Pundits Give Pence Edge In VP Debate
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Political Pundits AB Stoddard, from The Hill, and John Hayward, from Breitbart, reviewed last night's vice-presidential debate, indicating that Mike Pence emerged as the clear winner over Tim Kaine but dismissive of the idea that the event will swing any voters.
Stoddard told Chris Stigall on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT that she thinks Pence came out ahead at the end of the night, but that Kaine effectively influenced the direction of the campaign narrative moving forward.
"Obviously, Mike Pence was smooth as silk and Kaine was nervous and twitching and interrupting and pretty bad. But, by the end, Tim Kaine rescued himself to make sure that the conversation after the debate was about the fact that he said I've asked the Governor six times to defend Donald Trump and he won't. It became a Mike Pence is running for President thing."
Hayward agreed, telling Stigall that both sides can declare they've accomplished their missions, but that Pence was victorious.
"Even in the spin rooms, the Democrats weren't even really trying to claim that Kaine won the debate. It was pretty bad for him. I think going in to the spin session, both sides probably felt like their guy did what they sent them in there to do. Kaine was clearly sent there to be an attack dog and just shriek attacks at Trump all night and try to drive his negatives up and Pence was there to be calm and steady and reassuring."
His main takeaway from the evening was Kaine's performance.
"Kaine came off as the most unlikeable guy. Who would've thought he could make himself less likable than Hillary freakin' Cinton, the most repellent candidate that I think has been running decades and Tim Kaine is actually more annoying and shrill than she is. That's the take away from people watching the debate. What an unlikable guy he is."
Ultimately, Stoddard believes the VP debate will do little to move voters and that how Donald Trump manages his emotions on the campaign trail for the rest of the race will be the primary influencer on election night.
"He's 70 years old and he hasn't reigned it in for a year and a half on the campaign trail. Why do we think, as President, if he has a bad day, he won't pull his pants down or do something to try to create a news story to cover up the story that just came out, which is what he did on Saturday night, when the tax story came out. He started talking about her cheating on Bill and mimicking her falling into the street. I don't know that he's going to change his tricks. Really in the end, we're looking at a four week discussion about his temperament. It has nothing to with his taxes or Mike Pence. It's all about whether Donald Trump can keep it together in the situation room. That's what this election is going to swing on."