The two nominees were significantly more cordial than Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden were to each other in their first presidential debate, though they clashed several times throughout the night when Pence spoke over Harris. “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking. I’m speaking,” Harris said at one point during a discussion on taxes. Pence then shot back: “It’d be important if you said the truth.”
During a spirited opening, Harris and Pence sparred over how the Trump administration has performed during the pandemic. Pointing to a national death toll from the virus that's surpassed 210,000 -- with more than 7.5 million confirmed cases -- the Democratic senator from California charged that "the American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country."
VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: PENCE RAISES BIDEN PLAGIARISM SCANDAL IN DEFENDING CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE
Over the past seven months, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has repeatedly criticized the president -- charging Trump initially downplayed the severity of the outbreak -- and claiming he botched the federal government’s response.
Harris, a former California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney, led the prosecution of Biden's case at her showdown with Pence in Salt Lake City, Utah.