Kamala Harris describes Trump administration's handling of COVID-19 as 'greatest failure'

Democratic vice president minee Kamala Harris described Trump ministration's handling of COVID-19 pandemic as "greatest failure of any presidential ministration in history" of US as she opened only vice presidential debate with a sharp attack on Vice President Mike Pence, who les president's coronavirus task force.

55-year-old California Senator said Americans have sacrificed too much due to "incompetence of this ministration", referring to COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed over 200,000 American lives and battered country's ecomy.

" American people have witnessed what is greatest failure of any presidential ministration in history of our country," Harris said at beginning of debate in Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday night.

President Donald Trump, who tested positive for COVID-19, is facing criticism over his handling of health crisis and downplaying threat from dely virus. Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden has accused Trump of hiding facts from American people.

Harris said people needed information y may "t want people to hear, but y need to hear so y can protect mselves." "y've h to sacrifice far too much because of incompetence of this ministration," she said.

On his part, Pence, 61, said that steps taken by President Trump have saved hundreds and thousands of American lives.

"Our nation's gone through a very challenging time this year,” he said. “I want American people to kw, from very first day, President Trump has put health of America first," Republican vice presidential candidate, said.

On her plan to handle crisis, Harris said that Biden ministration would focus on "contact tracing, testing, ministration of vaccine, and making sure that it will be free for all." "That is plan that Joe Biden has and that I have, kwing that we have to get a hold of what has been going on," she said.

Harris also said that if re is a coronavirus vaccine available during Trump’s ministration that is t embraced by scientific visers, she will t take it.

But if country's top scientific visers like Dr. Anthony Fauci back vaccine, she would.

Harris, who aspires to be first woman vice-president in history, and Pence are separated by plexiglass barriers. y sat 12.25 feet apart on debate st.

Harris, whose mor was from India and far from Jamaica, scripted history in August when she was picked up by Democratic Party as its vice presidential minee. She is first Black woman and first Asian-American woman to be selected as vice presidential minee of a major political party in US.

It is for first time in American history that an Indian-origin person has taken up podium for a vice presidential debate.

debate, moderated by journalist Susan P, is divided into nine segments of approximately 10 minutes each.

Political analysts believe that an aggressive Harris will easily prevail over Pence during only vice-presidential debate and help Biden, 77, to widen his le over Trump, 74.

Biden, in last few days, has widened his le over Trump by double digit. debate comes nearly a week after first of three presidential debates in Cleveland on September 29 which was marked by angry interruptions and bitter accusations.

 (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)

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