US election: Kaine and Pence square off in vice-presidential debate
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4 October 2016
- From the section US & Canada
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Republican vice-presidential candidate Mike Pence and his Democratic counterpart Tim Kaine will do battle in their only debate of the election.
Mr Pence, the governor of Indiana, and Mr Kaine, a Virginia senator, will take the stage at Longwood University in Virginia at 21:00 ET (02:00 GMT).
But the pressure is on Mr Pence to defend Donald Trump’s tax practices.
Mr Pence released 10 years of his tax returns last month while his boss has flouted the election tradition.
Mr Trump’s tax arrangements have come under public scrutiny after the New York Times published a portion of his 1995 tax return showing that he declared losses of nearly $1bn that year, which would have allowed him to legally avoid paying income tax for up to 18 years.
The New York hotel developer responded to the bombshell report on Monday by declaring that he “brilliantly” navigated the complicated US tax code.
Follow live updates on the debate
But Mr Pence, an evangelical Christian who is favoured by social conservatives, will also have to reassure Republicans that Mr Trump has a presidential temperament after a week of turmoil.
Aside from the tax returns, the campaign has had to defend Mr Trump against questions about his charitable foundation as well as reports that he behaved inappropriately to women on the reality show The Apprentice.
More on the debate
Why the US vice-presidential debate matters
Who is Indiana Governor Mike Pence?
Tim Kaine: The Spanish-speaking, anti-abortion Democratic senator
Governor Pence, 57, will likely face questions of his own regarding his tenure at Indiana’s helm.
He sparked a public outcry after signing a bill into law in last year that critics said discriminated against the LGBT community by allowing businesses to refuse service over religious beliefs.
He also signed into law one of the strictest abortions laws in the country in March.
Indiana is one of two states that bans women from seeking an abortion if the child is born with a disability.
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The stage is set in Farmville, Virginia
Meanwhile, Senator Kaine will play his part in defending his running mate, Hillary Clinton, against attacks about her use of private email while secretary of state as well as the Clinton Foundation.
But Mr Kaine’s record could also be a line of attack for his Republican rival.
The 57-year-old former Virginia governor and Catholic former missionary will likely come under fire about his positions on abortion and the death penalty.
Why it matters – Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Farmville, Virginia
Historically, the vice-presidential debate is given scant media attention compared to the top-of-the-ticket showdowns.
With one notable exception – Palin v Biden in 2008- the television audience is significantly smaller as well.
Chances are a showdown between two middle-age white men with Mid-Western roots isn’t going to move the needle as far as national attention goes.
For political junkies longing for a fix before Sunday’s second presidential debate, however, the event can reveal the state of the two campaigns and what could be in store as the race heads into its final weeks.
The debate will be hosted by CBS News’ Elaine Quijano and will last about 90 minutes, with nine segments that each focus on a single topic.
The match-up follows last week’s presidential debate, which drew a record 84 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
Vice President Joe Biden offered some advice for candidates while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
“Think about whether you made the right decision,” he said. “Because it could be a long day in that office over there,” he explained while pointing to the White House, “if you don’t agree with the president.”