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We’re fact-checking the vice presidential debate

Lone showdown between Pence & Harris airs at 9 p.m. EST

Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence will square off in a debate Wednesday night in Salt Lake City. (Getty Images)

We’re fact-checking Wednesday’s vice presidential debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris as they square off in Salt Lake City for their lone showdown before the November election.

LIVE COVERAGE: Pence & Harris meet for 2020 vice presidential debate

Typically, vice presidential debates aren’t a big draw. But the stakes are higher this time.

Here’s why: President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalized following the Sept. 29 presidential debate. No scheduling changes have been announced for the remaining debates, but former Vice President Joe Biden says the pair shouldn’t debate while his opponent is positive.

In other words, we don’t know when we’ll get another debate, so this one carries more weight.


What to know

Members of the production crew work on the stage near plexiglass barriers which will serve as a way to protect the spread of COVID-19 as preparations take place for the vice presidential debate at the University of Utah, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

How can I watch the debate?

The vice presidential debate, which is set to air Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 p.m. EST, will be televised by Channel 4 and streamed live on News4Jax.com, along with real-time analysis.

Where is the debate being held?

The University of Utah in Salt Lake City is playing host to this debate.

Who’s moderating the debate?

Susan Page, the Washington bureau chief for USA Today, will moderate. Unlike Chris Wallace, who released a list of topics a week before the first presidential debate, Page has not said which issues will come up.

What’s the debate format?

The debate will be broken into nine segments lasting roughly 10 minutes. These segments will feature a question and two minutes for each candidate to weigh in. Leftover time will be used for more discussion.


Fact-checking the debate

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As part of our commitment to keeping your informed heading into the election, News4Jax is fact-checking the claims and statements made by the vice presidential candidates during their debate.

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Anchor Tarik Minor and reporter Joe McLean will live-tweet these fact checks and then go into more depth using a blend of credible sources and expert analysis. To shore up their efforts, the News4Jax digital team will monitor for additional claims that deserve a closer look.

WEIGH IN: What should we fact-check from the vice presidential debate?

Full disclosure: we have no way of knowing how many questionable statements will be made during the debate, so we can’t promise we’ll get to all of them. But if you hear something we should check out, let us know. We’ll do our best to find out the answers and report back.


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