Contentious, but civil: VP debate offers sharp contrast

(NBC News) Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris wasted little time tackling some of the most pressing issues facing Americans during Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate, among them COVID-19, the economy, racial injustice and climate change.

The debate was fast-paced, and at times contentious, but civil, offering a sharp contrast from the earlier debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

COVID-19 dominated the early discussion.

“They knew, and they covered it up. The president said it was a hoax. They minimized the seriousness of it,” Senator Harris charged.

Vice President Pence defended the administration’s handling of the pandemic.

“There were millions of supplies so our doctors and nurses had the support they needed,” he said. “And we began before the month of February to start to develop a vaccine”