WASHINGTON (AP) — Wednesday’s vice presidential debate had sharp moments, some modest interruptions and violations of the debate clock. But the dynamics between Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris represented a rare 2020 return to some semblance of normal presidential politics. The candidates were separated by plexiglass out of concern for spread of the coronavirus from cases emanating from the White House. Harris immediately put Pence on the defensive, calling Trump’s pandemic response “the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country.” Pence expressed sympathy for all those affected by the pandemic, and he accused Harris of “playing politics with people’s lives.”

There were three participants in Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate: Republican Mike Pence, Democrat Kamala Harris and the plexiglass between them. Each candidate had a clear partition on the side of the desk that faced the other, and the candidates were spaced more than 12 feet apart. Other pandemic-friendly changes included audience chairs spaced roughly 6 feet apart and requirements that everyone entering the hall test negative for the virus and wear a mask. The debate was the only meeting between the two vice presidential contenders and came after President Donald Trump was diagnosed with the coronavirus.