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Tim Kaine, Mike Pence and the Vice Presidential Debate That Won’t Really Matter

By U.S. News & World Report

The 2008 vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin was one of the most anticipated political events in history — and both campaigns were uneasy about a race-altering mishap in a contest featuring a pair of outsize personalities.

For Barack Obama’s team, the concern was that the gregarious Biden would easily run down a rabbit hole, needlessly overreaching to counter a confusing Palin pronouncement.

For John McCain’s lieutenants, the fear was Palin would make a mind-numbing mistake that would be seen as disqualifying her from sitting a heartbeat away from the presidency.

The nail-biting was for naught. Both did fine, avoided gaffes and made their respective cases for the top of the ticket. A record 70 million people tuned in to make it the most-watched vice presidential debate in history, even though its real impact was meager.

In fact, Gallup found that “none of the eight vice presidential debates occurring from 1976 to 2008 appears to have meaningfully altered voter preferences.”

On Tuesday night at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, two skilled, seasoned and affable politicians with competent but relatively bland profiles will debate for 90 minutes in 2016’s sole vice presidential face-off.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic senator from Virginia, is no Joe Biden, and Mike Pence, the Republican governor of Indiana, is no Sarah Palin. So the usual pre-debate hype has been markedly subdued.

While the first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was billed as a “clash of the century”, the Kaine-Pence quarrel might be anticipated as the underwhelming undercard.

Still, campaign veterans note that even if the running mates’ remarks won’t move the needle much, they’re required to prepare like they will. For a handful of hours in the 34 days remaining in this election, Kaine and Pence will be at the center of attention, and perhaps, in certain areas, they’ll be able to lob attacks and launch defenses more effectively than their ticketmates.

Given the excruciating last week Trump has had — one that’s included a shoddy debate performance, his spiteful retorts regarding a former Miss Universe contestant, the disclosure that he may not have paid federal income taxes for roughly two decades, and a new report that claims he made lewd remarks in front of staffers and contestants on his hit television show “The Apprentice” — Pence will need to provide a sturdy defense.

Having taken a hit in national and battleground state polls, Team Trump needs desperately to win a day. And it may take Trump’s sidekick to do it.

“Gov. Pence is an effective public communicator, having served successfully in Congress and having hosted a syndicated radio program for years prior. He’s very practiced and comfortable at this. There’s a very good chance Gov. Pence will perform well,” says Kevin Kellems, an Indiana-based GOP operative who has known Pence for more than two decades.

Kaine, who much like Clinton is known as a policy wonk, spent last Thursday through Saturday hunkered down in Raleigh, North Carolina, in debate preparations with Washington lawyer Bob Barnett, who played the role of Pence.

Like Pence, Kaine has debated frequently throughout a political career that’s featured runs for lieutenant governor, governor and U.S. senator. But an aide says he’s studiously aware that Tuesday night’s task will not be about him.

[READ: Former Bush DHS Chief Michael Chertoff Endorses Hillary Clinton]

“This is a different kind of debate,” says the aide, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about his candidate’s preparations. “You’re talking about your running mate, whereas previously it’s been about you and your record.”

As Kaine continued debate preparation in Virginia on Monday, his aides framed the task at hand as placing Pence on defense over Trump’s litany of controversies. The Indiana governor has been a loyal Trump surrogate on the trail, ably deflecting sensitive inquiries and gracefully pivoting to turn the focus on Clinton.

Kaine appears ready to test that resiliency.

“It really is more about Donald Trump than it is about Gov. Pence,” Kaine told reporters on his campaign plane recently.

For instance, while Pence has released his tax returns for public review, Trump has remained stubbornly resistant to doing so, and likely will only dig in further given the recent New York Times expose on his 1995 tax records.

“How much does he defend Donald Trump given his own political aspirations? How does he navigate that?” the Kaine aide asks.

Pence also has undergone mock debate sessions, with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker playing the part of Kaine.

“Each time he finished with Gov. Walker, he was thankful he did not have to debate Gov. Walker on national television,” Pence spokesman Marc Lotter says.

But like Trump, Pence has taken little time off the trail for prep, even holding a nighttime rally in Ashland, Virginia, on Monday.

In addition to making an affirmative case for Trump, Pence’s prime objective will be to undercut Clinton.

“He’s also going to make the case Hillary Clinton represents the failed policies of the status quo, which has weakened America on the world stage and led to the rise of radical Islamic terrorism,” Lotter says.

Pence and Kaine did not serve together in Congress, and their only known prior interaction was when Pence placed a congratulatory call to Kaine after Clinton selected him as his running mate.

It would be surprising if their encounter devolved into a mean-spirited affair beyond the normal political slights, though the Republican National Committee has released a video detailing Kaine’s work as an attorney defending criminals accused of crimes like rape and murder.

How much of the 90 minutes delves into the records of Kaine and Pence will be up to the moderator, CBS News’ Elaine Quijano, the first Asian-American to perform such a role on the national stage.

But both sides are viewing this as a super surrogate opportunity to promote and defend their preferred commander-in-chief.

And not long after the lights go down in Farmville, the glare will swiftly reposition, and the cable news countdown clocks will quickly reset.

The second presidential debate is only five days away.

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Tim Kaine, Mike Pence and the Vice Presidential Debate That Won’t Really Matter originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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