Donald Trump on Saturday (Jul 16) introduced his pick for vice president Mike Pence as a “solid” man and a unifying figure among Republicans in their first public appearance on a joint ticket for the White House.
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Donald Trump acknowledged that he and his running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence have different styles, and that he doesn’t necessarily expect Pence to use the name-calling tactics that Trump has used throughout the campaign.
But let’s talk about Mike Pence.
Pence had served “with distinction” in Congress and as the chairman of the House Republican Conference, Trump said and added that he has the skills of a highly talented executive.
The Latest on the 2016 race for president (all times local): 12:45 p.m. Hillary Clinton will promise to introduce an amendment overturning Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruling that opened the door to a flood of corporate and union spending in politics.
Pence will immediately fly to IN for a “welcome home” rally Saturday evening-unaccompanied by his fellow candidate.
Pence said yes to Trump on Wednesday.
Pence also backed another signature proposal of the Trump campaign, vowing that a wall between Mexico and the US would be built under their administration.
Trump insisted Pence was his first choice despite the lingering media reports that he had considered changing his mind up to the last minute.
Mr Trump has struggled to bridge the gap between himself, a self-described outsider, and the establishment and conservative wings of the party. It put Middle East allies on edge over his commitment to the region’s security, and even some of his advisers have said it was a mistake to stand down. “Bobby Knight, my friend who really did help me” during the primary. The ad’s tagline says: “Donald Trump”.
Instead of Cruz, or anyone else, it is Pence running with Trump, and it is Pence trying to forge an unstoppable combination against Clinton-and making that case to Republicans on the eve of their convention. Delegates are traditionally seated based on the political importance of their state, and Trump is from NY. Through no fault of the campaign, the show ended up on a Saturday morning, competing on TV with two worldwide crises: the aftermath of the France attack and news about an attempted military coup in Turkey.
When Trump did mention Pence, he said, “One of the big reasons I chose Mike is party unity, I have to be honest”.
He even brought up one of the glaring inconsistencies in his choice of Pence – he endorsed Ted Cruz, not Trump in the in primary. But his hardline ideology is also at odds with Trump, who has largely avoided wading into social issues.
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There appeared to be as many Trump supporters as journalists in attendance at the announcemetn, as the businessman’s backers filled five rows of seats in a Hilton ballroom that was not expanded to its full size.
