Members of the production crew inspect glass on stage which will serve as a barrier to protect the spread of COVID-19 as preparations take place for the vice presidential debate at the University of Utah, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo / Julio Cortez)

Vice President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger, California Sen. Kamala Harris, are set to face off in a debate that will offer starkly different visions for a country confronting escalating crises.

President Donald Trump, left, and former Vice President Joe Biden. (WTTW News via CNN)

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a racial justice movement and a rush to confirm a new Supreme Court justice comes the first of three presidential debates. What to expect.