Here are five questions that Tuesday’s debate moderator, Elaine Quijano of CBS News, should ask Tim Kaine and Mike Pence.
Disagreement
“Name one issue where you disagree with your running mate.”
No two people agree on every single political issue. It would be extremely disappointing if Kaine and Pence can’t give a direct answer to this question. They should also be able to explain why that disagreement won’t affect their working relationship.
This should especially be an easy question for Pence to answer since he endorsed Ted Cruz in the Republican primary. If he doesn’t give a direct answer or claims him and Trump agree on everything, Quijano should follow up with that fact.
Besides, should the worst happen to their running mate, the public deserves to know how they’d be different as president.
Police Shootings
“Do Black Lives Matter, or do All Lives Matter?”
Although the question itself is probably overly-simplistic, it’s a question that Americans want to hear the answer to.
Of course, this is a complex issue with which Kaine and Pence deserve plenty of time to explain their nuances. They can probably draw from their long political careers examples of policies that helped African Americans specifically and all of their constituents generally.
Compromise
“Please name one position you would be willing to compromise on in order to get something greater done.”
Republicans are likely to maintain control of the House of Representatives. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan doesn’t agree with either candidate on everything.
Regardless of who wins, the vice president may end up as the president’s main liaison to Congress. Kaine serves in the Senate now and has built up relationships for four years. Pence hasn’t served in Congress since 2012, but he did serve for more than a decade and was the chair of the House Republican Conference for part of that time.
It would be interesting to ask the candidates such a direct question. If they dance around it and can’t give a direct answer, voters will be disappointed.
Kaine
“Sen. Kaine, you support Roe v. Wade on abortion. You also say you are a devoted Catholic. Many say that position on abortion is contrary to Catholic teaching. How do you respond?”
When Kaine was rumored to be on Clinton’s vice presidential shortlist, many dismissed him because he was seen as too pro-life. In the past, Kaine said he has a “faith-based opposition” to abortion and would try to reduce the number of abortions.
But those personal views are apparently at odds with his voting record in the Senate, which NARAL Pro-Choice America says is “100 percent pro-choice.” The president of Planned Parenthood called Kaine an ally in the Senate.
It would be interesting to hear Kaine attempt to reconcile those views in the debate.
Pence
“Gov. Pence, there was a big controversy over religious liberty and discrimination against gays in your state in 2015. Do you have any regrets over how you handled that controversy, signing the bill into law and then changing it under public pressure?”
This is the part of Pence’s record that is most well-known nationwide, yet it’s hardly been part of the campaign debate. A year and a half later, the public should know how Pence views the most controversial part of his gubernatorial record.
If Pence is smart, he’d use this question to go on the offensive against Clinton. Her husband, after all, signed the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law in 1993 and instituted Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the military.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
