VP debate: Kamala shuts down Pence over ‘sexist’ interuptions as Pence’s pink eye and a fly steal attention ?
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Louise Thomas
Editor
The historic vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris has wrapped up with contentious exchanges over the coronavirus response, the environment, Trump’s taxes, the economy, and foreign policy.
Pence repeatedly went over his allotted time and interrupted Harris on multiple occasions, leading the senator to reprimand him with the words: “Mr Vice President, I am speaking.”
Pence accused Harris of undermining confidence in a Trump coronavirus vaccine, while Harris demanded to know to whom Trump owes money.
Twitter meanwhile was particularly distracted by a large fly that landed on Pence’s head and appeared to stay there for about a minute. There is also speculation that the vice president might be suffering from pink eye.
The VP nominees were face-to-face for the first time in Salt Lake City in what was billed as the most anticipated clash between two running mates in recent memory.
The debate was given approval to go ahead after both candidates returned negative coronavirus tests on Wednesday, and the CDC said Pence was not a "close contact" of Donald Trump.
Why tonight's vice presidential debate will be so influential in American history
The Pence-Harris faceoff will be unlike anything we've ever witnessed in the history of vice presidential debates, writes Breanna Robinson.
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Why tonight's vice presidential debate will be so influential in American history
The Pence-Harris faceoff will be unlike anything we've ever witnessed in the history of vice presidential debates
‘It’s always an extra burden placed on women’: Kamala Harris faces sexism and racism at VP debate, experts say
When Ms Harris takes the stage, she will do so bearing the weight of not only being a woman, but of being a person of colour, Graig Graziosi reports.
Kamala Harris is up against more than Mike Pence at VP debate
Ms Harris is the third woman to participate in the US vice presidential debates and the first woman of colour
Mask up or get out
Guests are now inside Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah. Everyone is wearing a surgical mask provided for the night.
Anyone not wearing a mask will be escorted out.
Buttigieg says Americans want to know they will be safer, after Trump and Pence have failed on pandemic
Here he is speaking on Fox News.
Supporters of both campaigns gathered outside the debate venue
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2020/10/08/01/AFP_8RM8R6.jpg)
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2020/10/08/01/AFP_8RM8R7.jpg)
We’re off!
The candidates have taken to the stage and moderator Susan Page is going over the rules. There will be nine sections of ten minutes each. Neither campaign knows what the topics will be,
First question - the coronavirus pandemic.
What would a Biden-Harris administration do if they come into office in 2021?
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