VP Candidates Clash On The Debate Stage, But Will It Make An Impact? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

VP Candidates Clash On The Debate Stage, But Will It Make An Impact?

Probably not

6
VP Candidates Clash On The Debate Stage, But Will It Make An Impact?
NBC News

Tuesday night, as the sequel to the highly anticipated first presidential debate, the vice presidential candidates faced off. Democratic Vice Presidential nominee,Tim Kaine and Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Mike Pence debated at Longwood University in Virginia. This being the only debate this year between these two candidates, seemingly did little to help undecided voters move closer to a decision.

The subjects covered in the debate were similar to those in the debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, although the focus was much more on the presidential candidates than on the men on stage debating that night.

Additionally, while most people assumed they wouldn't be missing much in this debate, it was arguably much more fiery than the debate between the main candidates. Both men interrupted and spoke over each other throughout, the worst point being when both candidates had to be silenced by moderator Elaine Quijano who said, as if she were speaking to school children, "The people at home cannot understand either one of you when you speak over each other. I would please ask you to wait until it is that the other is finished."

According to a CNN/ORC instant poll, Pence did slightly better in the debate than Kaine. This seemed to be the general consensus throughout the media in the days following. But unfortunately for Pence, he has the peculiar role of being the number two candidate. Did Pence outperform Kaine? Arguably yes. But did the Republican ticket beat the Democratic ticket that night? No.

Despite Pence's showing, whenever Kaine brought up any of the multitude of problems with Trump as a candidate, Pence dodged the question or tried to change the subject. That resonated with the public. So despite not doing as well as his opponent, in a way Kaine did his job perfectly.

In a VP debate, the key is to defend your presidential candidate while attacking your opponent's (the main candidate has to be dignified and "presidential", the VP has to be the attack dog). Pence seemed more prepared for a presidential debate, but not to be second fiddle to Trump. That is exactly why his performance Tuesday will do little to affect the rise in support the Democrats have seen since the first presidential debate.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Lifestyle

Pros And Cons Of Having A Birthday Near The Holidays

The truth of what it is like having a birthday around the holiday season.

1710
Christmas decoration
Flickr

It's the most wonderful time of the year!! But for some people, including myself and my Dad, it can have its ups and downs when it comes to having a birthday near and around the holiday season. I personally share a birthday with my Dad two days before Christmas. Yes, Christmas Eve Eve is our birthday. Here are a few pros and cons for having a birthday near the holidays.

Keep Reading...Show less
Christmas Tree Lights
Pixabay

It is that time of year again. Christmastime. It is one of my favorite seasons for a myriad of reasons. Here are just a few reasons why I love Christmas. This list is in no order of importance.

1. The Christmas decorations

I am that person who will decorate directly after Thanksgiving is over. This year, my roommates and I put the tree up in our apartment before we even left for Thanksgiving break. It is a great stress reliever for me to just sit in my living room and work on the huge amount of work I have before the semester is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl with santa hat
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

'Tis the season to be jolly folks, and if you're anything like me, then at the stroke of midnight on Halloween your home went from wicked to winter

Keep Reading...Show less
mistake
Project Eve

Mistakes are something we all make, no matter how old we get. Most of the time, the mistakes we made are little and sometimes due to something out of our control. Yet, there are mistakes that are bigger than others. Personally, I have mistakes that I wish I could go back and undo. Here they are:

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

13181
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments