By Ansharah Asif
On Oct. 7, Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris of California held their Vice Presidential Debate, which trended heavily all over social media.
The debate revolved around today’s most heated topics, such as COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement and climate change.
How was the setting of the Vice Presidential Debate different from the Presidential Debate?
Even though neither Pence nor Harris were wearing masks, there were two plexiglass dividers installed around the desks of each candidate. Each candidate was tested for the virus and cleared; however, with the recent outbreak of the virus in the White House, it was important to be extra careful.
The candidates were standing 12-feet apart from each other, but many experts pointed out that the ventilation was a more serious issue than the chances of the candidates spitting on each other.
What did Harris and Pence have to say about the way the Trump administration is handling the COVID-19 pandemic?
With COVID-19 immediately stealing the spotlight, moderator Susan Page asked both candidates about President Donal.d Trump’s response to the pandemic.
Harris began by criticizing Trump’s undermining of the virus by not emphasizing the importance of staying safe and adhering to safety guidelines.
Pence’s response revolved more around the rights of Americans. He expressed the importance of respecting their “freedoms.” He said he does worry for those affected but said that he can’t violate people’s rights and freedoms.
What are Harris and Pence’s views on the “safety vaccine” and the President’s current health situation?
“If the public health professionals, if Dr. Fauci, if the doctors, tell us that we should take it, I’ll be the first in line to take it, absolutely but if Donald Trump tells us to take it, I’m not taking it,” Harris said.
Pence then responded that Harris is “undermining the public trust.”
President Trump has proposed that the vaccine, if everything follows accordingly and smoothly, will be out by the November election, although many worry the vaccine might not be as effective, if not more harmful than helpful, due to the time crunch.
What are Harris and Pence’s views on the Black Lives Matter movement, specifically Breonna Taylor’s case?
Recalling Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African American emergency medical technician who was shot and killed by Louisiana police officers, the moderator asked each candidate to express their views on whether there was justice.
As Pence expressed his remorse, he followed by stating how he trusts the justice system and that both Trump and himself have fought for a criminal justice reform bill.
Meanwhile, Harris stated she was disappointed in the Trump administration as she recalled the presidential debate, where Trump did not denounce the white extremist group the Proud Boys and instead told them to “stand back and stand by.”
To Harris’, this was an act of approval if not encouragement. She then followed to recall some of Trump’s past comments about portraying Mexicans as rapists and Muslims as terrorists.
How do Harris and Pence plan on addressing the problem revolving around climate change?
Pence stated his knowledge of the fact that the climate is changing and followed by attacking Biden’s ideas of banning fracking.
Fracking is a procedure in which high-pressure water is drilled into the rock beneath Earth’s surface, allowing gas to be released. By increasing the rock’s permeability, more gas can be recovered through the increase of flow to the surface, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Both Biden and Harris refuted such claims, saying that they support fracking and do not plan on banning it. Harris also added that they support the Green New Deal, as she has already introduced legislation to help advocate for such a resolution. The Green New Deal is a list of policies, such as ending the use of fossil fuels and implementing universal healthcare, to fight against climate change.
Visit CNN.com to watch the exact moments that took place during the Vice Presidential Debate.
