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Who’s Ahead? What You’ve Missed in the Vice-Presidential Debate Who’s Ahead? What You’ve Missed in the Vice-Presidential Debate
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Right Now: Join us for live analysis and video of the only vice-presidential debate between Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana. Right Now: Join us for live analysis and video (and fact checks) of the only vice-presidential debate between Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana. Plus, check out what Walter F. Mondale, the 42nd vice president of the United States, thinks — in real time.
Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia moved quickly to focus Tuesday’s vice presidential debate on Donald J. Trump’s temperament, concluding his otherwise sunny opening remarks with a stark attack on Mr. Trump. “The thought of Donald Trump as commander in chief,” Mr. Kaine said, “scares us to death.” The debate shifted markedly into the records of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, and Donald J. Trump, her Republican opponent, at the halfway mark, as vice-presidential candidates Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana and Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia traded barbs about Mr. Trump’s remarks and which candidate could best solve the nation’s problems with immigration.
Mr. Kaine timed his cut in a way that would require Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, Mr. Trump’s running mate, to either cut short a discussion of his own bona fides or ignore the attack. And even when asked why so many voters distrust Hillary Clinton, Mr. Kaine deflected his answer to focus on Mr. Trump: He argued that Mr. Trump “puts himself first” and criticized the Republican candidate for comparing immigrants to rapists and indulging the discredited notion that President Obama wasn’t born in the United States. He ended with a blunt challenge to Mr. Pence: “I can’t imagine how Governor Pence can defend.” Mr. Kaine — who earlier in the debate seemed to have trouble nailing his attacks — settled into a more even rhythm, reeling off examples of Mr. Trump’s attacks on immigrants and women and his call for a “deportation force” to expel people who are already in the country illegally.
Mr. Pence at first appeared determined to stick to his own, more positive message: Mr. Trump’s business acumen and the possibilities for economic growth. But he soon dived into his own counterattacks, criticizing Mr. Kaine for raising taxes as governor of Virginia and assailing Mrs. Clinton for the Obama administration’s handling of the Syrian civil war, the rise of ISIS, and the Iran nuclear weapons deal. An exchange of interruptions and crosstalking followed, most initiated by Mr. Kaine, who excitedly delivered attack lines about Mr. Trump’s praise of Putin. Elaine Quijano, the moderator, helped Mr. Kaine along, opening one question with a recitation of Mr. Trump’s statements. Mr. Pence did not even try to defend his running mate, instead attacking the Obama administration for allowing sanctuary cities and releasing some illegal immigrants from custody while their cases were being adjudicated.
Mr. Pence even suggested that Mr. Kaine was inventing or exaggerating some of the comments attributed to Mr. Trump (he was not) and — without missing a beat — argued that any of Mr. Trump’s insults paled against Mrs. Clinton’s headline-making comparison of some Trump supporters to a “basket of deplorables.”
At least Mrs. Clinton apologized, Mr. Kaine replied. “You will look in vain for Donald Trump ever apologizing,” he said.
• Mr. Kaine, noting that he and his wife were the parents of a Marine, said that “the thought of Donald Trump as commander-in-chief scares us to death.” Mr. Pence replied that President Obama’s tenure had weakened the country’s standing in the world.• Mr. Kaine, noting that he and his wife were the parents of a Marine, said that “the thought of Donald Trump as commander-in-chief scares us to death.” Mr. Pence replied that President Obama’s tenure had weakened the country’s standing in the world.
• After Mr. Kaine said that Mr. Trump had “pursued the discredited and really outrageous lie that President Obama wasn’t born in the United States,” Mr. Pence accused the Clinton-Kaine ticket of trafficking in “an avalanche of insults.” When Mr. Pence mentioned Russia, Mr. Kaine cut in. “You guys love Russia!” he said. Mr. Pence, appearing taken back by the interruption, said, “I must have hit a nerve.”• After Mr. Kaine said that Mr. Trump had “pursued the discredited and really outrageous lie that President Obama wasn’t born in the United States,” Mr. Pence accused the Clinton-Kaine ticket of trafficking in “an avalanche of insults.” When Mr. Pence mentioned Russia, Mr. Kaine cut in. “You guys love Russia!” he said. Mr. Pence, appearing taken back by the interruption, said, “I must have hit a nerve.”
• Mr. Pence, seizing on recent comments from Bill Clinton that appeared to be critical of the Affordable Care Act, said that “even former President Bill Clinton calls Obamacare a crazy plan.” (Mrs. Clinton’s team has moved this week to clarify his remarks, with her husband saying that he always supported the measure and still does.) Mr. Kaine did not immediately respond to the remark, setting off on an answer about Mrs. Clinton’s own economic plans.
• Deflecting a question about Mr. Trump’s suggestion that he was savvy to avoid paying taxes, Mr. Pence said that his running mate was “a businessman, not a career politician.” Mr. Kaine interjected: “Why won’t he release his tax returns?” Mr. Pence shot back, “We’re answering the question about the business thing.”• Deflecting a question about Mr. Trump’s suggestion that he was savvy to avoid paying taxes, Mr. Pence said that his running mate was “a businessman, not a career politician.” Mr. Kaine interjected: “Why won’t he release his tax returns?” Mr. Pence shot back, “We’re answering the question about the business thing.”
• Mr. Pence criticized Mrs. Clinton for using a private email server as secretary of state. After Mr. Kaine said that Mrs. Clinton had been cleared by “a Republican F.B.I. director,” Mr. Pence fired back. “If your son or my son handled classified information the way Hillary Clinton did, they’d be court-martialed,” he said.
• Responding to a question about gun violence and the police, Mr. Kaine spoke of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, which occurred when he was governor, and called for increased background checks and strengthening the ties between officers and the areas they patrol. Mr. Pence, who said his uncle was a police officer in Chicago, said, “at risk of agreeing you, community policing is a great idea.” But he accused Democrats of “bad-mouthing” officers in the wake of shootings by the police.
• Mr. Kaine unleashed a blistering attack on Mr. Trump’s trail of contentious comments during the campaign, ticking off his remarks about Mexicans, women, African-Americans, an Indiana-born judge with Mexican heritage and Senator John McCain of Arizona. “I just want to talk about the tone that’s set from the top,” Mr. Kaine said. Mr. Pence said his running mate’s statements were “small potatoes” compared to Mrs. Clinton’s remark last month that half of Mr. Trump’s supporters fit into a “basket of deplorables.” Mr. Kaine replied that Mrs. Clinton had apologized for her remark — though, as Mr. Pence pointed out, her apology focused on the “half,” not the descriptor. Mr. Trump, Mr. Kaine said, has refused to apologize for any of his comments.
• Mr. Kaine condemned Mr. Trump’s foreign policy credentials, saying that the Republican nominee “can’t start a Twitter war with Miss Universe without shooting himself in the foot.” Mr. Pence suggested that Mr. Kaine sounded rehearsed. “Did you work on that one a long time?” he asked. Mr. Pence said that America was “less safe today” than it was when Mr. Obama took office.
• Sparring over refugee policies, Mr. Pence and Mr. Kaine fiercely defended their running mates’ approaches, with Mr. Pence arguing that Mrs. Clinton would expose the country to heightened risks. Mr. Kaine framed it another way: “We want to keep people out if they’re dangerous,” he said. “Donald Trump said, ‘keep them out if they’re Muslim.’”
• Mr. Pence, seizing on recent comments from Bill Clinton that appeared to be critical of the Affordable Care Act, said that “even former President Bill Clinton calls Obamacare a crazy plan.” (Mrs. Clinton’s team has moved this week to clarify his remarks, with her husband saying that he always supported the measure and still does.) Mr. Kaine did not immediately respond to the remark, setting off on an answer about Mrs. Clinton’s own economic plans.