Kaine, Pence clash in their only VP debate

Press trust of India
Farmville (Virginia), Oct 5: Democratic Senator Tim Kaine aggressively challenged his rival Mike Pence who calmly dodged and sidestepped criticism of some of his running mate’s policies and demeaning comments, with media declaring the Republican Governor as the winner of the first and only Vice Presidential debate here. The moderator, Elaine Quijano of CBS News, had to intervene from the very start of the 90-minute debate Tuesday night, as the two Vice Presidential nominees interrupted each other at regular interval. In fact, at times Quijano had a tough time in controlling Kaine, 58, and Pence, 57.
An unflappable Pence won the night – with 48 per cent of those who watched it saying he had the best night, compared to 42 per cent saying Kaine won, according to a CNN/ORC poll of debate viewers. Pence, who was more prepared in his answers than Trump was in his first Presidential debate, outlined a detailed agenda on tax policy, entitlements and immigration. “You and Hillary Clinton would know a lot about an insult-driven campaign,” Pence said, highlighting Clinton’s relentless criticism of Trump. “At a time when literally, in the wake of Hillary Clinton’s tenure as the Secretary of State, where she was the architect of the Obama administration’s foreign policy, we see entire portions of the world, particularly the wider Middle East, literally spinning out of control.
“I mean, the situation we’re watching hour by hour in Syria today is the result of the failed foreign policy and the weak foreign policy that Hillary Clinton helped lead in this administration and create,” said the Indiana Governor. “The newly emboldened – the aggression of Russia, whether it was in Ukraine or now their heavy-handed approach…,” said the calm and cool looking Pence as he was interrupted by Kaine, who appeared to be on the attack from the beginning. “You guys love Russia. You both have said…,” Kaine interrupted as Pence tried to complete his sentence “…their heavy-handed approach.” “You both have said — you both have said Vladimir Putin is a better leader than the President,” Kaine jumped again.