Pence-Harris debate begins

Vice President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger Senator Kamala Harris began the only vice presidential debate, amid concerns over President Donald Trump’s health after he was tested positive for COVID-19, a deadly virus that has claimed over 200,000 American lives and battered the country's economy.

Vice President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger Senator Kamala Harris began the only vice presidential debate, amid concerns over President Donald Trump’s health after he was tested positive for COVID-19, a deadly virus that has claimed over 200,000 American lives and battered the country's economy. Harris, the 55-year-old Senator who aspires to be the first woman vice-president in history, and 61-year-old Pence are separated by plexiglass barriers. They are sitting 12.25 feet apart on the debate stage. Harris, whose mother was from India and father from Jamaica, scripted history in August when she was picked up by the Democratic Party as its vice presidential nominee. She is the first Black woman and the first Asian-American woman to be selected as the vice presidential nominee of a major political party in the US.  It is for the first time in the American history that an Indian-origin person has taken up the podium for a vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday night. The debate, moderated by journalist Susan Page, will be divided into nine segments of approximately 10 minutes each, said the Commission on Presidential Debate.

Political analysts believe that an aggressive Harris will easily prevail over Pence during the only vice-presidential debate and help Biden, 77, to widen his lead over Trump, 74. Biden, in the last few days, has widened his lead over Trump by double digit. The debate comes nearly a week after the first of the three presidential debates in Cleveland on September 29 which was marked by angry interruptions and bitter accusations. The debate gains added significance given the COVID-19infecting Trump, triggering speculation that Pence may be taking over the reigns of the country temporarily.

While the debate will likely cover a range of topics, the COVID-19 pandemic will be at the forefront..