Veep debate: Both Mike Pence and Tim Kaine have tough job

Tonight's vice presidential debate is likely to elicit yawns from most of the American public.

That's too bad because each man could wind up only a heartbeat away from the Oval Office.

Both candidates will need to put spin on areas in which they differ from their running mates. Both will be called upon to defend positions and actions their running mates have taken. Neither will find that an easy job, whether it is Kaine defending Hillary Clinton's association with the Clinton Foundation or Pence defending Donald Trump's record of not paying taxes.

And both will be placed in the position of attacking the other's running mate. That is likely their main task, to serve as attack dogs on issues the presidential candidates have not brought up.

Pence and Kaine are both religious men, and expect them to touch on issues that would resonate with religious minded voters. That could become a key come November.

Neither Pence nor Kaine is especially well known to the vast majority of Americans. Tonight will give each candidate a chance to take the spotlight. How they respond once the light is shining on them could either help, or hurt, their respective tickets.

Published in Editorials on October 4, 2016 10:08 AM