# \*\*\* SDMB Live coverage, VP Debate. 10/04/2016 \*\*\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 1, 2016, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354 "2016-10-01T13:33:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/241 "2016-10-05T09:13:44Z")
I watched the debate a few hours after it aired and thought “Well, Kaine just spent 90 minutes using Trump’s own words to show that he’s not only racist, corrupt and irrational, but dangerous to America and the rest of the world. And his own running mate was either unwilling or unable even try to defend him, other than to occasionally lie and claim Trump never said things that he obviously said. I guess it’s pretty clear who won this debate”. _Checks the internet_. Pence won. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/242 "2016-10-05T09:21:30Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Look at the tweets at the top. There are no tweets at the top. There is a headline “NR Tweets the Vice-Presidential Debate” and a single line of text that is a hyperlink: Tweets from [x.com](https://twitter.com/NRO/lists/nr-debate-tweets) This link goes to a page that says “Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!” ETA: I see that the the board’s software made the hyperlink active, so y’all can click and see for yourself. ETAA: that’s plus 2 ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/243 "2016-10-05T10:19:17Z")
Advance glimpse of the 2020 GOP Primary Debate: **Moderator:** Governor Pence, you were Donald Trump’s running mate in 2016… **Pence:** _(emphatically shakes head)_ No… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/244 "2016-10-05T10:31:15Z")
Toward the end, when Kaine let Pence continue uninterrupted, once Pence had finished his prepared list of lies, he started repeating points and talking word salad. Instead of letting him do this all the time, Kaine made him look more composed and civil than him and _also_ let him blurt out most of the canned inaccuracies, since once he interrupted, Pence had already said most of the “substance” of whatever he was trying to say. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/245 "2016-10-05T10:44:17Z")
The debate did seem very, “We’ve replaced Tim Kaine’s usual Ritalin with Folger’s crystals. Let’s see if he notices.” ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/246 "2016-10-05T12:01:04Z")
I confess, I couldn’t make it past the twenty minute commercial for Virginia, preamble. What the hell? They were going on and on about their pride in beginning the push for integration and equal rights? What? Because Virginia is so very progressive, dontcha know! Followed by endless praise for the university. Good Lord! As if the debate itself wouldn’t be long and boring enough! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/247 "2016-10-05T12:36:32Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It does seem that Kaine was trying to help Clinton, and succeeded, whereas Pence was trying to help Pence, and also succeeded. My Facebook feed has a lot of Trump supporters and there was a lot of “Why can’t we have this guy as the presidential candidate?” Both of them met the minimum standard for VP debates, don’t hurt the campaign. Regardless of who edged out who, this will soon be forgotten and have no impact on the race. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/248 "2016-10-05T13:01:09Z")
I don’t know why they don’t allow opening statements, it always just wastes the first question since they spend the first 90 seconds making their opening statement anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/249 "2016-10-05T13:26:18Z")
I didn’t watch the debate but I’ve really enjoyed the recap here. Thanks to all who suffered through for the rest of us. Question: will this debate MATTER AT ALL with respect to the election? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/250 "2016-10-05T13:32:55Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > [www.thatmexicanthing.com](http://www.thatmexicanthing.com) now takes you to Hillary’s website. That’s awesome. :D:D That’s one reason (I believe) she’s going to win. She’s taking advantage of things and using them in ways previous Democratic candidates should’ve (Kerry ignored Swiftboating, for instance). She’s pouncing and using it as a stick to beat Trump. Beautiful! ETA: Now I see it was someone on Hillary’s behalf, not her campaign. My point stands though, even if she or her campaign aren’t directly responsible for it. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/251 "2016-10-05T13:33:24Z")
Don’t think so, it was pretty much a wash, which means Pence came across better than I thought he would, Kaine had a lot of missed opportunities in a target-rich environment, and the fact-checkers seems to have come down moderately harder on Pence. Doubt it will move anyone much from where they started the night. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/252 "2016-10-05T13:47:10Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > These were the only few minutes I caught and Pence just flat out fucking lied. > He’s not a stupid man. Even if his followers don’t read, he does. He knows full well that Trump’s foundation is deeply corrupt. And he knows that the Clinton foundation has an excellent rating. And he lied about both of them. It wasn’t an evasion or a different interpretation or point of view. He distinctly said something that he knows to be untrue. > > He lied about _charity_. He should be deeply ashamed of saying anything about his “faith” again, ever. sometimes i wonder if no one gives them a last minute brief on current events, or if they just don’t have the news on 24/7. i was waiting for a “are you speaking of the trump foundation that just had the new york state shut it down” response. why, oh why, was that not mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/253 "2016-10-05T13:57:38Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Regardless of who edged out who, this will soon be forgotten and have no impact on the race. The most prominent reminders will be rolled out in campaign advertisements: **Trump:** _(says thus-and-such)_ **Pence:** Donald Trump never said _(thus-and-such)_ Geez, the Donald has enough messianic delusions already without a chief disciple loudly declaring “I know not the man!” ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/254 "2016-10-05T14:00:15Z")
While I didn’t think Kaine looked presidential per se, Pence looked like he straining on the toilet the whole time. After an hour, I got tired of looking at him. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/255 "2016-10-05T14:21:42Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > Don’t think so, it was pretty much a wash, which means Pence came across better than I thought he would, Kaine had a lot of missed opportunities in a target-rich environment, and the fact-checkers seems to have come down moderately harder on Pence. Doubt it will move anyone much from where they started the night. Agreed in general, although in a way I think both candidates failed their bosses to some degree. Between the constant crosstalk that made it almost impossible to hear what they were saying much of the time, and their obnoxious insistence in repeatedly going to canned talking points rather than answering the moderator’s questions, they were sort of making the case that DC is filled with cynical liars and that politics as usual still rules. Ordinarily some advantage might go to the Trump campaign and its (IMO bogus) message of change, but with Pence more or less forced to repeatedly deny Trump’s saying things that everyone has heard with their own ears, indeed it ended up a wash. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/256 "2016-10-05T14:27:31Z")
The proper response to “our navy is at its smallest since 1917” is “so is our cavalry.” “Our musket forces” is also acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/257 "2016-10-05T14:47:27Z")
And here’s the utterly predictable Clinton ad: > I suspect this kind of thing will dominate the post-debate coverage, because there’s only so many hours to be filled by Kaine being mildly dickish. Or the hurricane will hit and the whole thing will get ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/258 "2016-10-05T15:03:33Z")
I think the bottom line take from this debate is; Kaine can’t play nice and Pence can’t defend what Trump has said. I don’t see any trend coming from this debate. Like **Richard** said above, the hurricane headed for the 2 big swing states, POTUS debate #2 upcoming, all will quickly overshadow this. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/259 "2016-10-05T15:05:32Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > The proper response to “our navy is at its smallest since 1917” is “so is our cavalry.” “Our musket forces” is also acceptable. Romney tried the “OMG we have fewer ships now” crap in 2012. The ships are better now. We don’t need as many. Jeezus. The conventional wisdom is that Kaine helped Clinton and Pence helped Pence. I subscribe to that theory. Pence is now the 2020 nominee, I can tell you right now. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354/260 "2016-10-05T15:21:12Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I think the bottom line take from this debate is; Kaine can’t play nice and Pence can’t defend what Trump has said. I don’t see any trend coming from this debate. Like **Richard** said above, the hurricane headed for the 2 big swing states, POTUS debate #2 upcoming, all will quickly overshadow this. I don’t know Kaine at all from before this election. The articles I’ve read regarding this debate say that he usually isn’t this aggresive while campaigning. It’s seems like it’s not that he can’t play nice, he was cast in the role of attack dog by the campaign. It’s a good contrast to the calm, unflappable demeanor his boss put on for the 1st debate. Kaine attacks and Hilary stands back and shakes her head at the stupid shit Trump says. I think it was a slight miscalculation because I’ve read a lot of negative comments about his demeanor. Not enough to make any difference in the election. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-live-coverage-vp-debate-10-04-2016/767354.md?page=14)