Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, introduces Gov. Mike Pence, R-Ind., during a campaign event to announce Pence as the vice presidential running mate on, Saturday, July 16, 2016, in NY.
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“By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate”, said John Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has delivered a ringing endorsement of Donald Trump as he joins him as the vice presidential candidate on the Republican ticket.
“I come to this moment deeply humbled and with a grateful heart”, Pence said.
And when Trump was applauding state lawsuits against big tobacco companies, Pence declared that “smoking doesn’t kill”. The two men, instead of presenting an image of an emboldened, unified front, barely spent any time on stage together, as Trump quickly exited after greeting Pence with a perfunctory handshake and arm pat.
On its own, the muddled lead-up to Saturday’s announcement is unlikely to impact Trump’s standing in his general election fight with Democrat Hillary Clinton.
He said he and his wife, Sherill, drove the hour and a half to the rally because they’re excited about Trump’s selection of Pence as a running mate. Trump, at that time, pronounced himself indifferent to such fears.
On the Renewable Fuel Standard, a policy that Trump supports, Pence voted in favor of the original 2005 legislation that created the program, but voted against the 2007 bill that created the current version of the RFS. But Priebus says he believes Trump’s speech on Thursday will give them a chance to see his presidential side and erase any doubt about Trump’s ability to run the White House. On this particular point, however, he said Trump is right that “we’ve got to find out what’s going on and we’ve got to do something different”.
The Clinton campaign on Saturday sought to capitalize on the fitful vice presidential roll out, releasing a web video mocking the billionaire for being indecisive despite running a campaign based on his decision-making skills. He called into FOX News and insisted he had not made a “final, final” decision. “Not so decisive”, read the ad’s tagline.
“One of the reasons is party unity, I have to be honest”, he said.
After the joint appearance with Trump at the New York Hilton Midtown, Pence flew back for a “welcome home rally” in Zionsville, Ind. – an event Trump is not scheduled to attend. He was picked after Trump’s days-long and unusually public deliberation process.
AP writers Julie Bykowicz and Ken Thomas in Washington, Jon Lemire and Jill Colvin in NY, and Alan Fram and Steve Peoples in Cleveland contributed.
Trump also discussed the Nice attack, criticizing the Obama administration and Clinton over their foreign policy, and vowing to protect the United States from terrorism through “strength”. Oddly, competitive battleground states Colorado and Virginia are in the back. The polished, silver-haired conservative is adept at speaking many words without saying much of anything-a studied contrast to Trump’s penchant for off-message outbursts.
The presumptive Republican nominee introduced the IN governor at a Manhattan hotel two days before the start of the Republican National Convention.
Pence, the reality television star said, was “highly respected” and a “highly talented” executive that led the state of IN to job growth.
While some conservatives are skeptical of Trump’s political leanings, Pence has been a stalwart ally on social issues.
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Trump’s pick was aimed in part at easing some Republicans’ concerns about his temperament and lack of political experience. Pence, whose demeanour is as calm as Trump’s is fiery, brings a discipline that aides and advisers hoped could bridge that gap.
