Donald Trump presented running mate Mike Pence to the nation Saturday, hailing the IN governor as his “first choice” and “my partner IN the campaign”.
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“I’m here today to introduce the man who will be my partner in this campaign, and the White House, to fix our system”. In fact, he spent about as much time lambasting Clinton as praising Pence, declaring she had led President Barack Obama “down a disgusting path” overseas.
Then he briefly praised Pence.
“Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is my first choice”.
“I answered this call for two reasons”, said Pence, who spoke to Trump on July 13.
Pence is a devout evangelical 13 years Trump’s junior, known to have a reserved and low-key public demeanor.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton’s campaign reacted swiftly in slamming Pence, seeking to paint him as extreme.
But in an interview with MSNBC a day before Trump’s Twitter declaration, Christie admitted that he would be “a little bit” bothered if the veep job didn’t fall to him.
Another previous point of discord between the two candidates – the war in Iraq. If you vote for Trump-Pence, you are electing a ticket that would roll back all of the progress America has made in the past few years at becoming a more pluralistic society.
Glancing at notes, Trump lauded Pence’s personal character and conservative credentials. But then, in a typical digression, he turned to praising his own project to convert the Old Post Office Building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington into a luxury hotel. Pluses for Pence include strong ties to Capitol Hill (including a friendship with House Speaker Paul Ryan), an agreeable personality (a Democrat I know in IN who has tangled with Pence on issues sees him nonetheless as a nice-guy sort of politician) and an appeal to social conservatives. He also endorsed Sen. “I was the single greatest non endorsement I have had in my life”.
“I accept your invitation to run and serve as vice president of the United States of America”, Pence said.
In business and politics, Donald Trump likes to go with his gut.
But even after word spread that Trump had chosen Pence, he appeared to have nagging reservations.
Pence offered a preview of how he will lay into the Clinton campaign on behalf of Trump. He said the terror attacks in France and the coup attempt in Turkey were evidence of a “world spinning apart”.
“History teaches us that weakness arouses evil”.
“We can not have four more years apologizing to our enemies and abandoning our friends”, he added. The event did not feature any new “Trump-Pence” signs, instead displaying the standard “Trump” podium sign.
The billionaire businessman strode first onto the stage that featured a backdrop of 10 American flags. Republican officials were overwhelmingly positive in their reaction to Trump’s selection of Pence. He needs someone with him who has governed, who knows how to govern, Christie said.
“I’m here as Kasich delegate, I would have liked to see John Kasich as well, but Mike Pence is doing a great job as well”. “My first choice from start!”
The joint appearance was meant to catapult the party toward a successful and unified Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Cleveland on Monday. He was also a talk show host.
He said of the new Republican ticket, “We are the law and order candidates and this is the law and order party”. Pence also has been critical of Trump’s proposed temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the United States, calling the idea “offensive and unconstitutional”.
The Indiana governor also backed Trump’s proposal for a wall on the southern USA border and said Mexico would “absolutely” pay for it.
Pence got an early look at the roller coaster ride he has signed up for over the next four months in the immediate hours after Trump called him to offer him the job and he flew to NY expecting things to be made official on Friday.
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But Pence eventually made it onto the stage and showed only compassion for his new running mate.
