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It’s time for the supporting cast to take center stage. The deputies will have their day in charge. Number two is coming out of the shadows.
This promises to be a vice-presidential debate like no other.
Some have even called it the most important in history, since it occurs when the president of the United States is sick with Covid 19, a virus that claimed 200,000 Americans and turned 330 million lives. Plus a fight in the Supreme Court, race riots and, and, and …
Who is in the vice presidential debate?
In one corner you have Kamala Harris, the woman who aspires to be the first vice president in history.
The 55-year-old senator from California is one of the toughest interrogators in Congress, a hardened former attorney who has left congressional witnesses bloodied after tearing them apart at Senate hearings.
He is targeting an unflappable Republican vice president who is rarely wrong in the face of intense media questioning. Nor will he just play defense. He will try to exploit his obvious advantage in one area – he has done it before.
Pence is a 61-year-old, soft-spoken and deeply religious man, a Christian from Indiana. Despite their obvious differences, Mike Pence has been a pillar of loyalty to his boss for four years and they have walked in unison on almost every issue and in every controversy.
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Isn’t it usually a non-event? Who really cares?
Vice-presidential debates don’t usually worry presidential historians too much, but this year the drama of the election campaign could heighten interest in how the two behave.
The fact that the president has been seriously ill has reminded the public that they have the two oldest presidential candidates in history. Being first in line has never been more meaningful, and both debaters will realize that they must present themselves as ready to fill the world’s greatest job.
The first debate between Trump and Biden was also so devoid of serious politics that some have said they expect a proper discussion about the vision of America that each ticket offers.
It could even be the final debate of the campaign, depending on whether the president recovers in time.
Not surprisingly, the Brookings Institution called it the most important vice-presidential debate in history.
When is it and how can I see it?
It’s Wednesday at 21: 00-22: 30ET (02: 00-03: 30BST) and it will be the only match between the two vice presidential candidates.
The BBC will have a live page and will broadcast the debate live from Salt Lake City, Utah, with the analysis of three of our specialist reporters. @awzurcher, @tara_mckelvey Y @aleemmaqbooland the reaction of our panel of voters.
It will also be covered live on BBC World News (global) and BBC News Channel in the UK.
The two remaining presidential debates are:
- October 15 in Miami, Florida
- October 22 in Nashville, Tennessee
Has the Trump infection forced any changes?
The organizers of the debate are aware that President Trump could have been contagious during the first debate and potentially infecting Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace (although they have both tested negative so far), so they do not want to make mistakes with this one.
The Presidential Debate Committee agreed to seat Kamala Harris and Mike Pence 12 feet apart, up from 7 feet in the presidential debate.
There will also be a glass shield around each candidate’s side of the stage to decrease infections. And no more than 200 people in Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah.
A Pence official told the BBC’s US partner, CBS News, that the vice president is opposed to his side of the stage having glasses.
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Will it be as chaotic as the first debate?
Unlikely. Pence and Harris are tough but always polite, so the chances of him being as obnoxious and disturbing as Cleveland are slim to none.
In 2016, Pence was very effective in defending Trump and attacking Hillary Clinton. He was widely credited with coming out of his battle with Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine with the upper hand. It’s his trademark to be blunt without even raising his voice.
Ms. Harris debates like the lawyer she once was: she’s always in control. She demolished Biden in a debate when she was running against him for the presidential nomination by focusing like a laser on a vulnerability she identified in her previous civil rights record.
- What does Kamala Harris believe in?
- The rare times Mike Pence made headlines
That should make the moderator’s job a bit easier.
Insurance. This time, Susan Page, the Washington bureau chief for USA Today, is in charge.
Ms. Page is a seasoned operator with 10 presidential campaigns under her belt, and she won’t be intimidated by the occasion – she has interviewed nine presidents.
So what will they politely discuss?
Covid-19, and the handling of the Trump administration, will clearly be the dominant topic of discussion. Mike Pence is in charge of the presidential task force on the pandemic, and he will be pressured to defend the administration’s response.
Kamala Harris will likely be asked about her criminal justice record as California attorney general, as well as her changing positions on health care reform. She ran to the left of Joe Biden during the presidential nomination race, so the success of Pence’s debate may depend on how well she is able to attribute her more liberal views to Biden.
Finally, four years from now, Pence and Harris could lead your party’s entries in the general election, so consider this debate as a possible preview of the political battles to come.
Get in touch
The American elections are confusing. What topics concern you the most? And if you are not from the US, what questions do you have for American voters or about the elections?
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