US Vice-Presidential Debate 2020 LIVE Updates: Trump has Embraced Dictators Around the World, Says Kamala Harris; Mike Pence Corners Her on Covid-19 Vaccine

Second Lady Karen Pence Flouts Covid-19 Mask Rules Post Debate | Second lady Karen Pence appeared to break the agreed-upon rules on masks at the vice presidential debate upon its conclusion. In the aftermath of the first presidential debate, where some audience members, including the first lady and other Trump family members, removed their masks, the Commission on Presidential Debates mandated that everyone in the audience, with the only exceptions of the candidates and the moderator, wear a mask during future debates.

Takeaways: Pandemic Looms Over Vice Presidential Debate | The Trump campaign has wanted voters to focus on anything but the pandemic that has killed more than 210,000 people across the country and infected at least 7.5 million more. But that subject dominated from the outset, with Trump and a growing list of White House aides, campaign staff and allies now sidelined with COVID-19. Harris immediately put Pence on the defensive, calling Trump’s pandemic response “the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country.” Trump and Pence “still don’t have a plan,” she said.

Vice President Mike Pence faced considerable pressure to boost coronavirus-stricken President Donald Trump's flagging reelection hopes.  While, Kamala Harris stepped on stage having to balance her role as Biden's validator with her own presence as the first Black woman on a major party national ticket. 

The US death toll from the pandemic has exceeded 210,000, with over 7.5 million people infected, the highest reported totals in the world.

Barrett’s Religious Views Could be Central to SC Nomination Debate | Mike Pence and Kamala Harris debated the upcoming fight over the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, sparring over how some of Barrett’s religious views could be central to that debate. “We particularly hope we don’t see the kind of attacks on her Christian faith that we saw before,” Pence said in response to the Supreme Court, noting that some members of the Senate have suggested they have questions about her association with a Christian group called People of Praise. Pence then hit Harris for questioning another judicial nominee because the pick was a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic group that is anti-abortion. Harris hit back by casting the attack as personal, CNN reports. 

President Donald Trump Tweets a Clip from the Vice Presidential Debate

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2020

Candidates on Trump's Supreme Court Pick | A fight over the future of the Supreme Court is underway as Senate Republicans push to quickly confirm President Trump’s newest Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, amid Democratic opposition. Trump nominated Barrett following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, setting off a high-stakes confirmation battle in the run-up to an election where control of the White House and Congress are on the line. Republicans signalled that they would move as quickly as possible to take up the nomination, setting the stage for the possibility of a final confirmation vote before Election Day on November 3. 

White House has “Always” Told Truth About Covid-19: Pence | Vice President Mike Pence claimed tonight that the Trump White House has “always” told the truth about Covid-19.  “Let’s talk about respecting the American people. You respect the American people when you tell them the truth,” Harris said. Pence then interjected, “Which we’ve always done.” 

 America Lost 3,00,000 Manufacturing Jobs Amid Trade War: Harris | Kamala Harris excoriated Vice President Mike Pence and the Trump administration’s handling of trade , leading the vice president to fire back at Joe Biden’s record on trade agreements. “The vice president earlier said it’s what he thinks as an accomplishment that the President’s trade war with China,” Harris said. “You lost that trade war. You lost it. What ended up happening is because of a so-called trade war with China, America lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs.”

Obamacare was a Disaster, Says Pence | Mike Pence challenged Kamala Harris over her accurate description of what would happen if the Affordable Care Act was struck down in court. “Obamacare was a disaster,” Pence said, speaking in the past tense of a law that still exists. He continued: “President Trump and I have a plan to improve health care and protect pre-existing conditions for every American.” he added. 

Harris and Pence on China Trade War |“The vice president earlier referred to as part of what he thinks is an accomplishment, the president’s trade war with China. You lost that trade war. You lost it," said Harris. To which, Pence responded, “lost the trade war with China? Joe Biden never fought it.”

Pence's Claims that Trump Suspended all Travel from China | Vice President Mike Pence claimed President Trump "suspended all travel from China" in response to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the CNN fact check states that it is false. While Trump did restrict travel from China, his policy was not an actual "ban": It made exemptions for travel by US citizens, permanent residents, many of the family members of both groups and some others.   

Harris Zeroes in on Trump's Taxes and Mystery Debt

Key dates in the lives of US incumbent Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic party presidential candidate Kamala Harris@AFPgraphics pic.twitter.com/ZHJ8Jpiz3I

— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 8, 2020

Biden's and Harris' Stand on Climate Change | Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were mostly aligned on climate questions, though the California senator – in part because of her office – offered more concrete support for the Green New Deal. She signed on to a resolution written by Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2019. When challenged by Trump in their debate last week, Biden said he opposed the Green New Deal. And while it’s true he hasn’t embraced it, his climate plan has been (cautiously) applauded by leading environmental groups, CNN reports. 

Pence Tells Harris to "Stop Playing Politics" with Lives | “Stop playing politics with people’s lives”, said Mike Pence. He also made the accusation, saying Sen. Kamala Harris was undermining confidence in an eventual coronavirus vaccine by saying she wouldn’t take it unless it was endorsed by public health experts.

"If Donald Trump Tells Us to Take Covid-19 Vaccine, I'm Not Taking It": Kamala Harris | Kamala Harris directly said that if there is a coronavirus vaccine available during Donald Trump’s administration that is not embraced by scientific advisers but pushed by the President, she will not take it. But if the scientific advisers like Dr. Anthony Fauci back the vaccine, she would. “If Dr. Fauci, if the doctors tell us that we should take it, I’ll be the first in line to take it. Absolutely,” Harris said. “But if Donald Trump tells us to take it, I’m not taking it.”

“Mr Vice President, I’m speaking,” Harris Asserts When Pence Tries to Interrupt Her | Although this debate is decidedly less chaotic and cacophonic than the first presidential debate – during which Trump consistently interrupted- there are some tense dynamics tonight. “The American people have had to sacrifice far too much because of the incompetence of this administration,” Harris shot at the vice president, who attempted to defend the administration’s record on coronavirus.

Pence Claims Biden Plagiarized the Trump Administration’s Covid-19 Response | Vice President Mike Pence took his first crack at Joe Biden minutes into the debate, making an allusion to the decades-old episode which ended Biden’s first presidential bid. Describing the Biden-Harris plan to combat coronavirus, Pence suggested it was ripped from the current Trump administration approach. The vice president also touted travel restrictions that epidemiologists have said were implemented too late – after the virus was already circulating within the US – to be especially effective.

Moderator to Pence and Harris: 'Be Polite' | Moderator Susan Page began the debate by beseeching Mike Pence and Kamala Harris to mind their manners. “You will have two minutes to answer without interruption by me, or the other candidate,” Page said.