Highlights of Vice presidential candidate's debate

Tim Kaine and Mike Pence were on the debate stage Tuesday but their clash really centered on two other people: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Kaine, Clinton's running mate, said that for him and his wife, who have a son deployed overseas as a Marine, "the thought of Donald Trump as commander in chief scares us to death."

He hammered Trump over his temperament, accused him of pursuing an "outrageous lie" over claims President Barack Obama was not born in the United States and condemned him for calling Mexicans criminals and rapists in his announcement speech last year.

Pence didn't hesitate to defend the controversial candidate at the top of the GOP ticket. He defended Trump by trying to turn the focus back on Clinton, accusing her family's foundation of accepting donations from foreign governments while she was secretary of state and slamming her over the private email server she used while in office. Pence argued that Kaine was a fitting running mate for Clinton because he had tried, but failed, to raise taxes while serving as Virginia Governor.

"Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine want to build on Obamacare," Pence said. "For all the world, Hillary Clinton just thinks Obamacare is a good start."

The rival running mates repeatedly interrupted each other -- and debate moderator Elaine Quijano of CBS -- during the debate. Kaine challenged Pence during his answers, and rejected the notion that he was eating into Pence's time by responding and rebutting each charge he made as he made it.

The tactic displayed Kaine's energy and skill with talking points but risked coming across as overbearing and irritating to some viewers at home. At one point, Quijano warned them that viewers at home would not hear anything if they continued to talk over each other. Pence, for his part, projected an air of calm but was on the defensive much of the night and dodged multiple questions.

CNN