Tonight is the vice presidential candidate debate, and since the first presidential debate Open Post was such a success, we decided to give you a special Open Post for the would-be veeps. The debate airs at 9 pm on every network and every cable news channel and it will feature Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and Governor Mike Pence (R-Indiana). We’ll also have coverage of the debate tomorrow, although I’m not expecting the Veep Debate to be as major – sniffle – as the first presidential debate.
As I discussed after Kaine’s speech at the DNC in August, I really like Kaine. I liked him when he was my governor, and I like him as my senator and I’m sure going to love him when he’s the Vice President of the United States. I’ve had the pleasure of voting for him twice now (as governor and senator) and I’m looking forward to voting for him next month. He comes across like an extremely decent guy because that’s really who he is. But don’t be fooled – he’s also a very savvy politician, and I have no doubt that he’s prepped hard for this debate.
As for Pence… God help us all. The thing about it is, Pence is actually an awful candidate… except when he’s standing next to Donald Trump. Trump makes Pence look positively presidential and measured. Pence has a long history of extreme views on LGBT issues, reproductive choice, unions, immigration, education and more – go here for a primer.
The debate will be moderated by CBS News’ Elaine Quijano. It’s also taking place in Virginia, which pleases me to no end! Longwood University is hosting the debate and I tend to think that Kaine will have an advantage with a hometown crowd, even if Farmville, VA is not particularly a hotbed of liberalism. Kaine was simply a really popular governor and I think there’s a lot of residual affection for him. Still, this debate is going to be sadly lacking in Joe Biden yelling “MALARKEY!” at everyone and everything. I hope Kaine does go Full Biden and says something about malarkey or shenanigans though.
CB and I will be tweeting a bit tonight too! You can follow me here @KaiseratCB. You can follow CB here @Celebitchy.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
The GOP has already declared victory for Pence and the debate hasn’t even happened.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/vp-debate-gop-declares-victory-935107
Maybe they are getting as impatient as me and we can just call this thing early, vote tomorrow and get on with our lives. I’d like this sh7t show to end.
I am grateful for the 101 on Kaine since I am not in the know and will be watching. I hear he is likable and Hillary can use all the likability she can get.
With you!! It’s too consuming the suspense gives me anxiety!!
Because that is the only way he can really win. You know all these debates are rigged, just like “the Google!”
Phfffttt…I can’t even.
” Trump makes Pence look positively presidential” And Christie makes Trump look thin.
As much as I want to watch, as with the 1st debate (I had to mute Trump whenever he spoke… yelled), there’s not enough bp med in the world to allow me to, safely, listen to Pence.
Pence is doing his best, calm “guidance counselor who actually hates you” voice as he lays out their plan.
A calm “guidance counselor who actually hates you” — omggg how I wish I had said that, Little Darling. (And I probably will, sometime when it fits as beautifully as it fit here with Pence. )
I’m going to assume they prepare the posts in advance and then push them through following the debate, but that’s still an embarrassing flub on the part of the net staff.
Kaiser, the pic you posted of Trump and Pence embracing — omggggg it’s hysterical! They both look like they’re going to vomit! (Which is actually a very reasonable reaction by either of them to the other.)
Yeah, I recoiled when I saw that photo. Truly frightening.
I almost snorted wine out of my nose with the Biden MALARKEY line. I love me some Joe Biden. Reminds me of all my excellent Irish-American relatives!
I refuse to believe that the Onion’s version of Joe Biden is not the real Joe Biden.
He absolutely has a white Trans Am, yes?
http://www.theonion.com/article/shirtless-biden-washes-trans-am-in-white-house-dri-2718
And he loves Wu Tang
https://twitter.com/blippoblappo/status/460194112142979075
Kaiser, and he needs to lay low in Mexico for a few days! 😂😂😂😂😂
@Kaiser, I really enjoyed your post on Kaine. I think this will be an interesting debate, because Tim seems to be a passionate debater about issues and Pence is a Stepford far right winger, who spends all his time being a Trump apologee.
If I wasn’t morally opposed to everything Pence stands for, I would maybe find Pence hot. I hate myself. This is the worst. I want to know what brand his foundation is.
Also lol at him talking about what he did in Indiana because yeah nah.
Also Kaine didn’t start out well in this debate. The interrupting was super sloppy. He is starting to turn it around thank god because those first 10 minutes were super painful.
Pence’s whole thing with “we’ll do this like the 80’s and 60’s” is ridiculous though.
“Donald Trump is not a career politician” BUT THE VP CANDIDATES ARE! WHY ARE YOU PRAISING THIS PENCE? HOW MUCH OF YOUR SOUL DID YOU SELL FOR THIS SPOT?
But I saw Pence constantly interrupting and yapping on and on and on and never giving a straight answer. “They have a plan.” A plan for everything. Well, lay it out. Oh, it’s a big secret. That’s all I heard from Pence. And his sanctity of life blather. Isn’t he one of those who doesn’t care if the health or life of the woman is threatened by a pregnancy?
He sold his soul for a chance to lose in ’16 and be situated to run as POTUS in ’20. He hopes we won’t connect him to Trump by then. As if. As fecking IF. I’m a Dem anyway, but in the absence of a great Dem I would definitely vote for a Republican if s/he was fair, decent, and intelligent — Susan Collins, maybe. Anyway, as fecking IF we could EVER forget that Pence had attached himself to the Mad Cheeto.
I agree with you, G,
Pence is a very pretty looking man.
Oh wow, I don’t see hot or pretty at all. With those sunken eyes he looks like a reanimated corpse to me. And evil one.
To each their own.
Did Pence say Norwood University?
That’s what I heard, too.
Yup.
Stepford is a good way to describe Pence. He’s so monotone and robotic.
Mother of Stepford Wives, I don’t even need a Benadryl to sleep after watching Pence
But he’s as rude as Trump.
Well since he does not believe women should have choice over their reproductive organs he is kinda Stepford or Handmaids tale…
So far, so good Elaine. So far, so good.
Answer the question Mike. How do you feel about your running mate not paying taxes. Word salad, word salad, word salad. *sigh*
He also never answered why Trump has such a high disapproval rating. He just deflected by talking about Hillary and wasn’t called out for not answering the question.
His deflecting is the result of coaching by Kellyanne Conway, who uses that tactic every time she opens her mouth.
Kaine needs to stop interrupting and talking over him. FFS. It didn’t work for Trump and it won’t work for him.
I disagree with all his policies but Pence is like 100x more “presidential” looking than Trump. Actually… my basset hound looks more presidential than Trump.
100% agreed! I expect a certain amount of interrupting and talking over one another, but Kaine needs to take a breath..
I agree, it just makes Kaine look bad. Let Pence drone on.
He looks like Steve Carell playing a VP candidate on SNL. Pence looks like a bobble head of himself.
I found all that interrupting highly unprofessional and rude.
Agree. I’m a Democrat, but Kaine looked like he was about to boil over, and his constant interruptions were embarrassing to watch. He also sounded programmed and robotic. He’s smart and knows his stuff, but he did not present well.
I agree that Kaine seemed really uncomfortable, never really found a groove. Nerves, maybe?
It was supposed to be in discussion mode, not a formal debate. So a certain amount of interrupting by both would be normal. But a major problem is that Pence grabbed the floor and held on to it, droning away without really saying anything substantial. I think that is what was bothering Kaine, and the only way to get back the floor is to interrupt. Pence wasn’t about to spontaneously shut up and wasn’t answering the questions. He also kept denying things that are objectively and verifiably true. How do you have a discussion with someone like that?
Also true.
“The people at home cannot hear either one of you when you talk over each other.” – My best friend to her pre-K class, and also Elaine Quijano
Lol
I totally got the pacifying teacher vibe too lol
I like her so much more than Holt. I don’t watch the programs she is on but I now want to support her.
I know. My nerves were shot in the beginning with Kaine’s facial expressions and interrupting. I am developing angina from watching this. Calm down, Tim, please.
Even when Pence was telling his cop story, it looked like Kaine was ready to jump him at any moment..
Right? His eyebrow was ready to ATTACK!
Did he just deny that institutional racism exists?! We should just shut up about it already!
He did, after practically naming every single race out there. Gawd.
I think Pence should tell Scott that he should just accept it & get ready for stop & frisk. The traffic stops will look like a vacation.
Kaine is like a spaniel on speed. Take a breath, calm down.
Agree. When you have nothing but things, like facts, in front of you. You get a little jumpy wanting to discuss it.
Well he’s coming across like twitching, rabid dog and he needs to tone it down. Address things in a measured tone, no one is going anywhere, he has his time to speak.
Pence is lying slime, but he’s unflappable while spewing his rhetoric. I will give him that.
It’s almost mesmerizing how easily he avoids having to answer tough questions. He’s very eloquent and articulate and as you said, unflappable. Then you have Kaine red-faced and flipping out.
Where’s Biden when you need him?
Agree with all the above comments.
Jayna, you are right and I find that disturbing as heck. He’s evil personified.
Okay, what is Pence talking about. This cracks are showing. Talk about your platform. Please, pick one, any point, please.
No cracks in his foundation tho.
I literally can’t even grab one succinct thought from his roundabout talking.
Oh good, I thought it was just me.
I seriously need to know his foundation brand. That makeup withstands so much bs I need it.
FINE! You may have one candy before we leave, but that’s IT.
~Elaine giving Pence 30 seconds.
Lol! She saw the email stuff on the horizon?
Tim Kaine looks like his blood pressure is nearing a hypertension crises stage.. He doesn’t appear to be handling this well at all. He has great points and arguments, but they’re getting lost..
If Kaine would just keep quiet and let Pence drone on, it would be clear that he isn’t actually answering the question at hand. Let the moderator do her job. Instead, Kaine is feeding into Pence’s strategy and interrupting him to refute or comment on whatever he’s spouting on tangent, and then they never get back to the topic.
Agreed
Excellent points! Pence actually baited Kaine instead of vice versa.
Ugh, this is making me nuts. Pence is playing his old radio host role, like the smooth snake oil salesman he is. Kaine is making me wish like hell that we were hearing Bernie Sanders take on Pence instead. Kaine has the facts and is a solid Dem, but his twitchy nerves have me on edge. Where are the questions about sexism and climate change?
But we can get a nice well thought answer without interrupting on FAITH??
So glad Pence and Trump know better for women’s bodies. Pence was seconds away from calling women who get abortions murders and/monsters
I think Kaine nailed it on that topic. And Pence tried to deny what Trump said & then……whatever I guess?
Pence didn’t really answer much. Not unlike his running mate
“He’s not a polished politician like you and Hillary Clinton,” are you kidding me? Pence is polished, waxed, buffed, and double-coated with gloss. He could be sitting there reciting nursery rhymes and you’d still know he was a politician. Ugh. I look at Pence and I kind of get why people were charmed by Trump in the beginning. It’s almost like anything would be better than the robotic politicians like Pence who don’t even seem like human beings anymore they’re so over-programmed with spin. You could ask them what time it was and they’d answer with their talking points on coal. Pence and his ilk are the reason we’re in this godawful Trump mess. (And I also wish Bernie Sanders were up there. Why isn’t he? Big mistake!)
I’ve honestly have never seen Pence before, and I found myself wondering how Trump picked such a typical politician running mate. I guess I just imagined some of the Trump votes were people sick of Politicians – Pence is the stereotypical rightwing Republican! And I’ve lost respect for every single Republican who supports this windbang.
MALARKEY!!!
Pence interrupted and hijacked just as much as Kaine did, but he did it in a droning manner. And he never gave a straight answer.
One has to seriously give props to Hillary for just how well she dealt with Trump’s constant interrupting and droning on. While many people during the first 20 minutes of the debate were frustrated with her for not taking more control, by the end of the debate most people agreed she handled the debate and Trump beautifully. She allowed him to talk himself into circles and to work himself up into blathering and yelling. It took incredible patience, guts and excellent observation of exactly the right times to interject. Truly she was more masterful than even the credit she has been given. I can’t imagine trying to debate an opponent who contradicts themselves at every turn, uses fear and hate to inspire and has no real plan for anything. The urge to either “go off” or be totally condescending must be overwhelming but either of those approaches are no go’s and Hillary avoided those traps like the pro she is!
Also considering how much he was mentioned tonight, is Putin now part of the Republican party? Just asking….
Did anyone watch Real Time w/Bill Maher last week? The way that Stephen Moore d!ckhead just talked and talked over Angela Rye?
I bet I was among millions of people yelling “shut the f_ck up!” at the TV screen.
When did interrupting and talking over your opponent become a valid debating tactic?
Steve Moore is one of the absolute worst, but that’s a feature of most of the ultra RW guests on Mahar’s show-they just keep screaming on and on and never shut up. Rude, rude, rude.
Ugh, well that went terribly. Pence is vile and wormed his way around every mildly tough question, but he did what he was doing well and with poise. Kaine on the other hand looked and spoke like the vein in his forehead might explode at any second.
Hmm. The Christian capitalists or the liberal capitalists? Either way the capitalist war on the working-class, underemployed and welfare dependant will roll on.
Did anyone think that Kaine did that on purpose? Maybe their game plan was to force Pence to answer to the public about Trump’s words? I think the Dems understand at this point that they won’t win over any republicans or trump supporters. Their target are women, the undecided and millennials. Pence and Trump are disgusting with their thoughts on how women should be. Their thoughts on how the government should control what a woman chooses to do with her body and to punish her if she goes against their feelings are not going to win you any woman voters. Pence was for Pence, Kaine proved that by pointing out and pushing for Pence to answer if he supports Trump’s stance. Kaine although was a bit annoying with the interrupting did his job. I’m sure dealing with a complete liar and denier was irritating and made Kaine want to prove that Pence was lying. Overall Pence basically didn’t stand by his running mate who is the actual nominee. That really was their only job as VP.
I always knew Pence was awful (he’s my former Congressman and governor), but was surprised to see what a huge liar he is. He kept denying things that Trump has very definitely said. I’ve seen the videos of his rallies and speeches and press conferences, his interviews, his tweets. Even when an interviewer tries to put a more positive spin on the especially outrageous stuff, Trump shoots them down and insists he really meant it the awful way it sounded.
And that lie he told about the Clinton Foundation, claiming only 10% of donations go to charity– his nose should have grown a couple of feet on that one. The Clinton Foundation has about 11% overhead, so about 89% of donations get to the people served by its projects here and elsewhere. It’s a public Foundation with open books. Not hard to verify the true figures.
This isn’t about policy differences, but about outright lying. For an allegedly religious man, he certainly ignores that pesky commandment about not bearing false witness. In contrast, Tim Kaine told the truth about Trump’s statements and other facts. Pence just sat there denying even what his own running mate has clearly and verifiably said. Am surprised his pants didn’t go up in flames. Plus Pence kept taking time away from Kaine with his filibustering.
Kaine was great! Pence is like that alien who opens the zipper of his “human suit” and out comes a snake-creature.
For all his deflecting and outright lies during the debate, I think Pence will do extremely well in his new role in Hillary’s TV ads, those from the V-P debate. He’s not going to like it at all, but I can’t wait to see them on TV.
The ads will consist of Pence deny, deny, denying very ugly comments Trump definitely made, lots of ’em, about lots of things, and the Pence denials being shown on one side of the split screen. The other side of the split screen will be Trump making the exact statements we know he made, one by one, with a quick total denial by Pence on the same screen/same time. It will appear they will literally be arguing against each other if Hillary has her way….and she should. Using his own words against him is only something you do to people of this ilk. Sooo Priceless….. and I look so forward to the new ads.
I also love that that all along Hillary has been using Trump’s derogatory comments in the majority of her TV ads campaign. You can’t get anyone to put Trump in more of a bad light than he can do himself. He’s truly the best she could have used to make her point on so many issues, and she has done it so well. Trump can’t challenge anything she may use, after all they are words from his mouth that she’s chosen to share with us. His words always bear repeating many times in case you missed the severe ugliness of it first time round.