US vice presidential debate to take place
Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic nominee Senator Kamala Harris will address a range of issues at today’s US vice presidential debate.
The pandemic will likely be the focus of intense discussion during the debate. Harris will seek to question Pence on President Donald Trump’s recent COVID-19 diagnosis to highlight the president’s perceived callousness towards the virus. Pence will have the challenge of defending Trump and showing how the administration has improved the condition of citizens affected by the virus. Harris will similarly be challenged to show how the Biden-Harris administration intends to balance economic recovery with pandemic management. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has repeatedly stated that his administration would institute a national mask mandate, a policy that the Trump administration has eschewed. Pence will scrutinise this policy by arguing that a national mandate is beyond the role of the federal government.
The debate is anticipated to run smoothly tonight as both Harris and Pence are seasoned debaters and have participated in numerous political debates in the past. Unlike last week’s presidential debate, expect tonight’s deliberation to be less insult-laden and to cover more substantive discussion, giving US voters a better picture of what each vice presidential candidate brings to the job.
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