*If you tuned in for Wednesday night’s debate you probably noticed that it differed greatly in comparison to last week’s unprofessional and chaotic first Presidential Debate. On October 7, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence, two individuals largely different in personality from their respective running mates, went head to head for their one and only Vice-Presidential Debate.
Throughout the night both candidates attempted to defend their own positions, while attacking the other’s. Several memorable statements were made. One of which stood out the most to me, and not for positive reasons. It came from Vice President Pence, who made the assertion that Senator Harris needs to “Stop playing politics with people’s lives.” A comment that came in response to Senator Harris’ refusal to take a vaccine endorsed by President Trump after being posed the question, “If the Trump Administration approves a vaccine either before or after the election, should Americans take it and would you take it?” by moderator Susan Page.
Senator Harris responded saying, “If Dr. Fauci, if the doctors tell us we should take it, I’ll be the first in line to take it, absolutely. If Donald Trump tells us we should take it, I’m not taking it.”
Her answer seemingly struck a chord with the Vice President, as he strongly tried to admonish her for “playing” politics with the lives of citizens. This was just one of the many ironic and hypocritical statements the Vice President made during the debate. But, for time purposes I’m just going to focus on this one.
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It was both amusing and sickening to watch as the Vice President attempted to portray the Trump Administration’s handling of the Coronavirus as proactive and timely. This is the same administration whose head official refuses to wear a mask because he thinks it symbolizes weakness despite recommendations from the CDC and the nation’s top health experts, who say wearing one significantly lowers the infection rate. Playing politics with American lives is exactly what the Trump Administration has been doing since day 1 of the virus. The Vice President should be ashamed of himself for even accusing Senator Harris of this when he is guilty of this.
When asked by Susan Page, “How can you expect Americans to follow the administration’s safety guidelines to protect themselves from Covid when you at the White House have not been doing so?” The VP gave a lackluster answer saying, “President Trump and I trust the American people to make choices in the best interest of their health… and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris consistently talk about mandates and not just mandates with the Coronavirus, but the government takeover of healthcare…were about freedom and respecting the freedom of the American people.”
If this answer is not “playing politics,” I don’t know what is. The Vice President clearly uses politics to try to draw a distinction between Democrats and Republicans in regards to their handling of the Coronavirus. In essence, he painted Democrats as a group of power-hungry extremists purposely using the virus as a tool to suppress the civil liberties of the American people, while favorably characterizing Republicans as the guardians of truth, justice, and the American way. Congratulations, if you guessed that’s a quote from Superman. Coronavirus should not be a topic of political contention and division, it’s a disease and its killing people regardless of political affiliation.
If the Vice President (and President) want to truly serve the American people, then they should start by stopping what they accuse their opponents of doing, Playing Politics with American Lives!
The 2020 Vice Presidential debate between VP Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris gave Americans a lot to think about: coronavirus, civil rights, the Court and in essence, all things the Trump Administration does not have a good track record on. If we were left with two questions at the end of Wednesday night’s discussion, they would be: “Who do we want to be and how do we want history to remember us?”
I don’t know who you’ll be voting for this coming November, but I know who I am. America deserves a better leader, one who takes responsibility for their actions and is understanding of the trials and tribulations some people face more so than others. So, this coming November I implore you to not only vote, but to vote with your conscious because the soul and future of our Nation depends on it.
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David Anthony is a new graduate of Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government. A self-designated history buff and random fact finder, David could rattle your ear for hours with information. Born and raised in the City of Angels he is a huge fan of the city’s culture and hometown NBA team, the L.A. Clippers. A future attorney, businessman, and civil servant, he hopes to be an impactful individual in life. Contact David: [email protected]
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