity, reports suggest that Walz is apprehensive regarding the formal arrangement of facing a rival who honed a sharp and dynamic debate technique at Yale law school.
“He’s a formidable individual,” remarked Amy Klobuchar, Senator of Minnesota, about Walz this past week.
“He’s just not the type to engage in lawyer-style debates. It’s safe to say that when he was in primary school, he wasn’t fantasising about debates.”
The presidential race has become unbearably tight, and an unprecedented importance has been attached to the confrontation between two Midwesterners who hold profoundly different views about America’s path forward. The event will most likely be highly compelling.
In the words often quoted by Cooper, a man renowned for rarely speaking, “There ain’t no horse that’s never been ridden, and there ain’t no rider that can’t be thrown.”