The first and only face-off between vice presidential candidates Tim Kaine and Mike Pence quickly dissolved into a verbal battle to defend their running mate’s characters, reputations and foreign policies.
Both candidates accused the other of running an “insult-driven” campaign. They also clashed on immigration, criminal justice, social security, taxes and Russian aggression.
Kaine pressured Pence to answer for some of his running mate’s more controversial comments, including praising Russian President Vladimir Putin and calling for a Muslim immigration ban in the United States. He also said Trump needed to make his taxes public.
Pence punched back, forcing Kaine to defend Clinton’s honesty and trustworthiness – two alleged weaknesses the former secretary of state has tried to overcome. He also called out former President Bill Clinton’s criticism of ObamaCare and vowed that Trump would repeal the health care law if he were elected president.
Pence also pushed back on Putin, calling him a “small and bullying leader.” Trump has in the past praised Putin and his leadership. Pence also called for military strikes against Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
“The provocations by Russia need to be met with American strength,” Pence said, adding that the U.S. should be ready to use military force.
Though it’s unclear whether Pence and Kaine's performances dramatically changed voters’ minds about the presidential candidates, the nationally televised debate presented them with the opportunity to energize party loyalists and sway undecided voters.
Kaine and Pence both accused the other of running an “insult-driven” campaign with Kaine calling out Pence for not discrediting Donald Trump’s past “birther” comments about President Obama and saying having Trump in charge “scares us to death.”
Pence shot back, telling Kaine that he and Hillary Clinton “would know a lot about an insult-driven campaign.”
Both VP hopefuls reportedly held mock debates leading up to the debate. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker stood in for Kaine while Washington lawyer Robert Barnett played Pence.
Aides to Kaine told Fox News that the former Democratic National Committee chairman is a “policy wonk” like Clinton and studied “big binders” of details to prepare.
Pence, who has a decade of congressional experience under his belt, had been sharpening his debate skills and preparing for the political showdown since Labor Day.
The most watched vice presidential debate to date was the 2008 matchup between then-Sen. Joe Biden and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. That debate, according to Nielsen Ratings, brought in 69.9 million viewers. Coming in second was the 1984 debate between Rep. Geraldine Ferraro and then-Vice President George H.W. Bush.