With Trump's health in question, Pence-Harris VP debate to draw outsized attention

[webfact]

With Trump's health in question, Pence-Harris VP debate to draw outsized attention

By James Oliphant and Jeff Mason

 

FILE PHOTO: Democratic U.S. vice presidential nominee and Senator Kamala Harris speaks in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 2, 2020. REUTERS/David Becker/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Wednesday's vice presidential debate has taken on an outsized and perhaps unprecedented significance, with questions about President Donald Trump's health now looming over the U.S. election less than a month away.

 

Vice President Mike Pence's face-off against Senator Kamala Harris, Democrat Joe Biden’s running mate, on Wednesday in Salt Lake City comes as the Trump campaign continues to reel from a COVID-19 outbreak that has infected the Republican president and several in his inner circle.

 

The pressure on Pence, who often toils in Trump’s deep shadow, is great. Trump trails Biden by 10 percentage points nationally, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, with voters faulting what they viewed as the president's carelessness about the dangers of the new coronavirus.

 

Pence needs to show the public he is ready to step in as president if the situation requires, while also defending the Trump administration’s handling of a 7-month-old health crisis that has killed more than 210,000 Americans.

 

For her part, Harris, who has largely stayed out of the spotlight in recent weeks as Biden ramped up campaign travel, must demonstrate to voters that she, too, could assume the presidency if needed at some point in the 77-year-old Biden’s tenure should they win on Nov. 3.

 

Fellow Howard University alumnae beam with pride as they discuss Senator Kamala Harris and her historic rise in American politics as she prepares for a high-stakes debate against Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday. Colette Luke has more.

 

Traditionally, the vice presidential debate is considered an afterthought to the three presidential debates, watched by fewer voters and viewed as almost irrelevant in terms of shifting public opinion.

 

"This debate is different," said Christopher Devine, an expert on the vice presidency at the University of Dayton. "Some people may be worrying about Mike Pence and how he may perform if called upon. And there are questions about Joe Biden’s ability to stay healthy.”

 

Reflecting concerns over keeping both running mates virus-free, a plexiglass barrier will separate them at the debate venue on the campus of the University of Utah.

 

Pence and Harris will be seated more than 12 feet (3.7 m) apart on the stage, farther than the 7 feet (2 m) originally agreed on.

 

All debate attendees, including members of the media, will be required to get tested for COVID-19. The debates commission said anyone not wearing a mask would be "escorted out".

 

Masks were also mandatory at the first presidential debate on Sept. 29, but some people, including members of Trump's family, removed them.

 

Pence and Harris spent Tuesday in Utah preparing. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg has helped Harris with her prep, in part because of his familiarity with Pence's record when he was governor of Indiana.

 

"Pete is from the Midwest like Pence and they have many of the same mannerisms and style, so it's a natural fit," said a Biden campaign official. "He also knows Pence and his policies well."

 

Harris again tested negative for the virus, the campaign said on Tuesday. Pence also continues to test negative, his doctor said on Tuesday.

 

SLOWING DEMOCRATIC MOMENTUM

Trump, 74, returned to the White House on Monday following a three-day stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he was treated for his illness. It remains uncertain when he will be able to resume campaign activities although he said on Tuesday that he intends to participate in the next scheduled debate with Biden on Oct. 15.

 

Pence will be charged with trying to slow the Biden-Harris momentum, something Trump was unable to do in his unruly debate in Cleveland.

 

An even-tempered communicator who once hosted a radio show while a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Pence can be more effective on a debate stage than Trump, said Michael Steel, who worked with Pence in the House when Steel was an aide to then-Speaker John Boehner.

 

“The vice president can make a more cogent and thoughtful case for the Trump administration’s record than almost anyone else,” Steel said. “He’s in a position to have a much stronger debate than the president.”

 

But, Steel added: “I don’t know how much that matters.”

 

Reuters/Ipsos polling has shown the presidential race to be relatively stable, with Biden consistently holding a lead nationally. More than 4 million Americans already have voted ahead of Election Day, according to the University of Florida, which tracks the early vote.

 

A Biden campaign official told Reuters the campaign was prepared for Pence to launch attacks on Harris suggesting she is to the left of the mainstream of the Democratic Party.

 

Harris, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, cemented her reputation as a skilled questioner at the 2018 hearings for now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

 

She has panned the administration’s coronavirus response, which is headed by Pence. On Wednesday, she will likely aim to renew those criticisms without attacking the recovering Trump personally.

 

“It’s a delicate balance,” Devine said. “Harris is probably better prepared than most, having been on the national stage before.”

 

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and James Oliphant; Additional reporting by Michael Martina and Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Peter Cooney and Sonya Hepinstall)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-07

 

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[bendejo]

Pence will sail through doing that head-shaking routine he did in 2016.  If the microphones are positioned well you could hear it rattle.

And if you have hi-def you'll see God looking over his shoulder.

 

 

[TopDeadSenter]

Pence needs to hammer Harris on her record of having very poor judgement. Her support for the "protests"(we all know what they really are) in democrat states in the last 4 month is unforgiveable to any law and order minded people. I also never forget when the preposterous Jussie Smollett "welcome to MAGA country" hoax news broke how she blindly jumped on it and called it a "modern day lynching". Divisive and dumb. It's up there with someone telling her the moon is made of cheese and she asks, is it Jarlsberg?

 Anyway, at the top tier of government people need to have street smarts. Trump has it in spades. Neither Harris or Biden have ever been accused of having any. Looking forward to seeing Pence school her in this debate.

[Chomper Higgot]

Let’s see if Pence shows up first.

[donnacha]

Pence was generally considered to have won his debate with Tim Kaine in 2016.

Kamala is the right gender and ethnicity, but not a good debater. She never rose above 2% in the primaries and quit before the California primary to avoid the embarrassment of losing badly in her home state.

She has not done even one interview since the ticket was declared, which is unprecedented in modern electoral history. This debate will be an important chance to evaluate the person who will become president if Biden is unable to complete his term.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, donnacha said:

Pence was generally considered to have won his debate with Tim Kaine in 2016.

Kamala is the right gender and ethnicity, but not a good debater. She never rose above 2% in the primaries and quit before the California primary to avoid the embarrassment of losing badly in her home state.

She has not done even one interview since the ticket was declared, which is unprecedented in modern electoral history. This debate will be an important chance to evaluate the person who will become president if Biden is unable to complete his term.

 

Brace yourself.

 

This debate, if Pence doesn’t pull out, will be a chance to see the difference between the two VP’s on offer.

 

Incase you missed it, it is Trump who is looking increasingly likely of not completing his term.

[stevenl]

19 minutes ago, donnacha said:

This debate will be an important chance to evaluate the person who will become president if Biden is unable to complete his term.

Didn't you forget something, more likely atm than the other way round: This debate will be an important chance to evaluate the person who will become president if Trump is unable to complete his term.

 

Important debate for Democrats, Harris is a big part of the ticket, more important than Pence is to the Trump ticket.

[Scott]

Videos removed. 

 

[mtls2005]

Historical perspective...the third Kennedy-nixon debate in 1960 was held with JFK in NYC and nixon in Los Angeles.

 

 

[J Town]

4 hours ago, bendejo said:

Pence will sail through doing that head-shaking routine he did in 2016.  If the microphones are positioned well you could hear it rattle.

And if you have hi-def you'll see God looking over his shoulder.

Yup. All Kamala Harris has to repeat is that he, Mike Pence, was supposed to be the Covid czar and how he failed so miserably as to let his fearful leader get the 'Rona.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2020 by J Town

[spidermike007]

Pence failed miserably when he was put in charge of Covid. The response was a historic failure. It was an epic eye opener for people around the world, and lowered the little bit of prestige America had remaining, after the chaos and destruction of the first three years of Trump's reign. He will be demolished by Harris. 

 

Nevada State Democratic Party spokesperson Madison Mundy released the following statement:

“Mike Pence’s visit to Nevada will be as devoid of meaningful solutions as his disastrous leadership of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. As Pence takes the debate stage tomorrow and arrives in our state this week, he must answer for his failed coronavirus response, and the fact that the Trump administration has had four years to deliver on its promises to Nevada families and has come up empty-handed at every turn. Instead of parachuting into Nevada, Pence should focus on containing the virus and getting relief to the working families suffering under the Trump administration’s failed leadership.” 

[welovesundaysatspace]

Did Mike get permission from his wife to talk to another woman? 

[Brunolem]

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 

Incase you missed it, it is Trump who is looking increasingly likely of not completing his term.

Remember Teflon Trump?

 

Covid 19 has no effect on Teflon!

 

Instead what you have now is Trump on steroids!

[bendejo]

17 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Pence failed miserably when he was put in charge of Covid. The response was a historic failure. It was an epic eye opener for people around the world, and lowered the little bit of prestige America had remaining, after the chaos and destruction of the first three years of Trump's reign. He will be demolished by Harris. 

Aside from the failure itself the bigger strike against Pence is that he didn't really run it, he let the orange guy do what he wanted and proved himself spineless.  So when it failed DT had his dummy fall guy to pin it on.  He doesn't have what it takes to be a leader.  If he should inherit the presidency his party would be in charge, he's just the face and the empty suit.  Most of these GOP guys in Congress are the same way.  You don't have to be smart to be a Republican politician. 

 

As I heard a history teacher say "the big difference between JFK and LBJ was that Johnson understood why it was good to have some stupid people on your side."

 

 

[TheFishman1]

Trumps presidency has had so much drama it seems like his first time it’s been like eight years I hope he loses in the biggest way possible he does nothing to protect American citizens and he does nothing to protect the country is the biggest con there ever was just like you said when the Nazis were marching there are good people on both sides Adelaide disgusting He’ll go down as the worst president America ever had he lies he cheats he steals it doesn’t pay any taxes

[simple1]

7 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Pence needs to hammer Harris on her record of having very poor judgement. Her support for the "protests"(we all know what they really are) in democrat states in the last 4 month is unforgiveable to any law and order minded people. I also never forget when the preposterous Jussie Smollett "welcome to MAGA country" hoax news broke how she blindly jumped on it and called it a "modern day lynching". Divisive and dumb. It's up there with someone telling her the moon is made of cheese and she asks, is it Jarlsberg?

 Anyway, at the top tier of government people need to have street smarts. Trump has it in spades. Neither Harris or Biden have ever been accused of having any. Looking forward to seeing Pence school her in this debate.

<SNIP>I also never forget when the preposterous Jussie Smollett "welcome to MAGA country" hoax news broke how she blindly jumped on it. <SNIP>

 

Anyway, at the top tier of government people need to have street smarts. Trump has it in spades. Forgotten what trump said about the case? <SNIP>

 

Yep, trump always makes the correct assessment as he's really street-smart from decades living in the world of the 1% and ripping off the less fortunate...

 

"Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday (Jan. 31) that he saw the story the night before and that, “It doesn’t get worse, as far as I’m concerned.” The president’s Trump International Hotel & Tower is in the general area where the attack took place"

 

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8495954/donald-trump-responds-jussie-smollett-attack

 

 

[Brunolem]

37 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

He’ll go down as the worst president America ever had he lies he cheats he steals it doesn’t pay any taxes

Trump is one of those guys who somehow always manage to fall back on their feet, thanks to their incredibly big mouth.

 

There is one like him in France, named Bernard Tapie, who also made a fortune through very dubious ways, and after being convicted in his youth, became minister in Mitterand's cabinet.

 

And of course there was the infamous Thaksin in Thailand.

 

These guys are all made of the same cloth.

 

Americans who vote for Trump are not stupid, mind you, they know very very well who, or what, they vote for...they send a big f... y.. message to Washington, that's what they do.

 

Having said that, Trump will not go down as the worst president ever, unless he is the last one.

 

In many Western countries, the leaders are getting worse, election after election, former statesmen being replaced by conmen.

 

In the US, the last statesman was Bush the elder, and in France it was Chirac.

 

Now there are clowns everywhere: Trump, Trudeau, Macron, Boris, you name them...

 

You want worse than Trump, just wait for his successor...like they did in ancient Rome...

Edited October 7, 2020 by Brunolem

[dunroaming]

If you look at the four people in the frame, Trump, Biden, Pence, Harris, then Harris is the only one capable of (possibly) doing a decent job of POTUS.  The other three are pretty pathetic and should never be where they are in the first place.  The best the American people can hope for is a Biden win and then he backs off and let's Harris go about restoring the broken reputation of the USA.

[earlinclaifornia]

Republicans: Ditch Trump, Save the Senate 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/republicans-ditch-trump-save-the-senate

[earlinclaifornia]

10 hours ago, donnacha said:

Pence was generally considered to have won his debate with Tim Kaine in 2016.

Kamala is the right gender and ethnicity, but not a good debater. She never rose above 2% in the primaries and quit before the California primary to avoid the embarrassment of losing badly in her home state.

She has not done even one interview since the ticket was declared, which is unprecedented in modern electoral history. This debate will be an important chance to evaluate the person who will become president if Biden is unable to complete his term.

 

A former prosecutor, Harris has in the past excelled in high-pressure public-speaking settings.  In the Senate, her deft questioning of people like Attorney General Bill Barr and now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the Senate Judiciary Committee burnished her reputation in the chamber.

[Redline]

6 hours ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Did Mike get permission from his wife to talk to another woman? 

He has to ask god as well-maybe that’s the real reason for the plexiglass?

[Thingamabob]

5 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

Trumps presidency has had so much drama it seems like his first time it’s been like eight years I hope he loses in the biggest way possible he does nothing to protect American citizens and he does nothing to protect the country is the biggest con there ever was just like you said when the Nazis were marching there are good people on both sides Adelaide disgusting He’ll go down as the worst president America ever had he lies he cheats he steals it doesn’t pay any taxes

Rubbish.

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post.

[Nigel Garvie]

10 hours ago, bendejo said:

Aside from the failure itself the bigger strike against Pence is that he didn't really run it, he let the orange guy do what he wanted and proved himself spineless.  So when it failed DT had his dummy fall guy to pin it on.  He doesn't have what it takes to be a leader.  If he should inherit the presidency his party would be in charge, he's just the face and the empty suit.  Most of these GOP guys in Congress are the same way.  You don't have to be smart to be a Republican politician. 

 

As I heard a history teacher say "the big difference between JFK and LBJ was that Johnson understood why it was good to have some stupid people on your side."

 

 

Yes I agree here, Pence was set up to be the fall guy. Pence did and achieved nothing, but wasn't allowed to anyway by DT's reptilian inner circle (Nepotism is wonderful if your sons are not morons). That does not of course stop Harris targeting Pence on the issue, too much of a gift really.

 

DT achieved less than nothing, his phony pseudoscience, sheer ignorance, pedalling of fake cures, and much else, has been a deadly curse on his country. It is striking that the seriously heavy duty steroids he is said to be taking, would not normally be administered to a patient who was not seriously unwell. Is it too late for the GOP to chose anyone other than Pence as a replacement for the election at this stage?

[PattayaJames]

8 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

Trumps presidency has had so much drama it seems like his first time it’s been like eight years I hope he loses in the biggest way possible he does nothing to protect American citizens and he does nothing to protect the country is the biggest con there ever was just like you said when the Nazis were marching there are good people on both sides Adelaide disgusting He’ll go down as the worst president America ever had he lies he cheats he steals it doesn’t pay any taxes

I think you have consumed far too much of the liberal activist anti Trump media, not surprising as it has been relentless for the last 4 years.

 

Truly they are the enemy of the people, it is they that are continuously whipping up racial division and hate.

 

It is a manufactured illusion by the disgusting left, determined to regain power by any means.

 

 

[Slip]

1 hour ago, PattayaJames said:

I think you have consumed far too much of the liberal activist anti Trump media, not surprising as it has been relentless for the last 4 years.

 

Truly they are the enemy of the people, it is they that are continuously whipping up racial division and hate.

 

It is a manufactured illusion by the disgusting left, determined to regain power by any means.

 

 

You spout a word salad of propaganda, and yet despite the slogans and buzz-words you don't manage to say anything of any substance or significance.  Pure blather.

[heybruce]

2 hours ago, PattayaJames said:

I think you have consumed far too much of the liberal activist anti Trump media, not surprising as it has been relentless for the last 4 years.

 

Truly they are the enemy of the people, it is they that are continuously whipping up racial division and hate.

 

It is a manufactured illusion by the disgusting left, determined to regain power by any means.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is curious:  What are your infallible sources of information?

[candide]

15 hours ago, J Town said:

Yup. All Kamala Harris has to repeat is that he, Mike Pence, was supposed to be the Covid czar and how he failed so miserably as to let his fearful leader get the 'Rona.

 

 

That's the problem. Whether it's about Trump or Pence, it's so easy to win that it takes most of the fun out of it! ????

Edited October 7, 2020 by candide

[bendejo]

3 hours ago, Nigel Garvie said:

Is it too late for the GOP to chose anyone other than Pence as a replacement for the election at this stage?

If DT were to pass on today, yes, Pence would get to sit in the WH.  But if the GOP carried the November vote, as for the term that begins January 20 2021 it'll be open warfare within the GOP ranks.  What Pence has going for him is that he is a proven sycophant, and the poobahs of the party would install him as their minion, IMO.  Otherwise expect some big-time grandstanding from the more vocal bootlicks of impeachment time: Grassley, Rick Scott, Scott Walker, Jordan & Gaetz, just to name a few.  Pompeo is infamous in his home state for his presidential aspirations.  Nicki Hailey.  Just to name a few...

 

 

[candide]

9 hours ago, earlinclaifornia said:

Republicans: Ditch Trump, Save the Senate 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/republicans-ditch-trump-save-the-senate

Too late! ????