5 October 2016

Pence won VP debate on style, Kaine won on points

Overall, the debate probably was a draw. The key question is whether any votes were changed. A CNN snap poll reported that viewers said the debate made them “more likely” to vote for Trump, but “more likely” is a vector, not a change of category.

Kaine had the facts, figures, and arguments, to run circles around Pence, and did. But his high pitched, hillbilly voice that was appropriate to a bluegrass festival but not a vice presidential debate negated his superior grasp of the issues, and he interrupted too much. He also completely dodged, to my continued and considerable annoyance, the question on North Korea.

Pence kept his cool, brushing away pesky issues of fact, instead relying on gravitas and the unshakeable avuncular self-confidence that typifies talk radio blowhards. He was counting on debate viewers replacing their self-doubt with his self-confidence. And he was campaigning for the 2020 GOP nomination as much as he was defending Trump.

The moderator tried to keep the men on track. She gets an A for effort, but a C for results. Next time, she should equip herself with, and use, a referee’s whistle and a Taser.