Vice-Presidential Debate Recap: Pence Wins On Style, Kaine Wins On Substance

Last night, voters got to see their vice-presidential candidates - Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana - face off for the one and only time this election cycle.

While Kaine had some issues with style (the interrupting from the get-go was a bit off-putting), he did what he needed to do. And that was bring up all the distasteful things Trump has said throughout the campaign, which Pence tried to deny.

Pence was successful in looking calm and presidential, hoping to tamp down some of the fallout from last week's first presidential debate where his running mate Donald Trump ran off the rails a bit.

As an LGBT advocate, I was disappointed that Kaine didn't take an opportunity to highlight Pence's virulently anti-LGBT record, which I've documented many times here on The Randy Report. MSNBC's Rachel Maddow felt the same way.

It did seem Kaine got under Pence's skin a bit by bringing up Trump's anti-Mexican comments. At one point Pence turned to Kaine and said, "You whipped out that Mexican thing again," which immediately became an Internet meme.

The CNN/ORC poll right after the debate showed Pence won by a narrow margin. A CNN focus group of undecided voters, however, felt Kaine was the victor.

However, when it came to who defended their running mate better, Kaine won by a wide margin.

In the end, I don't think the debate will move the needle much in either direction. As others have said, Pence helped Pence while Kaine helped Clinton. Kaine knew exactly what he was doing.

Kaine's pugnacious performance made it possible to produce videos like the two below, which are devastating to the Trump/Pence campaign.

6. In the end, Kaine enable the Hillary campaign to produce this video, which is devastating pic.twitter.com/lAcAxI2n1U

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 5, 2016

Anti-Trump Republicans Seek Rule Change In Selecting VP Candidate

While anti-Trump Republicans may be stuck with the Donald, they may not have to accept the Trumpster's choice of running mate if they are successful in passing a change in rules at this year's GOP national convention.

From Buzzfeed:

A draft proposal obtained by BuzzFeed News outlines several changes to Rule 40 that would make it easier for delegates to reject whomever Trump picks as his running mate and present their own alternative. BuzzFeed News has learned that it will be presented at the Rules Committee meeting next week in Cleveland ahead of the convention.

Already, delegates are technically not bound to vote for the nominee’s choice for vice president. But in the past, vice presidential picks have largely been automatically ratified by the convention after being chosen by the nominee.

This year is different, as a vocal contingent of anti-Trump delegates to the convention are searching for ways to stop Trump from being nominated — or, failing that, to at least assert control over the party’s vice presidential nominee.

Eric Trump: Ivanka Trump Could Be Vice-President Because She's "Beautiful" & "Smart"

The Hill reports that Eric Trump, son of presumptive GOP nominee for president Donald Trump, has declared his sister based on her intelligence and "beautiful looks" is qualified for the vice-presidency.

Eric Trump on Thursday floated his sister Ivanka Trump as a potential running mate for his father.

“She’s got the beautiful looks, she’s smart, she’s smart, smart, smart,” Eric Trump said Thursday on Fox News. “She’s certainly got my vote.”

Trump noted that his sister will turn 35 just before the election — the minimum age required by the Constitution to be president or vice president.

“She just makes that by about seven, eight days,” he said, calling Ivanka Trump “a machine.”

For a campaign that denounces any kind of sexism is in play in this election cycle, I have to wonder why Eric Trump made a point of describing her appearance as part of her qualifications...?

Sen. Bob Corker Pulls His Name From Trump's VP Consideration

Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee has withdrawn his name from consideration as Donald Trump's running mate in the 2016 White House race.

Micah Johnson, a spokesman for the senator, confirmed that Coker told The Washington Post, "There are people far more suited for being a candidate for vice president, and I think I'm far more suited for other types of things."

Corker is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which surely had a lot to do with Trump's interest in Corker. Trump's lack of depth in foreign policy has been one of his glaring weaknesses during the presidential race.

Corker appeared with Trump at a campaign event in North Carolina on Tuesday.

In related news, freshman GOP Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa seems to have also pulled out of contention for the veep spot telling Politico, “I made that very clear to him that I’m focused on Iowa. I feel that I have a lot more to do in the United States Senate. And Iowa is where my heart is.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders Sidesteps Question Whether He Would Consider VP Spot

Sen. Bernie Sanders talks to Meet The Press host Chuck Todd about his path to the Democratic nomination, and whether he would consider being Hillary Clinton's running-mate if she were to ask.

“I’m knocking my brains out to win the Democratic nomination,” Sanders said. “That’s where I am right now. What happens afterwards, we will see. But right now, my focus is on winning the nomination.”

Folks are calling that a "side-step," but in truth, what other answer could he really give at this point?