(WSIL) -- Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris are set to square off in the lone debate between VP candidates on Wednesday evening.
says this debate will have more substance than last week's debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice-President Joe Biden.
"It will be better than the last debate. It is mostly because we've got two very calm speakers. Mike Pence is very calm. Kamala Harris has a calming way about her. She can be assertive sure. I think they both understand the value of debate. They both follow the rules. I think it will be a way better debate than the last one," Graham told News 3 during a zoom interview Tuesday.
"Everyone I've talked to has said it is the most important vice-presidential debate in history. Whether you are just sitting at home or whether you are an expert in politics. It is because both presidential candidates are a bit older and we are in the middle of a pandemic. Even if I was running for president my vice presidential debate would be the most important because you never know right?" Graham added.
Graham's Two Things to Watch
"I think the two things to watch for in a vice-presidential candidate are both how do you defend the top of your own ticket and how do attack the top of the other ticket. And I know that sounds weird because you are debating against the other vice president. But really I mean people don't care all that much as long as they think the vice-president is qualified."
Debate Strategy?
"If they are attacking each other---sure that could go okay. But I really think it is don't defend yourself defend the top of your ticket more. So defend Donald Trump or Joe Biden and then don't  attack your opponent more---attack the top of their ticket."
Changes This Debate?
"There is plexiglass between everybody in this debate and I frankly hope in the rest of the debates. But that will change it. Seated always changes something. So there is a reason republicans demanded and kept that demand that this be a seated debate. Even though the democrats recently asked for them to be standing because of the coronavirus--so they could be separated more and the republicans said no and it's because when you sit in a debate--no matter what form of debate--it evens out the personality levels. So the stronger the persona the more you want your candidate to stand"
Topics During the Debate
"So I wouldn't be surprised if the moderator Susan Page, from USA Today, changes it around a little bit and decides to cover some of the ground they were supposed to cover in the last debate. So I expect the economy, coronavirus, civil rights, law and order, I expect all of these issues to come up again because frankly we didn't hear too much about them last time," Graham said.
Why You Should Watch?
"I think this is a big vice-presidential debate. I think everyone should tune in for a couple of reasons:
- The first is we don't know if there's going to be another presidential debate.
- We also don't know the format of how it will be and we don't know if they'll be under control.
- So I think your best chance to learn is in the vice presidential debate."
You can watch the debate on News 3 WSIL starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
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