SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, October 9, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The extreme differences between Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris were on display during October 7’s vice presidential debate (read the full transcript here).
Moderator Susan Page asked both candidates what they would like to see done in each of their home states if Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed to the Supreme Court and Roe v. Wade is overturned. Pence said that he hoped that during Barrett’s confirmation hearing, there would not be any bias against her because of her faith (Barrett is Catholic).
Harris countered by saying that “Joe Biden and I are both people of faith, and it’s insulting to suggest that we would knock anyone for their faith.” She added, “I will always fight for a woman’s right to make a decision about her own body.” Harris, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will question Barrett during her Supreme Court confirmation hearing next week.
In response, Pence affirmed his pro-life position.
“I couldn’t be more proud to serve as vice president to a president who stands without apology for the sanctity of human life. I’m pro-life. I don’t apologize for it, and this is another one of those cases where there’s such a dramatic contrast.”
Pence went on to point out that Biden and Harris support taxpayer funding for all abortions up until birth including late-term abortions, as well as more funding for Planned Parenthood.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris support taxpayer funding of abortion all the way up to the moment of birth. Late-term abortion. They want to increase funding to Planned Parenthood of America,” he said.
Page’s final question was written by Utah eighth-grader Brecklin Brown who commented that when he watches the news, all he sees is “arguing between Democrats and Republicans…citizen fighting against citizen…two candidates from opposing parties trying to tear each other down.” Brecklin asked, “If our leaders can’t get along, how are the citizens supposed to get along?”
Pence answered by saying that “we’ve created literally the freest and most prosperous nation in the history of the world,” and not to “assume that what you’re seeing on your local news networks is synonymous with the American people.”
He also talked about the friendship between the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and the late Justice Antonin Scalia who were complete opposites on the political spectrum. He added that he wants to work to have a “government as good as our people,” who “love a good argument,” but who “are always there for one another in times of need.”
Harris answered by saying that what Brown described in her question was what has been happening in our country for the past four years, and that Biden was motivated to do something about it. Harris added that Biden “has a longstanding reputation of working across the aisle,” and “a history of lifting people up and fighting for their dignity.”