The vice-presidential debate last week was a memorable night within the presidential election season — but maybe not in ways one would expect. After the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, social media and news anchors alike buzzed with the talk of extreme bias from the debate moderators and uncivil dialogue between the two candidates. However, after the debate between Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) ended, the opposite reaction arose.

Tuesday’s debate “was a very civil debate,” said FRC Action President Tony Perkins on the latest edition of “This Week on the Hill,” which was recorded live at the 2024 Pray Vote Stand Summit Friday morning. Reflecting the opinions of what observers shared online, he stated how “it was refreshing to actually see two people who had policy differences” discuss them “in a civil way.” Perkins was joined by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) who agreed. He further emphasized how the unexpected civility of the debate pointed to a bigger picture.

“We live in … very divisive times. The emotions are high. It’s a tinderbox out there in the country. People are so frustrated. [W]e need to see thoughtful men and women with ideas having that debate.” This is also important, Johnson continued, because when we’re civil, “we win.”

“[W]hen we put our record over rhetoric, when we put our policies … over the personalities, that’s what is really important here,” he contended. “[W]homever is elected is going to come with a full set of policies,” and “we have to make sure people understand the implications of that,” and to do so in a “civil manner is the way to get our message across.”

Perkins quipped, “Mr. Speaker, policy with civility beats a knucklehead every time.” He went on to discuss how this need for civility applies to what is happening around the world. Particularly, Perkins noted, when reflecting on how the White House is reacting to the conflict in Israel, or their response to the destruction of Hurricane Helene, the issue is more than a lack of civility, but a lack of true leadership.

Regarding the war in the Middle East, Johnson expressed, “It is a very sad statement of fact that Israel feels as though they cannot trust the United States. Right now, the leadership in the White House” coming from “Harris and Biden [has] projected weakness on the world stage,” he added.

Concerning hurricane relief efforts, Johnson emphasized that there are “people still stuck in their homes. They don’t have food, water, and medicine. The idea that the assistance has not been provided” even though it “has been properly funded is a very difficult thing for people to accept,” he added.

Perkins further observed that “we’ve seen literally billions under the Biden administration of FEMA dollars, Federal Emergency Management Agency, being diverted to migrant settlement. … [T]hey’ve created this problem with their immigration policy, and then they’re spending tax dollars to try and fix it. [It’s] like a local fire department burning down the city and demanding overtime.” Johnson agreed, stating “it’s unforgivable.”

Moving forward, particularly with a presidential election in less than 30 days, Johnson underscored, “We can’t allow [the Department of Homeland Security] to be spending precious taxpayer resources … resettling illegals into our country. That’s exactly what’s been happening.” He further insisted that DHS needs “to put their eye back on the ball. They need to make sure that they are fulfilling the obligations and responsibilities of the entire Department of DHS, and not sending these mixed messages and not wasting precious dollars at a time when Americans need those dollars.”

According to Johnson, much of “the failures and the subversive activity is highlighted in a moment like this, when the American people need the full attention of the Biden administration.” However, their “focus is in the wrong places.” But “people understand this,” Johnson argued. “And I think that’s why we are going to have a very successful election in about 30 days from now. People have had enough of this, and they want sanity restored.”

“This is an election about policy, not personality,” Perkins concluded. “And when you look at whether it’s inflation, the cost of living … global instability,” or “how we’re dealing with natural disasters and the turmoil here in our own country,” there could not “be a greater contrast between what we see today and what we saw four years ago.”