All American eyes should be focused on tonight’s vice-presidential debate.

Unfortunately, most of us ignore the vice presidential candidates, focusing instead on the top spot.

That is understandable, but off-putting a bit given the age of the two front-runners.

Republican nominee Donald Trump is 70. If elected he would be the oldest person ever to be elected as a U.S. President, surpassing Ronald Reagan, who was first elected just shy of his 70th birthday.

If 69-year-old Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, she will be the second oldest person elected president, just slightly junior to Reagan.

Perhaps never before in history has the vice presidential choice been more important. After surpassing the seven-decade mark, any ailment might prove deadly or debilitating to either candidate.

If, God forbid, something happens while they’re in office, the vice president becomes the top man in the blink of an eye.

Tonight, in a televised debate Trump’s VP hopeful Gov. Mike Pence will square off against Clinton’s pick, Sen. Tim Kaine at Longwood University in Farmville, Va.

We hope and expect the pair’s most public outing will be widely watched and remain a civil discussion of the important issues our country faces.

Too much of this presidential race has been focused on falsehoods and accusations made at one another and not enough about how the country can come together and work toward a better future.

Let’s hope that starts tonight.