Running For Number Two

Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Usually, vice-presidential candidates like Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican Governor Mike Pence of Indiana are chosen for their ability to be as bland as possible, and to stand up for the presidential candidates they work for.  When those candidates are Hillary Clinton (Kaine) and Donald Trump (Pence), there's an awful lot of explaining to do.  Considering the awkward positions Clinton and Trump have left their running mates in, their jobs are made much harder.

When Kaine and Pence met in their only vice-presidential faceoff Tuesday at a college in Farmville, Virginia, there were no real fireworks between the two other than talking over each other (mostly Kaine) and ignoring some questions put to them by moderator Elaine Quijano of CBS News. 

Both played their roles as surrogates to the hilt, although Pence had a harder time defending Trump's leaked 1995 tax returns showing a nearly billion dollar loss in casino investments while not having to pay taxes, as well as those 3 a.m. messages to a former Miss Universe claiming there's a sex tape.  All Kaine had to do was to assert that the Clinton Foundation, accused of profiting from political donations, is really a charity.

And when they weren't standing by their candidates, Kaine and Pence made pitches for presidential runs of their own in 2020.  Both had their own ideas about how to handle Russian president Vladimir Putin, and both had sharply different views on the ongoing abortion issue.

When the debate was over, both sides claimed victory as they tend to do in situations like this.  Except in Trump's case, he claimed credit for Pence's success.  It won't affect the presidential race any, because not many people give a hoot about who's running for vice president.  but since both Trump and Clinton will be in their 70s during the next four years, at least we know a little of what Tim Kaine or Mike Pence might be like as President should the worst happen.  Or Vice President should he ever be needed for ribbon-cutting ceremonies.