What We Realized from the Mike Pence vs Kamala Harris Debate

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What We Realized from the Mike Pence vs Kamala Harris Debate

There have been different gender dynamics at play, together with Mr. Pence’s common interruptions.“I’m talking,” Ms. Harris pushed again at one lev


There have been different gender dynamics at play, together with Mr. Pence’s common interruptions.

“I’m talking,” Ms. Harris pushed again at one level. “Mr. Vice President, I’m talking,” she mentioned at one other. “He interrupted me, and I’d like to only end, please,” she mentioned a 3rd time.

It was onerous to not see the interjections and pushback refracted by means of the lens of gender in a contest the place the outsize help of girls is lifting the Democratic ticket. (Ultimately, CNN calculated the 2 candidates had virtually equal time.)

Karen Finney, a Democratic strategist, mentioned that Ms. Harris “clearly got here ready with methods for Pence interrupting, speaking over her and operating over time.”

“She was little doubt conscious of the varied dynamics and want to string the needle on balancing being assertive and letting sure assaults go at factors in order to not be seen as ‘indignant’ or ‘overly aggressive,’ that are widespread sexist racist tropes about ladies,” mentioned Ms. Finney, who was an adviser on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 marketing campaign.

Mr. Pence, it needs to be famous, was the one man onstage on Wednesday, with Ms. Harris throughout from him and Susan Web page, the Washington bureau chief of USA Right now, serving as moderator.

The weakest second of the evening for Ms. Harris got here on the courts, when Mr. Pence challenged her on to reply whether or not she and Mr. Biden would endorse increasing the Supreme Courtroom if Mr. Trump’s nominee for the present emptiness, Decide Amy Coney Barrett, was seated.

Ms. Harris dodged. Mr. Pence known as her out. And Ms. Harris dodged some extra.

Mr. Pence declared on the finish of a squirm-worthy section: “You gave a non-answer. Joe Biden gave a non-answer. The straight reply is, they’ll pack the Supreme Courtroom in the event that they someway win this election.”





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