Tonight in Salt Lake City, either side of a plexiglass barrier, Kamala Harris and Mike Pence will meet in the 2020 vice presidential debate.
After last week’s debacle, the bar for a satisfactory performance is incredibly low. It’s even possible that viewers could be destined for a 90-minute snoozefest. For anyone seeking to make the night a bit more interesting, Cockburn has devised a drinking game. You deserve it.
Recommended beverages
As Harris is a woman of proud mixed Jamaican and Indian origin, Cockburn suggests a Kamala shandy: a Kingfisher beer, topped off with Ting.
According to ‘Mother’, Mike Pence likes to settle in on a Friday night with an O’Doul’s non-alcoholic beer, which obviously sucks. The only alcohol the VP consumes is communion wine, so your best bet is to become an ordained minister for free online and bless whatever you have in your cellar.
Before you start
Each player takes a guess at the color of Kamala’s pantsuit and Pence’s tie. All guesses must be different. When the candidates come out, anyone who guessed correctly can nominate another player to down their drink.
One sip if…
Pence says ‘Make America great again’
Harris says ‘Build Back Better’
Anyone says ‘Ruth Bader Ginsburg’
Any mention of a Harris policy pivot (Medicare-for-All)
Anyone says the words ‘coronavirus’ or ‘COVID-19’
Kamala adopts a ‘blaccent’ (any code switch = one sip)
Pence speaks as if the words taste really good in his mouth
Harris says something most of your group considers to be inauthentic
Two sips if…
Anyone says ‘Barack Obama’ or ‘Obamacare’
Pence says ‘socialism’, ‘socialist’ or ‘radical agenda’
Harris says ‘Amy Coney Barrett’, Roe v. Wade’ or ‘woman’s right to choose’
Any pejorative reference to religion
Either candidate pledges to ‘fight’ for a group
Pence is accused of sexism
Pence is accused of racism
Pence is accused of homophobia/supporting conversion therapy
Anyone references Kamala’s ‘that little girl was me’ story
Pence brings up Harris’s bailout of rioters, or his visit to damaged Minneapolis small-businesses
Harris says ‘I see you’
Any plexiglass joke
Three sips if…
Anyone says the phrase ‘first female vice president’
The First Step Act is contrasted with Harris’s locking up of African Americans on weed charges during her time as California AG (you may also hit the blunt if it’s legal in your state)
A Mitt Romney or Mike Lee mention
A moderator follows up asking for a direct answer to a question
Anyone says ‘Harris-Biden administration’
Any reference to Utah’s American Indian territories
Any reference to Mormons
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Down your drink if…
Either candidate attempts a joke that bombs (you’ll need it)
Pence mentions Willie Brown or Harris sleeping her way to the top
News of a member of the Trump administration’s positive COVID diagnosis breaks during the debate
Either candidate coughs
CNN and MSNBC pundits declare Harris the winner
Fox pundits declare Pence the winner
The Spectator will be live blogging the VP debate from 8:30 p.m. ET.
