Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Plexiglass To Play A Role In Wednesday's Pence-Harris Debate
The Washington Post: Pence-Harris Debate To Feature Plexiglass Barriers
The vice-presidential debate set for Wednesday will feature plexiglass barriers between Vice President Pence (R), Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) and the moderator, organizers said Monday, amid a growing dispute over whether in-person debates should be held at all. The Commission on Presidential Debates agreed to the request from the Biden campaign. The Trump team did not object, though “they didn’t want the vice president surrounded by plexiglass,” said commission co-chairman Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. “They don’t want to have him in what looks like a box.” Top Pence advisers said late Monday they did not support plexiglass for their candidate and that discussions were ongoing. (Janes, Dawsey and Viser, 10/5)
Reuters: U.S. Vice Presidential Debate To Include Plexiglass Barrier After White House Outbreak
In a statement, Pence’s spokeswoman, Katie Miller, said: “If Senator Harris wants to use a fortress around herself, have at it.” In response, Sabrina Singh, a spokeswoman for Harris, wrote on Twitter: “Interesting that @VPComDir Katie Miller mocks our wanting a plexiglass barrier on the debate stage, when her own boss is supposedly in charge of the COVID-19 task force and should be advocating for this too.” Miller herself had COVID-19 in the spring. (Ax and Hunnicutt, 10/5)
Politico: The Logistics Of A Pandemic Vice Presidential Debate
Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris are set to face off Wednesday in their first and only debate. But as coronavirus cases balloon inside President Donald Trump's circles, debate planners are on extra alert to prevent the spread of the disease. The socially distanced debate will be held at Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Here's what to expect. (Choi, 10/5)
The Guardian: Mike Pence V Kamala Harris: Trump's Health Raises Stakes Of Vice-Presidential Debate
It is always about who will be a heartbeat away from the presidency. But this time, that applies more than ever. The incumbent, Mike Pence, and the California senator Kamala Harris are set to take part in a vice-presidential debate in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Wednesday with both under pressure to show their readiness to step up to the top job. (Smith, 10/6)
