VP debate: Kamala shuts down Pence over ‘sexist’ interuptions as Pence’s pink eye and a fly steal attention ?
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The historic vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris has wrapped up with contentious exchanges over the coronavirus response, the environment, Trump’s taxes, the economy, and foreign policy.
Pence repeatedly went over his allotted time and interrupted Harris on multiple occasions, leading the senator to reprimand him with the words: “Mr Vice President, I am speaking.”
Pence accused Harris of undermining confidence in a Trump coronavirus vaccine, while Harris demanded to know to whom Trump owes money.
Twitter meanwhile was particularly distracted by a large fly that landed on Pence’s head and appeared to stay there for about a minute. There is also speculation that the vice president might be suffering from pink eye.
The VP nominees were face-to-face for the first time in Salt Lake City in what was billed as the most anticipated clash between two running mates in recent memory.
The debate was given approval to go ahead after both candidates returned negative coronavirus tests on Wednesday, and the CDC said Pence was not a "close contact" of Donald Trump.
Pence told Harris she wasn’t “entitled to your own facts,” either accidentally or intentionally quoting a lifelong Democrat — and forgetting that his administration once embraced “alternative facts” — as he did so.
Holly Baxter gives her take on the debate.
The VP debate taught us Kamala Harris thinks for herself - and Mike Pence chooses not to. That's important
Pence told Harris she wasn’t “entitled to your own facts,” either accidentally or intentionally quoting a lifelong Democrat — and forgetting that his administration once embraced “alternative facts” — as he did so
Pence refuses to say climate change an existential threat
Mike Pence refused to say that climate change is an existential threat and repeated Donald Trump’s claim that forest management was “front and center” of the historic wildfires in the American west.
“The climate is changing but the issue is, what is the cause and what do we do about it," the vice president said.
Louise Boyle reports.
Mike Pence refuses to say climate change is an 'existential threat'
Mr Pence also claimed that Mr Biden would ban fracking which Senator Harris strongly refuted
Pence and Harris dodge the questions that matter most
Americans don’t vote based on the VP candidates. Neither Mr Pence or Ms Harris gave them much reason to this time, writes Washington Bureau Chief John T Bennett.
Analysis: Pence and Harris dodged the questions that mattered
Americans don’t vote based on the VP candidates. Neither Mr Pence or Ms Harris gave them much reason to this time
Five things we learned tonight
Griffin Connolly takes us through five things we learned from a VP debate dominated by coronavirus, climate change, and the Supreme Court.
Five things we learned from the vice presidential debate
Coronavirus, climate change, and the Supreme Court dominate the only vice presidential debate
That’s all for tonight. Thank you for joining our live coverage of the vice presidential debate.
Stay tuned to The Independent for all the latest news and analysis about the 2020 presidential election.
Have a good night.
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