In a debate with many topics and few surprises, Vice President Mike Pence and running mate Kamala Harris of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in Salt Lake City set out a lot more clearly what they stood for than their presidential candidates, a week earlier.
For an hour and a half, Pence and Harris spent behind desks in a hall in the University of Utah on issues such as the corona crisis, the anti-racism debate, the Supreme Court and climate change. Not for a moment did things become as chaotic as in the first debate between President Trump and Biden, when the debate leader had to intervene after five minutes, because the men had already interrupted each other several times.
At most, Pence and Harris let each other know by shaking their heads or with an affable smile that they disagreed. Shortly before the start, the two even gave each other a friendly nod. This must undoubtedly have taken some getting used to for the American TV viewer, who had seen a lot of bickering and polarization a little less than four weeks before the American presidential election.
Harris started the debate fiercely, calling the Trump administration’s actions in the corona crisis “the greatest failure of any US administration ever”:
It was also expected in the debate. Harris and Pence had one task: to appear as presidential as possible. US media described the single debate between the vice presidents – usually a snack between the presidential candidate clashes – as more important than ever.
Pence (61) and Harris (55) operate as co-drivers of candidates, whereby it cannot be ruled out that they could unexpectedly get hold of the wheel. Trump, 74, was still in hospital until Monday because of his corona infection. Joe Biden, who turns 78 next month, could become the oldest US president ever at an inauguration.
Although Harris referred passionately to her ‘Joe’ in the debate, she did not fail to mention her resume when asked if she had already discussed what to do with Biden when he is no longer able to run the presidency. to exercise.
Mexican flu
Pence did not answer that question, posed by debate leader Susan Page (head of politics at the USA Today newspaper). He started talking about Biden’s inadequate behavior during the swine flu in 2009, after which Page didn’t ask him the same question again.
But Pence also did his best to appear as presidential as possible, including by complimenting Harris on her historic position as running mate and by emphasizing that he is more politically experienced. “I remember the feeling from four years ago,” he said.
He closed the debate by referring to two famous justices in the US Supreme Court: the recently deceased progressive judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the conservative Antonin Scalia. Pence: “Their families were friends. That’s how we do it in this country. We debate and then we come together again.”
Don’t make mistakes
In the debate, both seemed particularly anxious not to make mistakes. According to correspondent Lucas Waagmeester, both Harris and Pence chose “the safe way”. They defended their candidates in the way that was expected in advance. At one point on social media, it was mainly about the fly that was on Pence’s head for a while.
The debate was, according to Waagmeester, a “stark contrast” to the fighting debate between President Trump and Biden. It was only a lot more substantive; it was about jobs, a way out of the economic crisis, health insurance and climate change. Pence and Harris shared their plans and their disapproval of each other’s ideas. “There was really something to learn”, says Waagmeester.
According to him, both have running mates no major points won or lost. “For Harris that is a better outcome than for Pence. The Trump and Pence campaign is in trouble and this debate was one of the last chances to reverse the election race.”
Watch a detailed summary of the debate here: