Kaine's job last night was not to "win" the debate . . .

[Paula Sims]

he was there to defend the Clinton/Kaine ticket. Mission accomplished.

Pence was there to defend himself for 2020. Mission accomplished. . . perhaps. . .

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. I didn't watch the debate, but if the poor ratings are an indication, I don't think it matters much

one way or another. Sounds like hardcore political junkies & pundits were the audience for last night's debate.

[Madam45for2923]

2. Yes he set out to take one for the team! Perfect opportunity to set up Pence!

Pence defending -or not- the indefensible!

[lonestarnot]

3. Minimizing his performance with definitions of his duty as you see them is bullshit. He won.

Let there be no doubt about that here.

[Cracklin Charlie]

4. I agree.

Hands down, Kaine won.

His opponent could not defend his running mate. That should have been Pence's reason for participating. Pence failed.

Kaine wins.

[lonestarnot]

5. I will not stand silent while someone tries to minimize his performance on some bullshit personal

definition what his duty was or wasn't. No doubt he did his job spectacularly and won the debate.

[Cracklin Charlie]

6. Did I do that?

Are you saying I minimized Kaine's performance? I thought Tim Kaine's performance was fantastic, in every aspect of the debate.

But, it is a fact that Kaine nullified Pence's influence on this election, when Pence was unable to defend his running mate.

Of course that wasn't the only example that gives Kaine the nod in his debate. But, for me, the way Kaine worked Pence's inability to defend Trump on the stage was just masterful. Pence was unable to perform his most basic duty as a running mate.

That wasn't even my favorite part of Kaine's performance. My favorite was hearing him shame Pence for his position on women's reproductive rights. I literally stood up and cheered.

I am a huge Kaine fan.

[radius777]

7. I agree w/you, Kaine did great, and

made the type of hard-hitting, passionate case for the Obama/Hillary/Dem vision in a way that nobody (imo) has done sofar in this election season, while aggressively refuting Trumpism. Kaine went at it like a courtroom litigator, ripping apart Trump point by point, forcing Pence to defend it, which he mostly did not, opting to lie or shrug his shoulders.

(ignore that poster above, some people can't get over the primaries)

[Warren DeMontague]

8. I don't think that debate swayed a lot of voters either way.

One thing it did do, it reminded everyone that Pence and Trump want to make it illegal for women to get abortions and use birth control. And most Americans are pro-choice.

I thought on that point Kaine was VERY effective.