Biden, Harris, Pence travel to Arizona after vice presidential debate; Trump returns to Oval Office
The running mates of Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden squared off on issues including the pandemic, China trade, taxes and health care for 90 minutes at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris faced off in Utah on Tuesday in a debate that took on heightened importance in the wake of President Trump's coronavirus diagnosis.
The running mates of Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden squared off on issues including the pandemic, China trade, taxes and health care for 90 minutes at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City in the first and only vice presidential debate, with less than one month to go until the November election.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The showdown between Pence and Harris -- who share tickets with two of the oldest men to run for president -- came less than one week after Trump announced he had tested positive for COVID-19, placing extra scrutiny on their roles as the president's potential successor.
Here's what you need to know about the presidential campaigns and how they'll be spending their time on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, just 26 days away from the election.
President Trump:
After a three-day stint at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to undergo treatment for COVID-19, Trump left Monday evening for the White House, where he will continue to be treated for the virus and be closely monitored by a team of physicians.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: PENCE RAISES BIDEN PLAGIARISM SCANDAL IN DEFENDING CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE
On Wednesday, the president -- still infected with COVID-19 -- returned to the Oval Office, disregarding self-isolation rules from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a video posted to Twitter, Trump called contracting the virus a "blessing from God" and said the unapproved drug that he received was a "cure."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it,” Trump said in the nearly five-minute video.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden:
The former vice president is traveling to Arizona on Thursday for his first joint campaign stop with Harris as the race heats up in the battleground state.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Democratic ticket will meet with Native American tribal leaders in Phoenix before departing for a "Soul of the Nation" bus tour. Harris and Biden will meet with voters and small-business owners in Tempe and Phoenix.
According to an aggregate of polls by RealClearPolitics, Biden is leading Trump by a little more than 3 percentage points in the state.
Vice President Mike Pence:
The vice president and second lady Karen Pence are headed to Peoria, Ariz., where Pence will fill in for the president at a Make America Great Again rally.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: KAMALA HARRIS CLAIMS SHE WON'T TAKE VACCINE IF TRUMP RECOMMENDS
The event is slated to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET, according to an announcement Saturday by the Trump campaign.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris:
Harris will be in Arizona on Thursday with Biden. Early voting in the state began on Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: KAMALA HARRIS CLAIMS SHE WON'T TAKE VACCINE IF TRUMP RECOMMENDS