2020 Presidential Debates: Vice Presidential Debates Grow In Importance As Trump's Health Is In Question

The vice presidential debates historically haven’t attracted much fanfare but that changes Wednesday when Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., face off amid questions about President Donald Trump's health.

The president revealed he tested positive for COVID-19, and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Friday Trump is exhibiting "minor symptoms." At the age of 74 and his weight, Trump is in a high-risk category.

With the president's health in question, there is mounting pressure on Pence to perform well in the debate. If the 25th Amendment to the Constitution is invoked, Pence would temporarily be in charge. He also is an early 2024 favorite for the Republican presidential nomination, adding to the growing pressure.

Harris is in a similar situation. Trump's diagnosis followed Tuesday's presidential debate. Biden, 77 but in better physical shape than Trump, so far has tested negative for the disease that has killed nearly 208,000 Americans. Though Biden shared the stage with Trump on Tuesday, the two candidates were socially distanced and did not shake hands either before or after their confrontation.

Democrats expect Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney who earned a reputation as a strong debater during the Democratic primaries, to be on the attack in the debate, which will be moderated by USA Today Washington bureau chief Susan Page.

Harris' most notable debate performance during the primaries was when she criticized Biden, now her running mate, for opposing mandatory school busing in the 1970s, which she equated with opposing desegregation efforts. Harris, as the most junior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also grilled Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation hearings regarding his stance on abortion and about whether he had inappropriately discussed the Mueller investigation with Trump’s personal attorney.

In preparation for the upcoming debate, Harris reportedly has been practicing with former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg acting as her foil.

As for Pence, he hasn’t physically participated in a debate since the 2016 election when he tangled with Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine, a senator from Virginia. While debating Pence showed composure and the willingness to take quick shots at his opponent. Pence drew applause from supporters when he told Kaine: "I'll work with you when you go back to the Senate."

In preparation for the debate Pence has been working with Scott Walker, a Republican who was served as governor of Wisconsin at the same time Pence was at Indiana's helm, the Washington Post reported.

Page, has yet to announce the debate topics, but Pence, as the leader of the White House coronavirus task force, will likely be called on to answer for his role in the administration's handling of the pandemic. He recently told the public to “anticipate that cases will rise in the days ahead,” predicting another surge.