Tag: Mike Pence

Pence’s claim that ‘religion in America isn’t receding. It’s just the opposite’

The following article by Glenn Kessler was posted on the Washington Post website May 15, 2018:

“The percentage of Americans who live out their religion on a weekly basis — praying, going to church, reading and believing in the Bible — has remained remarkably consistent over the decades, even as the population of the United States has grown by leaps and bounds. I mean, think about it, today, relative to the population, four times as many Americans go to church on a regular basis than at the time of our nation’s founding. Religion in America isn’t receding. It’s just the opposite. Faith is gaining new life across America every day.”
— Vice President Pence, remarks at Hillsdale College commencement ceremony, May 12, 2018

We spotted these remarks when the vice president, who is deeply religious, tweeted them out after giving a speech at a conservative Christian college in Michigan. There was a furious backlash by religious researcher Joshua Grubbs that in reality many studies showed the opposite of what Pence claimed — that religion is declining in the United States.

But the vice president’s remarks were so specific that they must have been based on something. So we decided to research the matter. Continue reading “Pence’s claim that ‘religion in America isn’t receding. It’s just the opposite’”

Pence Is Trying to Control Republican Politics. Trump Aides Aren’t Happy. Image

The following article by Alexander Burns, Jonathan Martin and Maggie Haberman was posted on the New York Times website May 14, 2018:

Vice President Pence during a rally with President Trump. Credit: Doug Mills/The New York Times

Representative Jeb Hensarling of Texas needed a favor: Before retiring, he wanted to anoint a local activist as his successor. Mr. Hensarling, a veteran conservative, reached out to President Trump for help, but the White House hesitated to intervene, according to a person familiar with the overture.

Instead, Mr. Hensarling found a willing ally at Mr. Trump’s right hand: Vice President Mike Pence. Mr. Pence backed the congressman’s favorite, Bunni Pounds, last month in a tweet that blindsided key White House aides. Continue reading “Pence Is Trying to Control Republican Politics. Trump Aides Aren’t Happy. Image”

Pence says selling access to the president is a ‘private matter’

The following article by Kaili Joy Gray was posted on the ShareBlue.com website May 10, 2018:

Mike Pence has a lot of nerve — and he’s also completely wrong.

Mike Pence is all-knowing about the White House when he needs to be — and also completely out of the loop when it suits him.

In an interview with NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell, for example, he tried to play it both ways in the span of 60 seconds. Continue reading “Pence says selling access to the president is a ‘private matter’”

Pence Is ‘Horrifying’: Conservative Columnist Says the Vice President Is Worse than Trump

The following article by Cody Fenwick was posted on the AlterNet website May 9, 2018:

“Pence is what he has chosen to be, which is horrifying.”

Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Vice President Mike Pence is “the worst person in government,” conservative columnist George Will declared in the Washington Post Wednesday night. He has, in that regard, surpassed even President Donald Trump, Will said.

Will, who left the Republican Party after the rise of Trump, now seems to hold unique disdain for his formerly fellow partisans who emboldened the president’s ascent. Perhaps, in that way, Pence has played a unique role.

But Will primarily excoriates Pence for his fawning behavior toward Trump. This has most famously been on display during televised Cabinet meetings during which Trump’s subordinates take their time to praise him profusely and thank the president for his generosity. No one has been more obsequious in these displays than Pence. Continue reading “Pence Is ‘Horrifying’: Conservative Columnist Says the Vice President Is Worse than Trump”

Trump is no longer the worst person in government

The following opinion commentary by George F. Will was posted on the Washington Post website May 9, 2018:

Vice President Pence sometimes seems to agree with President Trump just by looking at him. Here are some of the ways he does it. (Video: Bastien Inzaurralde/Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Donald Trump, with his feral cunning, knew. The oleaginous Mike Pence, with his talent for toadyism and appetite for obsequiousness, could, Trump knew, become America’s most repulsive public figure. And Pence, who has reached this pinnacle by dethroning his benefactor, is augmenting the public stock of useful knowledge. Because his is the authentic voice of today’s lickspittle Republican Party, he clarifies this year’s elections: Vote Republican to ratify groveling as governing.

Last June, a Trump Cabinet meeting featured testimonials offered to Dear Leader by his forelock-tugging colleagues. His chief of staff, Reince Priebus, caught the spirit of the worship service by thanking Trump for the “blessing” of being allowed to serve him. The hosannas poured forthfrom around the table, unredeemed by even a scintilla of insincerity. Priebus was soon deprived of his blessing, as was Tom Price. Before Price’s ecstasy of public service was truncated because of his incontinent enthusiasm for charter flights, he was the secretary of health and human services who at the Cabinet meeting said, “I can’t thank you enough for the privileges you’ve given me.” The vice president chimed in but saved his best riff for a December Cabinet meeting when, as The Post’s Aaron Blake calculated, Pence praised Trump once every 12 seconds for three minutes: “I’m deeply humbled. . . . ” Judging by the number of times Pence announces himself “humbled,” he might seem proud of his humility, but that is impossible because he is conspicuously devout and pride is a sin. Continue reading “Trump is no longer the worst person in government”

Pence’s office advertises meeting with Peruvian president who resigned 3 weeks ago amid scandal

The following article by John Wagner was posted on the Washington Post website April 13, 2018:

Vice President Pence speaks in Washington. Credit: Jose Luis Magana/AP

As Vice President Pence prepared to head to Peru on Friday for the Summit of the Americas, his office advertised several events on his itinerary, including “a banquet hosted by President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski of Peru.”

One problem: Kuczynski resigned more than three weeks ago after becoming ensnared in a corruption scandal involving Latin America’s largest construction firm.

Kuczynski’s decision came on the eve of a congressional impeachment vote. Kuczynski has continued to deny wrongdoing. But according to local media, before a closed-door congressional hearing last week, Kuczynski acknowledged a payment from an affiliate of the construction firm of nearly $700,000 in return for “verbal” products and “contacts.” Continue reading “Pence’s office advertises meeting with Peruvian president who resigned 3 weeks ago amid scandal”

That was a VP (very poor) commentary.

Vice President Mike Pence wrote a love letter to President Donald Trump and his party that graced the Opinion Exchange page of the Star Tribune on March 28 (“Our tax, energy and trade policies are working for Minnesotans”). The article was misleading in a variety of ways, but particularly so for low-information voters.

Here’s Pence describing how Trump’s policies are “working for Minnesotans”: Continue reading “That was a VP (very poor) commentary.”

Omarosa on Mike Pence: ‘He thinks Jesus tells him to say things’

The following article by Helena Andrews-Dyer was posted on the Washington Post website February 12, 2018:

Former reality star turned White House aide turned reality star Omarosa Manigault is spilling the tea on her days at the White House. (Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

Former reality star turned White House aide turned reality star Omarosa Manigault is still going strong — and spilling tea — as a contestant on “Celebrity Big Brother.”

Omarosa, who previously declared on the show that she wouldn’t vote for Donald Trump again “in a million years,” said during Monday night’s episode that a Mike Pence administration would actually be worse. Continue reading “Omarosa on Mike Pence: ‘He thinks Jesus tells him to say things’”

Trump believes the men

The following article by Edward-Isaac Dovere was posted on the Politico website February 9, 2018:

The president has consistently responded to the allegations of assault or abuse against women by expressing sympathy for the men being accused. ‘Is there no such thing’ as due process? he tweeted Saturday

In a moment when “believe the women” has become a rallying cry, a new mentality for the country, President Donald Trump does not. | Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

For President Donald Trump, the allegations that his now-former staff secretary was a serial domestic abuser are another #HimToo moment.

Never mind the FBI background check that found the allegations and restraining order credible enough to delay Rob Porter’s security clearance, or the close-up photos of the black eye Porter’s ex-wife says he gave her on vacation in Italy.

To the president, sitting in the Oval Office on Friday, the victim here seems to be Porter.

“It was very sad when we heard about it, and certainly he’s also very sad now,” Trump told reporters. “He also, as you probably know, says he’s innocent, and I think you have to remember that. He said very strongly yesterday that he’s innocent, so you have to talk to him about that.” Continue reading “Trump believes the men”

Pence keeps lying about supporting ex-gay therapy as his feud with gay Olympian escalates

The following article by Zack Ford was posted on the ThinkProgress website February 8, 2018:

Pence’s history of supporting conversion therapy isn’t “fake news.”

The feud between Vice President Mike Pence and gay Olympic skater Adam Rippon escalated again Thursday when Pence tweeted directly at the athlete, describing his history of supporting ex-gay conversion therapy as “fake news.”

Vice President Mike Pence

✔@VP

Headed to the Olympics to cheer on . One reporter trying to distort 18 yr old nonstory to sow seeds of division. We won’t let that happen! . Our athletes are the best in the world and we are for ALL of them!

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Continue reading “Pence keeps lying about supporting ex-gay therapy as his feud with gay Olympian escalates”