This week’s vice presidential debate is likely to be largely civil. It should also be ethical. The candidates should be honest, and should promote trust in the political process.
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The upcoming debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris will almost certainly be more civil than the recent debate between President Trump and Vice President Biden. It can’t not be - President Trump’s disregard for the rules, insults, and casual relationship with the facts made the event nearly unwatchable.
At a bare minimum, Pence and Harris will likely more or less follow the rules, interrupt each other less, and more or less get their facts straight. Both are experienced politicians who have been elected to both legislative and executive office. Given the President’s health, and the tenor of the last debate, this week’s debate is probably going to be even more serious and focused than it might have otherwise been. It will be sharp-elbowed, each candidate probably has a list of zingers they hope will light up social media, but it will almost certainly sound less like a playground than the first Trump - Biden debate.
In addition to respecting each other and the rules to which they agreed, the two candidates should also tell the truth and promote confidence in the political process. They should demonstrate respect for each other, for the voters, and for the political process.
Our democracy more or less works because the American people more or less have faith in it. We believe that elections are generally fair, and that we have the opportunity to “vote the bums out” if need be. We hope that if we raise a big enough stink, policymakers will pay attention and change the laws. Of course we know our system doesn’t measure up to its ideals and healthy skepticism about power is part of the American tradition. But at some level we have confidence that everyone’s voice can be heard, that the dishonest will at some point be held to account, and that unfair practices will be fixed.
This confidence can feel tenuous. Voters worry about the impact of money in politics, and think Congress pays more attention to the rich and powerful than it does to the rest of us. But the general confidence in our system nevertheless remains because the system often works, and when it doesn’t work we can correct it. Every two years our votes get counted, and sometimes the bums get thrown out of office. Corrupt politicians and lobbyists sometimes go to jail. Our voices get heard.
Of course not all elections are fair. From gerrymandering, to voter suppression, to changing the rules to favor one side or another, our elections are far from perfect. But any claims of fraud, cheating, suppression, or anything else that undermine confidence in elections should be backed up by facts and addressed. Such accusations should not be made lightly, and never for partisan gain. Baseless claims that the election is rigged, as President Trump has asserted, undermine faith in our political process. Such attacks not only weaken democracy, they also make it more difficult to address real problems with our electoral system.
Candidates and elected officials have an ethical obligation to reinforce faith in our process, and to work to make that process better. They need to assure voters that their votes will be counted, that elections are fair, and that the loser will accept the results.
A critical piece of this message is reminding voters that the final result may not be known for a few weeks after the deadline to vote. Voting stops on November third, but counting the votes will continue. A delayed final announcement means a lot of people voted, and that officials are making sure those votes get counted.
Vice President Pence and Senator Harris have a lot to disagree about. Those disagreements should be civil. They should also be based in fact. In addition, both Pence and Harris should remind voters that our democratic process matters, and even with its flaws it is mostly fair most of the time. Both candidates should encourage everyone to vote and assure the American people those votes will be counted. They have an ethical responsibility to do no less.