Great Lakes Wire

Following the second debate of the 2020 election season, in which Vice President Mike Pence faced off with challenger California Sen. Kamala Harris, the much more even-tempered discussion left many opinions circulating about who came out on top.

Aaron Kall, University of Michigan director of debate, recently appeared on WJR’s "The Paul W. Smith Show" to discuss his take on why he feels Pence came into the debate with an advantage over Harris, despite her experience both in debates and as a prosecutor.

Coming after the widely panned debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, Kall told Smith that he shared the common expectation that the Pence-Harris debate would provide more substance and relevant commentary.

Aaron Kall, director of debate | University of Michigan

Harris came into the debate with some experience handling herself well under pressure, though her performances during the Democratic primary debates were mixed, according to Kall.

At the same time, Pence entered into the debate needing to “move the needle,” Kall told Smith. “Maybe change the overall conversation of the race and what’s happening now.”

Kall said he felt the best approach for Pence was to go on the offensive and take on Harris’ record, rather than trying to attack Biden through Harris.

“She has a more liberal Senate voting record, and kind of attaching her to the left wing of the Democratic Party -- the socialist wing that a lot of the advertisements talk about, would be easier to do, given her background,” Kall told Smith.

Kall said that Pence performed well as a debater in 2016 against Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, coming in as the underdog, yet winning that debate.

“He did deliver some aggressive lines -- with a smile,” Kall said of the 2016 debate.

At the same time, Kall said that there was no clear sense going into the debate that either Pence or Harris was the underdog, though Harris’ experience as a prosecutor and her performance in the primary debates should have given her an edge.