Pence threw Trump a lifeline. Will he take it?

Mike Pence threw Donald Trump a lifeline Tuesday night. Will he take it?

No, Pence's debate performance against Tim Kaine probably won't make up for Trump's showing against Hillary Clinton last week. There is no precedent for a vice presidential debate doing that.

Consider: Dan Quayle had one of the worst debate moments ever when he made the infamous and ill-advised Jack Kennedy comparison in his 1988 debate with Lloyd Bentsen. It didn't matter; George H. Bush won.

Four years later, Quayle had a much improved debate performance against Al Gore. He arguably won. It again didn't matter and Bush lost, receiving the smallest share of the popular vote of any Republican since Alf Landon in 1936 and any incumbent president since William Howard Taft in 1912.

This race maybe be different because it is closer, has been more volatile and Pence might reach some Republicans not totally sold on Trump. But Pence has set an example for how Trump can win his next debate.