Posted on 07/15/2016 2:02:10 PM PDT by upchuck
The Hillary Clinton campaign slammed Donald Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, as divisive and unpopular moments after the presumptive Republican presidential nominee made the announcement.
“By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families,” campaign chairman John Podesta said in a statement.
If you had any doubts about Trump sticking with his dangerous plan for America, say hello to his VP pick. pic.twitter.com/xuFClfZeLi
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 15, 2016 After days of speculation, Trump announced on Twitter he had picked the first-term Republican governor from Indiana as his running mate. A formal news conference will follow Saturday at 11 a.m., he tweeted.
Pence had been on a final shortlist for the spot along with former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to Trump.
In picking Pence, Trump is selecting a candidate who could improve his conservative bona fides and help appeal to the party's base.
At the same time, privately those in Clinton World said the Pence pick shows a new level of seriousness for the Trump campaign.
"I think it shows he's (maybe) getting serious about running for President," one longtime Clinton adviser said in an email. "We'll see how long that lasts but I'd put this in the side of the ledger where the professionals in the process got their way."
Another friend of Clinton's said the preference among most Clintonites probably would have been for Christie or Gingrich. "They're way more colorful."
But one Clinton aide said while Pence lacks the name recognition and outsized personalities of Christie and Gingrich, he comes with his own problems.
"Trump is so far down in the negatives that even if Pence brought a ton of positives to the table that doesn't get Trump anywhere close ... let alone back on track," the aide said. "It'll be very interesting to see how they get on the same page where there are disagreements."
The aide pointed to the difference of opinion between Trump's opinion on banning Muslims from entering the country and Pence's stance.
Taking to Twitter last December, Pence wrote, "Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional."
The Clinton campaign on Friday quickly raised one of the most controversial moments of Pence's tenure as governor: His handling of a religious freedom law.
Pence's signature on the law in 2015 resulted in nationwide backlash and several companies boycotted the state. The law was later amended to clarify it doesn't allow discrimination against gay people.
“Pence is the most extreme pick in a generation and was one of the earliest advocates for the Tea Party. He was the first of GOP leadership to join Michele Bachmann’s Tea Party Caucus. As governor, Pence personally spearheaded an anti-LGBT law that legalized discrimination against the LGBT community, alienated businesses, caused boycotts, lost investments and embarrassed Hoosiers — a law he was later forced to revise."
"Pence also personally led the fight to defund Planned Parenthood while serving in the House and fought to pass Indiana's 2016 anti-abortion law, with some of the most outrageous restrictions in the country that threatened women’s privacy and limited their choice. And just like Trump, he’s been a long-time opponent of comprehensive immigration reform," Podesta wrote.
Podesta then called Pence bad for the economy, claiming he opposes raising the federal minimum wage.
“Voters deserve better than more of their divisive policies and ‘me-first’ economic proposals. This new Trump-Pence ticket stands in dramatic contrast to Hillary Clinton’s vision of our future — one where we are stronger together, where unity prevails over division and the economy works for all Americans, not just those at the top.”
In an online video released shortly after Trump's announcement, the Clinton campaign slammed the governor for the controversial stances he's taken on social issues.
It's official: @realDonaldTrump just chose Mike Pence as his running mate. What you need to know about him:https://t.co/VpmloblDhS
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 15, 2016
The video also dug up footage of Pence saying, while he was a congressman, that he was willing to "shut down" the government to defund Planned Parenthood.
The video concluded: "Pence is bad for women's health. He's bad for immigrants," and he and Trump would "build a great, big, beautiful wall between America and progress."
Just curious, who’s hillary’s VP?
uh, any person Trump would have picked would have said the same thing.
This article was written months ago with blanks to fill in any info on candidate x.
You don’t get any more vanilla than mike pence
Kinda hard to be divisive and unpopular when most people have never heard of you.
No kidding.
Besides, she should be more concerned about doing federal time, dancing at the end of a rope or facing a firing squad if Trump gets elected and “opens the books”.
Boy, we Italians have our own language.
“Open the books” means making a gangster a made man to us :)
I always took that to mean getting clipped or made...lol...learn something new everyday
Talk about bad luck timing on announcing his VP...
Nice, Turkey.
yeah, you get made. Nobody can kill you without permission from the boss.
Gotti ignored that one. To kill a boss you need the permission of the other bosses. He didn’t bother.
Clipped. That’s the bad one :)
“Failed economic policies” PROBABLY = “policies so odious to Democrats that they mounted a successful attempt to sabotage them, then to blame what they sabotaged.”
I’m surprised Gotti and Gravano survived that whole mess...especially Gravano with all that singing.
AND he built a meth empire in the state he was sent to under witness protection!!
Glad they nabbed him and he’s rotting in jail. Sociopath.
Kills 17 guys and serves no (little?) time for it.
Very suprised Gotti wasn’t killed by the other bosses after that. But they figured why start a war. It’s bad for business.
If Pence is unpopular then why the need to criticize him? Clinton should be cheering this pick.
Good definition. You might stick Paul Ryno in there somewhere.
Gravano pulled that crap out in Arizona if I recall correctly...what a fool, plea deal of a lifetime...no kidding, that guy was a total maniac.
m’ok
“This article was written weeks ago. Any pick was going to be “divisive” to these people. It’s the same old faux outrage the left does so well.”
Clearly an insert name article.
If things continue along the evil vein as in the past with Obammy in the White Hut and Shrillary continuing to screech, she will never ascend to the oval orifice and Obammy may be dragged from the White Hut to be hung upside down from the nearest lamppost.
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