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With that in mind, he said, it only makes sense for Pence to be as ardent of a supporter as possible of Trump’s agenda.
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“What Mike Pence wisely recognizes is his wagon is hitched to Donald Trump no matter what.” “Mike Pence, while having a political future, has been 100 percent loyal to Donald Trump, which may or may not present Pence issues down the road,” said Ari Fleischer, former press secretary to Bush. He has so far remained clear of Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election - and was cast as a victim of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s lies about contacts with Russians before Flynn’s firing in February 2017. “Knowing the president somewhat, I do not think Trump thinks anyone overshadows him” - Mary Matalin, former counselor to Dick Cheney The vice president played a key role in Trump’s failed effort to repeal Obamacare as well as in the successful tax bill push. Pence toyed with making a 2016 presidential run but announced in May 2015 he’d sit out the race, a month before Trump declared his candidacy. Al Gore famously sought to distance himself from Bill Clinton during the 2000 presidential race in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky affair. Bush’s White House, and was marginalized as Bush’s presidency wore on. Vice President Dick Cheney was seen as a hawkish puppeteer in George W. Strain, or the illusion of it, between the president and vice president has been a near-permanent feature in Washington, with Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s unusually close relationship being the exception that proved the rule. Days after Jackson withdrew his nomination, Peña resigned. Peña, they noted, was assigned to him by the White House Medical Unit, and was not a handpicked member of Pence’s staff. The first signs of tensions emerged in recent weeks when it was revealed that Pence’s doctor, Jennifer Peña, was among the more than 20 people who spoke with the Senate veterans‘ affairs committee on concerns about the conduct of Ronny Jackson, Trump’s White House doctor, who subsequently withdrew his nomination to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.īut Pence’s team quickly sought to demonstrate fealty to Trump. That’s the whole purpose of the leadership PAC.” “This is all in preparation for the re-elect,” said Marty Obst, a top Pence adviser who oversees the PAC “Our goal is to support the president’s agenda, support candidates who do the same. Lewandowski’s move, which was first reported by Fox News, puts one of the original Trump loyalists at the heart of Pence’s political camp. The PAC, which finances Pence’s travel around the country to stump for Republican candidates and cuts checks to favored members of Congress and governors, has been viewed by some as a vehicle for Pence to pursue his own ambitions beyond the vice presidency. “The Rep’s will expand majorities in the Senate and hold the House to keep America moving forward.” and continue to fulfill the Camapign Promises they made to Make America Great Again!” Lewandowski tweeted. “Proud to be joining the Great America PAC. Mike and Karen Pence at the state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron | Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Imagesīut on Tuesday, Trump’s first campaign manager and frequent adviser Corey Lewandowski announced he’ll be joining Pence’s own political action committee, Great America. “Pence should be not seen and not heard and kind of put away in a corner and used as needed.” “It was always pretty apparent that Pence had a role and that role was to be subservient to Trump,” said a former White House official who also served on the campaign. “It was always pretty apparent that Pence had a role and that role was to be subservient to Trump” - Former senior White House officialĪnd Pence’s team has worked assiduously to dispel any rumors that Pence might be harboring his own ambitions for the Oval Office, even as Pence hired a political operator as his chief of staff and formed a leadership PAC to support Republican congressional candidates.īut that hasn’t stopped the president from going out of his way to make sure Pence stays in his shadow. From the start, the former Indiana governor has avoided criticizing Trump or even disagreeing with him publicly, and has silently stepped aside when Trump has decided the spotlight should be his - so much so that the conservative columnist George Will recently accused him of “groveling.” Pence has played the role of loyal surrogate, enthusiastic cheerleader and constant defender, calling on special counsel Robert Mueller to wrap up his investigation and dismissing questions swirling around Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen as a “private matter.”