Kamala Harris And Mike Pence Debated In Salt Lake City

I was able to see Kamala

It was quite an event

The one debate to be held between the Vice Presidential candidates has been completed at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. It was interesting that the debate would be held in such a red state as Utah. The site was chosen about a year ago. Utah is said to be one of the few states that has a state debate commission, which was a factor in its selection. The debate was a major highlight for the state to be able to host an event of such worldwide significance.

Being a resident of Salt Lake City, I have watched with interest as preparations for the debate took place. Kamala Harris was in Utah for almost a week while preparing for the debate. She kept a low profile but was shown on the news visiting some of Utah’s historic sites.

Harris wrote a piece for a local newspaper about her faith. Pence also wrote something. The articles can be accessed on the Internet by looking up The Deseret News.

Mike Pence and his family arrived in Utah on Monday night on Air Force 2 ahead of the Wednesday night debate. It was exciting for the people in the area where I live when his entourage came by the next day. The Pence Family apparently went for a hike up a nearby peak close to our home. With possibly over fifty police (motorcycles and cars), close to a dozen black SUVs, and two ambulances, it was quite a site. Some neighbors were holding their Biden/Harris signs as the motorcade drove down the street.

The crowd at Kingsbury Hall where the debate took place was limited due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sixty University of Utah students were chosen to attend along with some dignitaries, family members, and a small number of invited guests.

I am on several Biden campaign groups, but I did not attend the debate in person. However, I did have the privilege of seeing Kamala at the airport as she was leaving Salt Lake City in the morning after the debate. I had known her from when I worked in Washington, D.C. for an Asian American nonprofit organization when she became a Senator from California. Our organization worked closely with Asian American members of Congress.

Several Democratic leaders, including a city mayor, a county mayor, and members of the Utah House of Representatives, were also there to meet her.

A street close to the University of Utah had been designated as the place where demonstrators could congregate. People were out in force with their Biden/Harris and Trump/Pence signs to show their support. Although Utah is a very Republican state, there are a lot of Biden/Harris supporters as well (both Democrat and Republican).

Although the tiny fly which landed on Pence’s white hair became the main news topic after the debate was finished, there were some other take-aways from the debate. The candidates dodged or skirted around issues which were undesirable to discuss. They were mostly respectful of each other although it was evident that Pence wanted to interrupt Harris repeatedly. The debate was much more orderly than the Presidential debate a week earlier between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

There have been racist and sexist comments from Republicans regarding Harris, but Pence complimented her on her candidacy.

In responding to the last question by a junior high school student from Springville, Utah, Pence said that people could debate and then be friends afterward. That used to be the case in politics. It does not seem to be that way now.

Trump continued with his derogatory tweets toward Harris after the debate. Pence at least does not appear to be a terrible bully like Trump. Biden had some tweets of his own, mostly about the fly.

This is an important election. BE SURE TO VOTE!!!

[Sources: KSL TV, CNN, The Deseret News, USA Today]