Tonight is the VP debate, and it’s possible it will carry more meaning than usual due to the age of both candidates and the health of President Trump. My expectations: as you might remember from my coverage of the Republican convention, I thought Pence’s keynote was relatively effective and oriented toward senior citizens, in particular. Well, I expect the same aim tonight from Pence, especially following recent polls showing the Trump-Pence ticket losing to Biden-Harris among seniors by over 20 points. For Harris, she should resist the understandable temptation to treat Pence as her opponent, and instead be relentlessly focused on reminding voters who is at the top of the ticket. Pence will ask voters tonight to imagine what he says about Trump is more real than who voters know Trump to be. Pence will make coherent arguments tonight, and ask that voters assume Trump has a coherent philosophy as well because of it. Given the state of the race, Pence will be on the offensive, but he can’t win if Harris makes a case for her ticket to the American people and holds primarily addresses Pence as Trump’s representative.
Sidenote: will we get a debate on religious freedom tonight?
Finally, over the next couple weeks I am planning several posts, at least one of them exclusively for subscribers, that respond to questions many of you have asked. Two of the posts include my thoughts on how Christians should think about voting, as well as a post about abortion and this election. I hope these posts will be helpful to you, and would love for you to become a paid subscriber so you can be sure to receive all of that content and more.
Let me know what you’re looking for in tonight’s debate. Looking forward to watching it with you.
Pence is doing exactly what Harris should be doing only it makes less sense for Pence to do it. Pence repeatedly referencing Biden and asking Harris to answer for Biden (she's really good at doing that, by the way). Harris needs to be saying the name Donald Trump more.
Not going to do an analysis post. Main thing to watch is whether Biden's advantage among seniors shrinks a bit...that's the primary impact this debate would have, if it has any at all. Mostly, I think Harris avoided any major missteps, and Pence's performance was not enough to overcome the deficiencies at the top of the ticket.
I worry a bit that Harris is approaching this debate as if the audience and the general voter is super read into politics/Pence/etc. and has set opinions about him. I don't think that is the case. This was a problem in her primary campaign...playing to too small and narrow an audience.
Harris really strong on jobs and the economy. Exceptional defending Biden. You can tell she's done the work of getting to know Biden's record and history.
+Will Pence's approach be distinct from the secular nationalist right, the Christian Nationalist right, and the prosperity gospel right?
+Will Harris be conciliatory and positive about Christians considering her history with Amy Coney Barrett and the upcoming confirmation conflict?
+Will Harris focus on covid, healthcare, economy, or on attacking Trump and polarized issues?
+Will Pence make tangible suggestions about how the Trump administration will improve in term 2: covid, healthcare, economy, immigration, foreign policy?
I feel like Kamala could’ve gone into how, even if the Breonna Taylor decision was right legally, it was not moral or just, which is the entire reason why there needs to be systemic change in law enforcement. Why did she shift so quickly to Floyd?
I don’t watch many debates, but does the moderator appear to be giving Pence the toughest questions? (or is it just that it’s easy to find tough questions for this administration)
Pence is doing exactly what Harris should be doing only it makes less sense for Pence to do it. Pence repeatedly referencing Biden and asking Harris to answer for Biden (she's really good at doing that, by the way). Harris needs to be saying the name Donald Trump more.
Not going to do an analysis post. Main thing to watch is whether Biden's advantage among seniors shrinks a bit...that's the primary impact this debate would have, if it has any at all. Mostly, I think Harris avoided any major missteps, and Pence's performance was not enough to overcome the deficiencies at the top of the ticket.
This is exactly what Harris needs to do tonight...remind voters who Donald Trump is and prosecute the case against him. Her best answer of the night.
I worry a bit that Harris is approaching this debate as if the audience and the general voter is super read into politics/Pence/etc. and has set opinions about him. I don't think that is the case. This was a problem in her primary campaign...playing to too small and narrow an audience.
Harris really strong on jobs and the economy. Exceptional defending Biden. You can tell she's done the work of getting to know Biden's record and history.
Another old-school Republican throwback to ask "what's the cause" of climate change.
Harris conveys that she is engaged--that she's in the game, so to speak--so viscerally.
Main thought watching Pence is that Trump is really, really bad at politics
Tonight is going to be cathartic for Democrats...we'll see what else is accomplished
Thanks once again Michael for carving out this space.
Looking for:
+Will Pence's approach be distinct from the secular nationalist right, the Christian Nationalist right, and the prosperity gospel right?
+Will Harris be conciliatory and positive about Christians considering her history with Amy Coney Barrett and the upcoming confirmation conflict?
+Will Harris focus on covid, healthcare, economy, or on attacking Trump and polarized issues?
+Will Pence make tangible suggestions about how the Trump administration will improve in term 2: covid, healthcare, economy, immigration, foreign policy?
Pence has had a strong night.
Really crucial section there on SCOTUS/life/religious freedom.
Harris doing a good job of absorbing the heat and taking the hits, and keeping Biden pretty unscathed.
Don't miss that Pence's disposition, his aim, is all about closing the gap with seniors.
...interested in folks thoughts so far.
https://twitter.com/MichaelRWear/status/1313985219838578694?s=20
I feel like Kamala could’ve gone into how, even if the Breonna Taylor decision was right legally, it was not moral or just, which is the entire reason why there needs to be systemic change in law enforcement. Why did she shift so quickly to Floyd?
What an 8th grader!
She's not answering this question.
Oh, good pivot here from Harris to raise Trump's talk about military members, veterans, heroes
What did y'all think of Pence's election results & peaceful transition answer?
Pence did great on the last question about debate and argument in our society
What did y'all think of the court-packing exchange?
I vote for a mute button.
I don’t watch many debates, but does the moderator appear to be giving Pence the toughest questions? (or is it just that it’s easy to find tough questions for this administration)
Is Green New Deal an economic stimulus or drag?
Health details or tax returns, if we only get one?
(I'm tax returns)
How do y'all feel about "If Donald Trump tells me to take it, I'm not taking it."?
Pence didn’t actually the answer the question of why our percentage is so much higher than other countries...right?
I'll be interested to see if Pence gives Republicans a reason to support them beyond MAGA ideology.