Mike Pence chided for closed event with gay Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar
Last year, the Irish prime minister was welcomed by the U.S. president and vice president with open arms — and with open coverage by reporters — ahead of the annual St. Patrick's Day festivities.
But this year, Vice President Mike Pence's breakfast with new Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar will be closed to the media — at the request of the vice president. In a departure from the recent past, reporters were told Friday's event to be attended by Pence and Varadkar will be private and the media won't be invited.
Pence also had a St. Patrick's Day breakfast in March 2017 with Enda Kenny, the Irish prime minister at the time. The difference this year could possibly be Varadkar's visibility as an openly gay man as well as Pence's long record of opposing issues important to the gay and lesbian community.
People are speculating whether issues such as gay and lesbian rights and Pence's stance on gay-conversion therapy might be discussed at their meeting. For instance, the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ civil rights advocacy group, sent a tweet questioning the motive for banning the media from the Pence-Varadkar event.
Read more: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/03/15/mike-pence-faces-backlash-banning-media-meeting-gay-irish-prime-minister/428821002/
The Twitter comments are entertaining:
Link to tweet
= new reply since forum marked as read
to visit Ireland.
**Obviously he expects to be a long way from Washington next year !***
US VICE President Mike Pence told Taoiseach Leo Varadkar his partner Matt Barrett would be welcome in his home should he decide to attend the next year’s St Patrick’s Day visit to the US.
It is understood Mr Pence enquired after the Taoiseach’s partner when they spoke yesterday in the White House and asked why he had not brought Mr Barrett on the trade mission.
A government source said Mr Varadkar and Mr Pence had a “tête-à-tête” during the official visit. Another source confirmed Mr Varadkar did discuss LGBT rights with Mr Pence and his wife Karen during a discussion in the White House.
The Taoiseach is expected to make comments on the invitation extended to Mr Barrett when he speaks later today.
Mr Varadkar has said he would have preferred the meeting to be held in public.
However, he added that the private meeting may allow the two politicians have a “frank conversation”.
Sources in the Vice President’s Office said Mr Pence has held his recent meetings with world leaders behind closed doors.
In Mr Varadkar's speech he repeatedly referenced Mr Pence's Irish ancestry. The vice president's grandfather emigrated from Sligo in the 1920s.
"I understand that as a child Vice-President Pence could recite the nursery rhyme, ‘Humpty Dumpty’ in Irish after learning it from his grandfather," he said at one point.
https://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.3431293.1521302351!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_620_330/image.jpg
more at
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/pence-tells-varadkar-his-partner-matt-would-be-welcome-in-his-home-next-year-as-he-confirms-plans-to-visit-ireland-36712639.html
