Vice presidential candidates in the United States election, Republican Mike Pence and Democratic rival Tim Kaine clashed during a debate at Longwood University in Farmville, Virgina.

The debate was anchored by CBS reporter, Elaine Quijano who was saddled with the arduous task of calming the frayed nerves of both men.

The debate started with Indiana governor, Pence, calling ‘Longwood University’ ‘Norwood’ in a gaffe.

However, Governor Pence was the more assured candidate as he repeatedly turned to the camera when answering questions, making clear he understood that the real audience wasn’t in the room but watching on TV.

Senator Kaine accused Pence and Donald Trump of running an insult-driven campaign, to which Pence replied, “Senator, you and Hillary Clinton would know a lot about an insult-driven campaign.”

On the economy

Senator Kaine said, “Do you want a ‘you are hired’ president in Hillary Clinton or do you want a ‘you are fired’ president in Donald Trump?

On Donald Trump’s income taxes

Governor Pence said, “He (Trump) was facing pretty tough times twenty years ago. But like virtually every other business including the New York Times not too long ago, he used what’s called Net Operating Laws. We have a tax code Senator, that actualy is designed to encourage entrepreneurship in this country.”

Senator Kaine replied, “But why won’t he release his taxes?

“And when Hillary said, you haven’t been paying taxes, he (Trump) said ‘that makes me smart’.

“So it’s smart not to pay for our military, it’s smart not to pay for our veterans,” he queried.

On Policing

Senator Kaine said, “The way you make communities safer, and the way you make police safer, is through community policing.”

Governor Pence agreed with Kaine’s thought on community policing, saying it’s a good idea.

On Vladmir Putin and Russia

Senator Kaine asked, “When Donald Trump is sitting down with Vladmir Putin, is it going to be America’s bottom-line, or is it going to be Donald Trump’s bottom-line?”

Governor Pence said, “When Donald Trump and I observe, like I said in Syria, in Iran, in Ukraine that the small and bullying leader of Russia has been stronger on the world stage than this administration, that’s stating painful facts, that’s not an endorsement of Vladmir Putin.”

On Trump’s tone

Senator Kaine said, “When Donald Trump says ‘women should be punished’ or ‘Mexicans are rapists and criminals’ or ‘John McCain is not a hero’, he is showing you who he is.”

Governor Pence replied, “Senator you’ve whipped out that Mexican thing again.

“He’s not a polished politician like you and Hillary Clinton.”

On Abortion

Senator Kaine said, “We really feel that you should live fully and truly to the commands of your faith. But it is not the role of the public servant to mandate that for everybody else.”

Governor Pence, said “For me, my faith informs my life. I try and spend some little time on my knees everyday. But it all for me begins with cherishing the dignity, the worth, the value of every human life.”

Senator Kaine countered, “Why doesn’t Donald Trump trust women to make this choice for themselves.”

On Syrian refugees

Governor Pence said, “Donald Trump and I are committed to spending the Syrian refugee programmes and programmes on immigration from areas of the world that have been compromised by terrorism.

Senator Kaine said, “We won’t vet refugees based on whether they are dangerous or not. We won’t do it based on discriminating against you from the country you come from or the religion.”

On Clinton Foundation

Governor Pence said, “While she (Hillary Clinton) was Secretary of State, the Clinton Foundation accepted tens of millions of dollars from foreign governments.”

Senator Kaine said, “The State Department did an investigation and they concluded that everything Hillary Clinton did as Secretary of State was completely in the interest of the United States.”

On uniting the country

Senator Kaine said, “Donald Trump is running a campaign that has been about one insult or the next. We do have to bring the country together.”

Governor Pence said, “I think the best way that we can bring people together is through change in Washington D.C.”