Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s running mate called on audience members to thank police officers in the auditorium and said, “Donald Trump will support our law enforcement”.
Advertisement
His visit comes as he broke with Trump Wednesday, voicing strong support and a strong endorsement of House Speaker Paul Ryan’s re-election bid in Wisconsin.
Pence took questions from the audience about treatment of military veterans, the mental health system, the nation’s relationship with Israel and teachers’ pay.
Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence signs an autograph after speaking at a campaign rally Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, in Phoenix.
Pence and McCain met for 25 minutes Tuesday evening, Pence’s press secretary, Marc Lotter, said in a statement. Supporters booed and drowned out the unidentified man’s shouts with chants of “USA” before security escorted him out.
Grand said Pence has vouched frequently to donors and prominent Republicans about “the real Donald Trump”.
“Donald Trump and I believe that Captain Humayun Khan is an American hero and his family, like all Gold Star families, should be cherished by every American”, Pence said in his statement.
Arpaio has been sheriff since 1993 and is running for his 7th term amid legal problems.
Former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer spoke just before Pence took the stage.
Pence has fielded several calls from top Republican donors and political figures in recent days, easing their concerns about Trump’s comments in the aftermath of Khan’s speech.
Monsoon rains flooded some streets and snarled traffic that delayed Pence’s arrival at the Phoenix Convention Center after he had attended a fundraiser in suburban Paradise Valley.
“Mike Pence is down-to-earth, he speaks his mind, he appeals to the common citizen”, said supporter Helen Boyce.
Officials say flooding closed part of Interstate 17, and firefighters had to rescue people from high water. But after controversies in the Trump campaign, including remarks about a Gold Star family and his assertion during an OH rally that the election might be rigged, Pence sought unity in the party. This was Pence’s first stop in Arizona since being announced as Donald Trump’s choice for vice president. Capt. Khan’s story made national news during the Democratic National Convention, where his father Khizr Khan spoke about his son’s service, and his own Muslim heritage in the face of Trump’s Islamaphobic platform.
He spent much of his speech railing against Obama policies.
The event begins at 9 a.m., although the Trump website says 10 a.m. Doors open at 7:30 a.m.
Pence criticized Obama’s policies in Iraq, saying they led to the growth of the Islamic State group.
“Let’s just decide right here and now in Tucson, Arizona, that Hillary Clinton will never become president”, Pence said.
Advertisement
Pence’s statement was prepared before the Trump news conference in Doral, Florida, where he suggested that Russian Federation hack Clinton’s emails, a Pence aide said – indicating the campaign was comfortable with a split before it had happened, as opposed to Pence attempting to clean up a mess Trump had made.
