Tag: Mike Pence

Why Mike Pence exploded at Trump — and 5 other stunning details from a new report on their finals days

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It’s no secret that former President Donald Trump’s last days in office were a political rollercoaster. Some of the chaos happened in plain sight, especially before he was kicked off Twitter. But despite his Twitter obsession, there were still things that occurred behind closed doors that are just coming to light. 

A new report published by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday sheds light on the unceasing chaos that ensued as the clock ticked down to 0 on Trump’s presidency. The author Michael C. Bender offered a detailed depiction of what went on behind the scenes of the Trump administration.

  1. Most of those around Trump actually believed he would eventually concede and do the right thing: Vice President Mike Pence and Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna McDaniel believed time would eventually give Trump the space he needed to process the devastating loss, Bender reported. Even his daughter Ivanka, who presumably knows her father better than others in his orbit, also thought he would come around and maybe invite Biden to the White House. That never happened, of course, and even now Trump insists he really won the election. Continue reading.

The Memo: Trump’s newfound critics invite skepticism

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Former Vice President Mike Pence says he was “proud” to certify the 2020 election results.

Former Attorney General William Barr says he knew former President Trump’s claims of election fraud were “bullshit.”

And former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) will come out with a new book later this year arguing that the Republican Party needs to push back against conspiracy theories and grievance politics — a clear shot at Trump and his most hardcore MAGA fans. Continue reading.

Pence faces fierce resistance from GOP’s pro-Trump base

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Former Vice President Mike Pence is facing strong resistance from members of his party’s pro-Trump base over his role in certifying the Electoral College results in the 2020 election.

Pence has stepped up his public appearances recently and is set to appear at the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa next month alongside other high-profile Republicans. But his political future is complicated by his refusal in January to bow to pressure from then-President Trump to help deliver him a victory in the race against Joe Biden.

While garnering praise from Democrats and Republicans, that decision has led to howls from members of the party’s right flank — a swath of voters Pence will need should he launch a presidential campaign in three years. Continue reading.

Mike Pence breaks with Trump, wants GOP to be ‘the party of the Constitution’

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As Donald Trump continues to push baseless conspiracy theories and refuses to concede that he lost the 2020 presidential election, his former vice president urged Republicans to back the Constitution.

During a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Pence said he was proud to certify the election results that showed the GOP ticket lost by seven million votes.

“You know, every office holder in this country takes the same oath, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” Pence noted. “I took that oath as vice president — on President Ronald Reagan’s Bible.” Continue reading.

Pence chief of staff made key decision that paved way for masks to be politicized: new book

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In 2020 Marc Short, the chief of staff to then-Vice President Mike Pence, made a fateful decision that paved the way for the politicization of wearing masks. Had he chosen differently there’s no question countless lives could have been saved.

Short, who once served as the executive director of the far right Young America’s Foundation, “focused on the political and economic implications of the coronavirus response and approached many public health decisions by considering how they would be perceived,” The Washington Post reveals. That report comes from a deep-dive into the Trump pandemic response detailed in the new book, “Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration’s Response to the Pandemic That Changed History,” by Washington Post journalists Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta.

In possibly the most damaging of those decisions, Short nixed a plan, which was far along enough to have a PR campaign already created, to send face masks to every household in America. The Dept. of Health and Human Services was backing the program, while other reports have revealed the U.S. Postal Service was also working on it. Continue reading.

Pence: Trump and I may never ‘see eye to eye’ on events of Jan. 6

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Former Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday offered his most extensive comments to date on the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, calling it a “dark” and “tragic” day in history, but accused Democrats of using the events that day to divide the country.

Pence, in a speech in Hillsborough County, N.H., acknowledged he and former President Trump may never agree on what transpired that day, a nod to Trump’s defense of the rioters at the Capitol.

But Pence called for the nation to move on from the attack on the Capitol that left multiple people dead as protesters halted the certification of President Biden‘s electoral victory. Continue reading.

GOP megadonors looking beyond Trump for 2024 — and they have a favorite

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A new favorite has emerged among possible Republican presidential successors to Donald Trump.

Wealthy GOP donors are lining up behind the 2022 re-election campaign for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is moving past former vice president Mike Pence and other potential contenders should Trump choose to sit out the 2024 presidential race, reported Politico.

“He’s in the top tier, should he choose to run for president,” said Art Pope, a conservative donor and chair of the influential Bradley Foundation. Continue reading.

Busted: Mike Pence quietly adds hate group leader to advisory board of his new organization

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Former Vice President Mike Pence launched his new organization, Advancing American Freedom, on Wednesday.

Since then, one name has quietly been added to the advisory board that was announced at launch.

Pence’s advisory board now includes Mike Farris, the president and CEO of the group Alliance Defending Freedom. Continue reading.

Trump’s heir? Pence reemerges, lays groundwork for 2024 run

WASHINGTON — When former President Donald Trump was asked to list those he considers the future leaders of the Republican Party, he quickly rattled off names including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz. Conspicuously absent from the list: Mike Pence.

The former vice president is steadily reentering public life as he eyes a potential run for the White House in 2024. He’s joining conservative organizations, writing op-eds, delivering speeches and launching an advocacy group that will focus on promoting the Trump administration’s accomplishments.

But Trump’s neglect in mentioning Pence during a podcast interview earlier this month signals the former vice president’s unique challenge. For someone who built a reputation as one of Trump’s most steadfast supporters, Pence is now viewed with suspicion among many Republicans for observing his constitutional duty in January to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power to the Biden administration, a decision that still has Trump fuming. Continue reading.

Senator stunned by GOP’s determination to avoid the truth: ‘How will they ever look Pence in the face again?’

On MSNBC Thursday, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) tore into his colleagues who were unswayed by the damning testimony at this week’s Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

“I don’t know how anyone can call themselves a defender of law and order when you say it’s okay for this mob, this raging mob, to rampage and pillage,” he said.

The House impeachment managers presented new evidence to the Senate on Wednesday, including never-before-seen footage of how the pro-Trump mob came close to harming senators, something which stunned even some Republicans watching. Continue reading.