{"id":34500,"date":"2017-07-13T06:34:24","date_gmt":"2017-07-13T06:34:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=34500"},"modified":"2017-07-13T06:34:24","modified_gmt":"2017-07-13T06:34:24","slug":"vice-president-mike-pence-weathering-donald-trump-jr-russia-revelations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/news\/vice-president-mike-pence-weathering-donald-trump-jr-russia-revelations.html","title":{"rendered":"How Vice President Mike Pence is weathering the Donald Trump Jr. Russia revelations"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Vice President Mike Pence is weathering the Donald Trump Jr. Russia revelations<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

How Vice President Mike Pence is weathering the Donald Trump Jr. Russia revelations:- Just one day after President Trump’s oldest son stunned the political world by releasing emails showing he actively sought damaging information about Hillary Clinton from the Russian government, Mike Pence offered an interesting and rather dramatic description of what it’s really like to be vice president.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Pence, being a leader can feel like being on a roller coaster.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You need to keep your arms and legs in the ride at all times,” he told student leaders Wednesday at American University. “Put the roll bar down, because you just got to hang on.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The roller coaster analogy appeared to be a particularly apt one these days for Pence, who is trying to navigate the latest controversy to hit the White House after this week’s revelations that Donald Trump Jr. met last summer with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya \u2013 after he was told the Russian government would provide the information as part of its support for his father’s campaign.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the news broke, Pence issued a statement that appeared to distance himself from the Trump campaign. Pence is \u201cnot focused on stories about the campaign, particularly stories about the time before he joined the ticket,” his spokesman Marc Lotter said Tuesday. The meeting, which also included then-Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and son-in-law Jared Kushner, took place right after Trump clinched the Republican nomination last summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pence\u2019s reaction to the disclosure appeared to be a stark departure from his usual blanket rejections that there was any contact between Trumpland and the Russians, as well as from Pence’s usual effusive praise of Trump.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe all see what\u2019s happening here. The roof is falling in on the president and the administration,\u201d said political commentator Stuart Rothenberg. \u201cI took it as an effort to\u2026 create a separate narrative. It\u2019s hard for me to believe it\u2019s anything else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ron Klain, who worked for former Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore, put it more bluntly on Twitter: “I’ve never seen any @VP statement that so distanced himself from the @POTUS.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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I worked for two VPs — one in a WH facing impeachment. I've never seen any @VP<\/a> statement that so distanced himself from the @POTUS<\/a>. https:\/\/t.co\/Qal4vRRluC<\/a><\/p>\n

— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) July 11, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But spokesman Lotter argued Wednesday that his original statement explained that Pence is still focused on advancing Trump’s agenda. The vice president, Lotter said, continues to have a packed schedule that recently included multiple meetings Tuesday on health care and a trip to Kentucky on Wednesday to help sell the GOP bill. “Any suggestion that he is distancing himself is laughable armchair punditry,” Lotter said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet another adviser, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said Pence is taking a wait-and-see approach to the latest controversy before mounting a robust defense of the administration.<\/span><\/p>\n

The adviser said Pence is handling the situation in the same way he did with the biggest bombshell during the campaign season \u2013 the release of the Access Hollywood tapes in which Trump bragged about groping women. Pence canceled a campaign trip to Wisconsin and laid low for several days, until Trump apologized during the debate. In the same way, Pence is letting Trump take the lead on responding to the latest Russia revelations, the adviser said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The measured response is evidence of the tight rope Pence continues to walk as he tries to support his boss without sacrificing his own reputation and political future.<\/span><\/p>\n

With growing criminal and congressional investigations into possible collusion between the Trump team and the Russian government, Pence has tried to keep his distance from potential scandals but he\u2019s still had to lawyer up \u2013 hiring last month Richard Cullen, former U.S. attorney who is chairman of Washington, D.C.-based law firm McGuire Woods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pence may be playing it more cautiously since he has been sent out time and again to defend the president on many controversial issues, from Russia to voter fraud claims Trump has made without evidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

And some of his previous comments have come back to bite him. Pence, in a January appearance on CBS\u2019s Face the Nation, dismissed as \u201cbizarre rumors\u201d the question of whether anyone in the Trump campaign had contact with Russians who were trying to meddle in the election.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Of course not,” Pence said when posed a similar question by Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday. “Why would there be any contacts between the campaign?”<\/span><\/p>\n

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FLASHBACK: Mike Pence January 2017.<\/p>\n

Q: Did any Trump campaign member have contact with the Russians?<\/p>\n

Pence: "Of course not." pic.twitter.com\/uSgQMkpydv<\/a><\/p>\n

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 9, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Trump Jr.’s emails, of course, call these comments into question. So while Mike Murphy, another longtime friend of Pence and an Indiana political strategist, said Pence might be one of the most loyal people he\u2019s ever met \u2013 he notes that \u201che\u2019s also not na\u00efve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Murphy said the facts surrounding the Trump Jr. meeting are continuing to emerge, so it doesn\u2019t make sense for Pence to give a full-throated defense of the situation yet. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s disloyal,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s prudent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rothenberg, the political commentator, said Pence faces the classic problem all vice presidents have: They need the president to do well and their job is to be supportive. But at the same time, they have to look out for their own future. And these kinds of controversies make that job difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s trying to walk those fine lines. `Yeah, I\u2019m supportive, but I didn\u2019t know about his stuff,\u2019\u201d Rothenberg said. \u201cHe\u2019ll have to go back and forth on this line depending upon the next shoe to drop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But those who know Pence well say they expect him to remain loyal to Trump, even as he takes steps for self-preservation. \u201cHe is 150 percent a Trumpster now,\u201d said Rex Early, former chairman of the Indiana GOP who headed the Trump\/Pence campaign in the state. \u201cHe\u2019s loyal, as he should be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Calling Pence \u201cthe ultimate team player,\u201d Indiana Republican Bob Grand said Pence\u2019s comment was just a statement of fact, not an attempt to distance himself from the situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s cherished the moment that he got selected,” said Grand, a top GOP fundraiser and Pence friend who helped Pence celebrate his recent birthday on Air Force 2. “He worked tirelessly on the campaign\u2026That\u2019s a team. He\u2019s with the president.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As he spoke to students at American University, Pence did not address the controversy, but he did call Trump a champion, a visionary and a bold leader who is restoring America\u2019s rightful role as leader of the free world. White House spokesman Sarah Sanders insisted Tuesday “there’s absolutely no distance between the president and vice president.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet there is a distinct difference in how each leader is approaching the latest bombshell.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Trump has vented publicly, lashing out at the media and other perceived enemies, Pence in recent days has taken a business-as-usual approach: tweeting photos of himself riding horses in Rock Creek Park, meeting with Senate Majority Mitch McConnell on Capitol Hill, and praising Trump’s European trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thanks @RoyBlunt<\/a> for joining @SeemaCMS<\/a> @SecretaryZinke<\/a> & me on ride thru Rock Creek Park & thanks to @usparkpolicepio<\/a> for your work everyday pic.twitter.com\/rWSM0Gyznh<\/a><\/p>\n

— Vice President Pence (@VP) July 8, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Was @ Capitol today to advance @POTUS<\/a>' agenda, working w\/ @SenateMajLdr<\/a> to #RepealAndReplace<\/a> Obamacare. In KY tomorrow to discuss healthcare pic.twitter.com\/TiwwK6Ujg4<\/a><\/p>\n

— Vice President Pence (@VP) July 11, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And while there are plenty of news stories quoting exasperated White House aides and unhappiness in Trump\u2019s inner circle, there are rarely comments from Pence or those close to him about his state of mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pence\u2019s Wednesday speech at American University shed little insight, but he did have these lessons for the students: Aspire to be men and women of character. Respect and defer to those above you in authority. Have a healthy dose of courage. \u201cAs President Trump said just a few months ago, nothing worth doing ever came easy,\u201d Pence said.<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s another lesson Pence may be learning in this White House, as the vice president has hit plenty of obstacles in recent weeks even beyond the congressional and special counsel investigations involving current and past members of the Trump administration.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s not just Russia squabbles. Pence has also had the recent headache of heading the voter fraud commission President Trump created, seemingly in hopes of backing his unsubstantiated claims millions of fraudulent votes cost him the popular vote last year. The commission has sparked a backlash from secretaries of state \u2013 including from Pence\u2019s home state \u2013 and the American Civil Liberties Union is among the groups suing Pence’s panel even before its first scheduled meeting next week.<\/span><\/p>\n

What’s more, some of the policy positions Pence cares most about haven\u2019t yet come to fruition.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the administration\u2019s top policy goal of repealing and replacing Obamacare, Pence has not yet seen the same success in the Senate as he did in the House in helping lawmakers find a way to get enough votes for passage. His boss continues to complicate negotiations with his shifting comments on how to proceed, frustrating senators who are already exasperated with the distractions of the daily developments on the Russia investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

David McIntosh, a longtime friend of Pence\u2019s who runs the Club for Growth, said Pence hasn\u2019t let the ongoing investigations deter him from focusing on the legislative agenda. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a factor at all in how he\u2019s doing the job,\u201d said McIntosh, whose group is pushing for repeal of the Affordable Care Act.<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, as the White House continues to put out political fires, there was much speculation that Pence was looking out for his own future when he created in May a super PAC, allowing him to raise money that can be used to help candidates \u2013 but also strengthens his position in the party.<\/span><\/p>\n

The New York Times recently detailed Pence\u2019s wooing of donors, including through regular dinners held at the vice president\u2019s official residence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grand, however, said Pence\u2019s PAC is just another way he\u2019s helping the team, in addition to directly raising money for various party organizations, candidates and other PACs. \u201cThe question is, how do you strengthen the team? This is another avenue,\u201d the Indiana Republican said.<\/span><\/p>\n

And he dismissed the question of whether Pence could reach the point where he no longer wants to be part of that team.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI honestly don\u2019t think there\u2019s a breaking point,\u201d Grand said. \u201cHe\u2019s the vice president of the United States. I think he\u2019s doing a great job. Every day, all day long, the administration is under attack. Time and time again, you listen to all the commentary of people who speculate about all these things. From his standpoint I would hope, I don\u2019t know, but I would hope, that he just continues to do his job.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2017\/07\/12\/how-vp-mike-pence-weathering-donald-trump-jr-s-russia-revelations\/473323001\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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