Ted Cruz, who took the stage less than an hour earlier and refused to give an endorsement of the GOP presidential slate.
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Unlike Cruz, Pence focused his words on Trump.
We then get a sample of Pence’s record on abortion rights – he advocated for defunding Planned Parenthood, supported a constitutional amendment to oppose abortion funding and even has advocated to overturn Roe v. Wade. A chant went up of “Endorse Trump!”
“I appreciate the enthusiasm of the NY delegation”, he said at one point. Republicans really do not have a candidate from their party in this presidential election. If Trump wins, Cruz may wind up on the wrong side of the president’s attractive new wall.
As governor, Pence angered women’s groups for signing into law restrictions on abortions.
For liberal journal Democracy editor Michael Tomasky, Pence is Trump’s best choice for a running mate.
And not every conservative at Tuesday’s gathering was sold by Pence.
“Mike Pence is a good choice”, delegate William Springer of Sullivan said.
He said Trump is known for his “charisma” and “large personality”.
Picking up from some of his speech yesterday, Pence appealed to certain parts of Pennsylvania with his “Trump digs coal” message; to loud applause, he condemned the loss of coal mining jobs.
He blasted Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s role in the deadly 2012 attack on US embassy facilities in Libya and criticized eight years of President Obama’s leadership as detrimental to America’s reputation. It was a speech that appealed to traditional Republicans, and maybe some independents looking for reassurance about the GOP ticket. It’s a striking contrast with Donald Trump, the man at the top of the ticket, who has frequently switched parties and positions, and is not accused of being low-key.
Pence slammed Hillary Clinton in his speech and hailed the changes that Trump would bring if he were to be elected as the next US president.
Did you know who Mike Pence was? The company found Trump on an uptick since the Department of Justice decided there was not enough evidence to prosecute Clinton for her use of a private email server as Secretary of State.
The story may prove to be a temporary blip – Trump quickly denied that he ever offered the VP slot to Kasich – but Pence may remain in Trump’s shadow. “I thought he was outstanding and electrifying”, Davis said.
Gingrich has established himself as the party’s senior statesman.
Cruz’s defiance ripped open party divisions anew, on the summer’s biggest political stage. “If you love our country… stand and speak and vote your conscience”, he said.
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Pence seized the task of selling Trump to the conservatives gathered for a luncheon hosted by The American Conservative Union Foundation.
