"What I expect her to do tomorrow is certainly defend herself from what Trump may say, but, at the end of the day, paint this positive vision (of the US) that really is what is animating her to run for president," Kaine told CBS News.
He acknowledged that this would be tight race.
Recent polls reflect a dead heat between Clinton and Trump.
Kaine said the 68-year-old former secretary of state has a long track record of service in public life.
"You can look at that. I tell the story about her being first lady of the United States, when the effort to get Hillary Clinton done failed, and that was a tough, tough, bitter loss, but then it tested her as a leader. And she worked together with Democrats and Republicans to get health insurance for eight million low-income American children in the CHIP programme," he said.
"Hillary has demonstrated that again and again.
"I think that's a sharp contrast to a Donald Trump, whose only recognised passion in his life has been for himself. No great president in this country has been primarily a me-first person. The great presidents are people who watch out for others, and that's who Hillary Clinton has been, that's who she is, and that's who she will be," he said.
"I think Donald Trump has been preparing for this debate for his entire lifetime," Pence said at the same Sunday talk show.
"He's built a great business. He's travelled the country, and particularly in this campaign. Donald Trump has been out among the American people. I think he's given voice to the frustrations and aspirations of the American people like no American leader in my lifetime since Ronald Reagan," he said.
He reiterated that the moderator should not do fact-check during the debate.
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