Who was the moderator? We never saw her face. Someone from CBS News, it turned out. No surprise then. She was forceful and professional enough behind the screen, only to show her Lester Holt side when she interrupted Pence twice while he was in the midst of talking about Hillary’s reckless server security breaches and Clinton Foundation corruption. Perhaps it was Pence’s fault not to have brought up those topics earlier in each segment — an obsessive cheapshot artist like Kaine surely didn’t hesitate to come out charging every time — but the fact remains the lady from CBS was quick to save Hillary when it mattered most.

Interestingly, CNN’s Jake Tapper quickly led off the post-debate reactions to say that Pence had won on debate/stylistic points, in part because of Kaine’s chronic interrupting of Pence. But then in a giveaway of his own — before this campaign he wasn’t showing his partisan (i.e. Democratic) preferences so obviously, but I guess fairness has now gone out the window most everywhere in his world — Tapper added that once the pundits and press have a chance to absorb the debate in coming days that stylistic win will probably give way to a consensus that Pence actually lost. Oh, so that’s how our politics is played.

The short of it remains, though: Kaine’s constant, crude, rude interruptions and comments were a turnoff to anyone who subscribes to civility. If he’s your cup of tea, welcome to Clintonworld. This was a stunningly unpleasant introduction to Kaine in the big time. He could yet be our president. I’m not being frivolous. It’s too bad none of the questions from the CBS lady asked about what qualifies each of them to be heartbeat away from the presidency.

Mike Pence in his gentle way could have been more forceful. At times he seem almost obsequious toward Kaine. Kaine didn’t make that mistake. He saves his sycophancy for his bosses and handlers and the Hillary he serves. A Democrat is a Democrat, all the way to the Clinton Foundation and partial-birth abortion clinic, wherever his service is required.