Debate Live Blog #4

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10:08 PM: A lot of this is very messy. But I think Kaine is landing bigger blows on Trump. When it comes to talking about standard conservative policy talk, Pence is holding his own, maybe even better than that. But Kaine is getting the key hits on Trump out in front of the audience more or less unrebutted. Not sure whether it’s intentional or not, but Pence seems to be angling more for 2020 than 2016.

10:04 PM: Being Russia hawks has worked with the GOP base and some wing voters in the past. But I’m not sure Pence’s argument here can really survive contact with all that Trump has said about Russia. These things just don’t fit together.

9:58 PM: “Broad shouldered American leadership.”

9:57 PM: Some serious moderator verbal slapping around here.

9:55 PM: I’m sure the intelligence “surge” is much awesomer than whatever nonsense Trump is proposing. But God, can we stop with everything being a “surge.”

9:53 PM: Pence just said it was “false” that Trump proposed a Muslim ban.

9:51 PM: Moderator doesn’t mention that Trump has actually not renounced his ban on all Muslims. That would be appropriate to mention.

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