It took nearly 90 minutes, but Tim Walz made clear exactly why Donald Trump chose JD Vance

There’s a long history of vice presidential debates producing memorable moments that end up having little impact on who voters end up choosing to be president.

In 1992, then-Texas senator Lloyd Bentsen humiliated his Indiana colleague, Dan Quayle, during their sole matchup when Quayle was asked about his relative lack of experience in government.

The Hoosier State senator, who had only been the upper chamber for a term and a half when George HW Bush chose him as his running mate, replied that he had the same amount of experience as then-Massachusetts Senator John F Kennedy when he ran against Vice President Richard Nixon during the 1960 election.

Bentsen’s response instantly became the stuff of political legend. The Texan, who served in the House of Representatives from 1948 to 1955 and was first elected to the upper chamber in 1971, turned to his younger colleague and delivered a brutal takedown.

“Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy,” he said.

Bentsen’s smackdown was such a memorable evisceration that, even after Bush and Quayle defeated him and Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, Vice President Quayle’s public image never really recovered.

It’s not clear whether Tuesday’s tete-a-tete between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance will be remembered for any zingers of that caliber.

For 90 minutes, Donald Trump’s running mate and Kamala Harris’s running mate sparred on a variety of topics on which each displayed varying levels of comfort. It also produced some moments that didn’t necessarily reflect well on either of them.

Walz, a fast talker who appeared flustered at times compared with the Ivy League educated