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The vice-presidential debate that evening was as quiet as it could have been, according to Norwegian-American expert Eirik Løkke. He still gives Democrat Kamala Harris a narrow victory.
With Plexiglas between them, vice presidential candidates Mike Pence (61) and Kamala Harris (55) gathered for a debate in Salt Lake City in Utah on Thursday night Norwegian time.
The debate was previously dubbed the most important vice presidential debate in history, in part because both President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden are in their 70s.
– My impression is that it was very even. It’s the closest thing to a tie in a political debate, says Eirik Løkke, who is an American expert and adviser at the Civita to VG think tank early Thursday, after following the debate throughout the night.
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– What was it that made it so smooth?
– They both got many of their best points. If we’re going to name a winner, I’ll narrowly give Kamala Harris a win for two reasons. The first is the crown; There Pence had an incredibly difficult starting point, where he had to defend both political and practical handling. It quickly emerged that it had been catastrophic, says Løkke.
Kamala Harris in the debate: – The biggest failure of any president in history.
– Second, Biden clearly leads the polls, so Harris is doing well with a draw. It is Pence who should move the voters, says Løkke, and says he doesn’t think Pence succeeded.
– It’s an advantage for Biden and Harris. Time is running out for Trump and Pence: there is less than a month left, there is less and less time to regain leadership, and this was an opportunity they missed, he says.
VG political commentator Hanne Skartveit also believes Harris was better than Pence.
– But they were both good, they are professional politicians and there is a different atmosphere than what we have seen in the previous debate, he tells VGTV from Washington DC.
Listen to the podcast Giæver og gjengen: Harris was the best in the debate tonight
– A real debate
Before tonight’s debate, new rules of debate had been introduced in the United States, following the chaotic debate between Trump and Biden last week.
– Considering the previous debate, this was a real debate. It was a civilized tone and you knew what they meant politically, says American expert Løkke.
Mike Pence and Kamala Harris were given two minutes each to answer introductory questions from moderator Susan Page, before they were then allowed to discuss with each other, within clearly stated time frames.
However, the debate was not completely free of interruptions.
“Mr. Vice President, I’m talking now,” Harris said, among other things, when Pence tried to shoot something while talking about the coronavirus.
“I have to give my opinion,” Pence said, trying to stop Harris.
Civitia adviser Løkke does not believe the disruptions were disruptive.
– I don’t think there are many interruptions. That was my impression. But in a live debate, it goes without saying that it’s a bit of a back and forth, I think they were able to complete their reasoning, he says.
– Pence best on the Supreme Court
Løkke believes that Mike Pence was clearly the best when it comes to the Supreme Court issue and the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett.
It has been speculated whether Democrats will try to expand the United States Supreme Court, which currently has nine seats, in response to this nomination.
– Those who vote now will know if you and Biden want to expand the Supreme Court. The American people deserve an honest answer. And the honest answer is that Harris and Biden will expand the Supreme Court, Pence said, without Harris denying or confirming it.
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– Harris was at her weakest point, because neither she nor Biden will answer if they want to “fill the courts,” that is, expand the Supreme Court. It is understandable, but I think it would be smart to answer, although it is probably something they have considered carefully, says Eirik Løkke.
