WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Wednesday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes.
The Pence-Harris vice presidential debate seemed to be as much devoted to dodging questions as answering them. Vice President Mike Pence seemed to think ignoring the moderator was the better approach while Sen. Kamala Harris didn’t quite go for the jugular with the intensity her surrogates had predicted. For anyone who missed the 57 live-action tweets on the @macenewsmacro twitter account and didn’’t watch either a sampling for some of the flavor:
Debate: First of nine topic segments, pandemic. Sen Harris says have seen “greatest failure of any administration in the history of our country.” Recounts statistics, sees front-line “sacrificial workers.”
Debate: Sen Harris continues, saying, “They knew and they covered it up,” as to seriousness of virus threat early on. “They still don’t have a plan” but Joe Biden does.
Debate: VP Pence says of virus “very challenging” but “from the very first day,” President has put the health of Americans first. Biden opposed decision to block China entrants which “saved hundreds of thousands” of lives.
Debate: VP Pence says Biden anti-virus plan “reads a lot” like the Trump plan. “It looks a little bit like plagiarism” which Biden knows something about.
Debate: Sen Harris responds, Pence was head of the task force. Whatever was doing, didn’t work. Asks camera directly “how calm were you when children were afraid of seeing parents.”
Debate: VP Pence says to say anti virus efforts haven’t worked, grave disservice to American people. Says first estimates were could lose 2.2 million lives.
Debate: Re “superspreader event” in Rose Garden Saturday a week ago, how can defend not wearing masks. “Have great confidence” American people will know what to do, and made sacrifices. Work goes on, with SCOTUS pick event had everyone tested.
Debate: Sen Harris says respect American people “when you tell them the truth.” Americans now “standing in a food line” because of administration “ineptitude.” Asking too much of people not to equip them with info.
Debate: Sen Harris said would take vaccine if Dr. Fauci and other experts ask, but if Donald Trump asked, wouldn’t take it.
Debate: Second topic, age of candidates. VP Pence instead goes back to previous topic, to have vaccine ready in record time. Says Harris “continues to undermine” confidence in vaccine, is “unconscionable.” Accuses Obama admin of failure with swine flu.
Debate: VP Pence disregards time rule and topic. Sen Harris answers age/disability question, says when Biden chose her thought of her mother being proud. Raised to know value of hard work. Was 1st black woman AG in Calif. Doesn’t answer q re any transition.
Debate: Is presidential health info something public deserves to know. VP Pence says how “moved we’ve all been” re support for Trump, Melania. Transparency of his doctors will continue. Doesn’t directly answer q.
Debate: Sen Harris on same question of health info, answers “absolutely” public deserves to know health info and switches to transparency on tax info. Now know Trump now in debt for $421 mln and should know who he owes it to.
Debate: Sen Harris continues, Biden transparent, Trump covers everything up. Pence replies, Trump has paid millions in taxes, created thousands of jobs, released stacks of disclosure, turned econ around.
Debate: Third topic, economy and jobs loss. Sen Harris says raising taxes to pay for support shows “fundamental difference” with Trump admin. Biden would help families, and Trump focuses on rich people who benefit from his tax cuts. To repeal.
Debate: Sen Harris says Biden would do infrastructure rebuilding. Trump talked about infrastructure program, never happened. Will go to public university for free under Biden, as invest in people.
Debate: VP Pence says Obama had slowest recovery, Trump cut taxes, lifted wages. Biden would raise taxes in middle of pandemic while Trump tax cuts helped restore 11 mln jobs, saved 50 mln jobs with PPP.
Debate: VP Pence says Biden would ban fracking, have Green New Deal which would cost millions of jobs. American “comeback is on the ballot” and ’21 will be biggest econ comeback.
Debate: Sen Harris answering Q when Pence interrupts by disputing. Then Harris resumes, says will not ban fracking. Biden responsible for recovery act that Trump wants to take credit for. Trump reigned over recession. Biden helped create ACA Trump wants to kill.
Debate: Next topic, climate change. VP Pence says very proud of record on conservation. Water among cleanest in the world. Signed Outdoors Act. “Climate is changing” but issue is “what’s the cause.” To continue to listen to science.
Debate: VP Pence says Biden would rejoin climate accord. US has reduced Co2 more than countries still in climate accord and have done with nat gas, fracking. Steering toward stronger and better environment. On fires, need forest management.
Debate: VP Pence ignores time limit, no more hurricanes than used to be. Sen Harris says re Green New Deal, won’t ban fracking. Biden thinks growing jobs important and no tax increase for those under $400K/yr. To create more jobs than Trump, many in clean energy.
Debate: Sen Harris says Trump took words “climate change” and “science” off their Web site. Trump says “science doesn’t know.” Biden would lead on “existential threat” from climate change.
Debate: VP Pence, asked if climate change existential threat, repeats “will follow the science.” Switches back to saying Biden would raises taxes. Should look at record, Harris was sponsor of Green New Deal with AOC.
Debate: VP Pence says don’t need massive Green New Deal with mandates. To cost jobs. Again ignores time limit. Harris responds, Trump “lost” trade war with China, lost 300,000 mfg jobs. Estimates by end of term Trump will have lost more jobs than any admin.
Debate: VP Pence says Biden never fought trade war with China; Obama lost 200K mfg jobs while Trump created 500K mfg jobs. Ignores moderator cutoff. Harris says Pence voted against Obama auto industry save.
Debate: Next topic, relationship with China. VP Pence goes to previous Q, says NAFTA cost thousands of jobs. Trump renegotiated NAFTA. Harris voted against USMCA. Says “radical environmental agenda” got in way of saving jobs.
Debate: VP Pence says, “China is to blame for the corona virus.” China and WHO “did not play straight” on virus info. Biden was “cheerleader” for China. Biden opposed blocking China entrants. Ignores moderator cutoff.
Debate: Sen Harris, re China, Trump admin approach has cost jobs, standing in the world. Has “weird obsession” Trump has with getting rid of Obama/Biden accomplishments. Got rid of pandemic monitors.
Debate: Sen Harris says Trump “pulled out” pandemic observers from China. Caused manufacturing recession because of “failed war” with China. Analysis showed leaders of former allies respect China’s Xi more than Trump.
Debate: Next topic, US leadership role. Sen Harris says fgn policy depends on relationships, “being loyal to your friends.” Trump “has betrayed our friends and embraced dictators around the world.”
Debate: Sen Harris says serve on Intelligence Committee, says experts have said Russia trying to interfere in election, Trump ignores. Walked away from allies. Canceled Iran anti-nuke deal and now US less safe.
Debate: VP Pence says Amy Coney Barrett is brilliant. Hope is she gets fair hearing without attacks on “her Christian faith.” Ignores q re Roe v Wade. Harris attacked Knights of Columbus.
Debate: Back to Roe v Wade, Sen Harris says insulting to suggest would “knock anyone for their faith.” Biden Catholic. With election so close, should let next president choose for SCOTUS. Would respect woman’s right to determine what’s best for her own body.
Debate: Sen Harris switches to ACA, Trump wants to kill, end protection for preexisting conditions. VP Pence, re effort to strike down ACA, switches to being proud of protecting “sanctity of human life.” Wouldn’t presume how Barrett would rule on Roe.
Debate: VP Pence asks if Biden would “pack the Supreme Court.” Sen Harris responds, in 1864 Abraham Lincoln up for reelection and when SCOTUS seat became open, did not nominate for high court. Pence keeps asking, would pack court?
Debate: Sen Harris says Trump “doesn’t understand what it means to be honest” with allies. VP Pence says moved capital to Jerusalem, contributing more to defense than ever before, strengthened relationships in Asia.
Debate: VP Pence says Trump destroyed ISIS caliphate. Says parent of ISIS victim in audience while two ISIS “Beatles” indicted today. Obama/Biden hesitated in rescuing Kayla Mueller. Trump killed Soleimani.
Debate: Sen Harris sorry Kayla Mueller was killed. After Soleimani the counterattack caused brain injuries to US troops. Trump called military suckers and losers, asked at military graves, “What’s in it for them.” Criticized McCain.
Debate: Sen Harris continues, Trump has ignored Russia bounties on lives of US troops, didn’t bring up with Putin. Biden “would never do that.” Pence responds, accounts of what said re military “absurd.” “Reveres” military. Moderator cuts off, admonishes Pence.
Debate: Next topic, Surpreme Court. VP Pence returns to previous Q. Says Soleimani responsible for many US deaths. Biden criticized taking out Soleimani. Biden opposed raise on Osama bin Laden.
Debate: VP Pence interjects, Biden would pack the Supreme Court. Harris responds, sits on Judicary Committee, has witnessed “purely ideological” judgeship choices of Trump, and of 50 Trump picks for appeals court, not one black.
Debate: Next topic, Breonna Taylor killing, doesn’t think justice done. In Floyd killing, “tortured and killed” and people of every race “marched should to shoulder” in behalf of equal justice. Never condone violence but must fight for values.
Debate: Sen Harris says “bad cops are bad for good cops.” Would get rid of private prisons, cash bail. VP Pence says re Taylor, “Heart breaks for loss of any innocent life” but “trust our justice system” and trusts grand jury.
Debate: VP Pence no excuse for Floyd killing but no excuse for “violence and rioting.” Salon owner who lost business is in audience. Biden/Harris wrong that American is inherently racist.
Debate: VP Harris says Harris “walked out of the room” with Sen Scott offered police reform bill. Ignores moderator cutoff. Sen Harris, “will not sit here and be lectured” on law enforcement. Only one “on this stage” who prosecuted lawbreakers.
Debate: Sen Harris says Trump didn’t condemn white supremacists, others. VP Pence omitted Trump condemned KKK, white supremacists. Re backing neo Nazis, Trump has Jewish grandchildren. Harris overprosecuted drug offenses.
Debate: VP Pence continues to ignore moderator. Harris responds agenda includes what Trump fails to do, banning chokeholds. Moderator attempts to cut off. Harris says was first to require police body cameras. Did police reform and ready to do more.
Debate: Final topic, peaceful transition. Sen Harris says she and Biden proud of broad coalition have built, with independents and Republicans, 500 generals, nat’l security experts. Addresses camera, “vote” and can decide ‘course of country.” Trump suppresses vote.
Debate: VP Pence, asked re transition of power, says “think will win this election.” Every confidence Trump to win. Re transition, Dems spent 3 1/2 yrs trying to overturn election. Cites Hillary campaign docs, no collusion, impeachment.
Debate: VP Pence says Trump admin fighting in state courthouses vs mail-in voting. Doesn’t address question whether to back any peaceful transfer of power. Moderator reads question from student re bringing Americans together.
Debate: VP Pence says of bringing people together, Americans celebrate free debate. So should not assume divisiveness on TV is valid. When debate over, “We come together” in the end.
Debate: Sen Harris says love to hear student’s question, sign of leadership. Biden was troubled “there was that kind of hate and division.” Biden running because of what’s happened in Trump admin. Biden wants to “lift people up.”
Debate: Sen Harris says “do believe the future is bright.” Voting can determine what future leadership looks like. Debate ends.
Debate aftermath: One market participant who watched closely saw a small stocks after-hours pop when Sen. Kamala Harris was dodging the China question and a small dip when Vice President Mike Pence was dodging the question on a peaceful transfer of power.
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