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Mike Pence and the Failure of the Republican Establishment
When Mike Pence took the stage for the vice presidential debate, he was not there only as Donald Trump's second; he was also representing the Republican establishment that has cravenly acquiesced to Trumpism. As something of a surrogate for the entire GOP, Pence, the governor of Indiana, often tried to sidestep Tim Kaine's pointed criticisms of Trump. But he could not avoid defending his running mate on key matters—and cleaning up after the GOP's acerbic nominee.
Pence claimed it was untrue that he and Trump had praised Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. (They have both called him a strong leader.) He said Trump would not support legislation to punish women who obtain abortions. (Trump has said "some form of punishment" would be necessary if abortion were made illegal.) He declared Trump would implement "broad-shoulder" leadership in foreign affairs and adopt a muscular stance against Russia's military intervention in Syria. (Trump has said Russian airstrikes in Syria were "okay" with him.) He denied Trump has called for spreading nuclear weapons to nations that don't currently possess them. (Trump has.) Pence scoffed at Kaine's insistence that Trump has hurled abuse and invective on the campaign trail and asserted it was Hillary Clinton who was mounting an "insult-driven" campaign. He defended the Trump Foundation—which has been cited for various violations and which Trump has apparently used for his own personal and pay-to-play ends—while attacking the Clinton Foundation falsely for spending only 10 percent of its funding on charitable work. (The figure is close to 90 percent.) All the thrusts and parries aside, Pence's most important role was serving as normalizer-in-chief.
As many Republicans say—some in public, some in private—Trump is at best not a serious man and at worst a threat to the nation. He is arrogant, impulsive, and erratic, a loudmouth and boorish know-it-all who doesn't know nearly as much as he believes.- MotherJones
Pence claimed it was untrue that he and Trump had praised Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. (They have both called him a strong leader.) He said Trump would not support legislation to punish women who obtain abortions. (Trump has said "some form of punishment" would be necessary if abortion were made illegal.) He declared Trump would implement "broad-shoulder" leadership in foreign affairs and adopt a muscular stance against Russia's military intervention in Syria. (Trump has said Russian airstrikes in Syria were "okay" with him.) He denied Trump has called for spreading nuclear weapons to nations that don't currently possess them. (Trump has.) Pence scoffed at Kaine's insistence that Trump has hurled abuse and invective on the campaign trail and asserted it was Hillary Clinton who was mounting an "insult-driven" campaign. He defended the Trump Foundation—which has been cited for various violations and which Trump has apparently used for his own personal and pay-to-play ends—while attacking the Clinton Foundation falsely for spending only 10 percent of its funding on charitable work. (The figure is close to 90 percent.) All the thrusts and parries aside, Pence's most important role was serving as normalizer-in-chief.
As many Republicans say—some in public, some in private—Trump is at best not a serious man and at worst a threat to the nation. He is arrogant, impulsive, and erratic, a loudmouth and boorish know-it-all who doesn't know nearly as much as he believes.- MotherJones
Scathing rebuke of the Pence lie-fest last night.
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