It's hard not to be cynical about the 90 minutes of bland electoral theater Americans just witnessed in the form of the 2016 vice presidential debate. Two professional politicians traded rehearsed talking points while pundits mulled the history-making ramifications of crosstalk and water-drinking. Mike Pence was smooth. Tim Kaine was jumpy and interrupted a lot. Pence probably won. But guess what? Neither of these guys is running for president. So it doesn't really matter.

Thankfully, Twitter gives everyone the real-time power to eviscerate the pretensions of the ugliest presidential race in modern US history.

Unlike his ticket-mate in the first presidential debate, Pence actually spent time articulating what sounded like traditional GOP policy positions.

He also spent a lot of time not defending Donald Trump from Kaine's prodigious attacks on the Republican presidential candidate's vast catalog of offensive statements and Putin praise.

As a few smart observers pointed out, Pence's dodges may well outlast the brief bragging rights he gains by winning tonight. For Hillary Clinton's campaign, it doesn't matter so much whether Kaine won. They just need more material for their ads making Trump look bad.