'It's so over': Former Trump VP Mike Pence ridiculed as he seeks to revive political career months after dropping out of presidential race
WASHINGTON, DC: At a conference of mostly conservative Jewish leaders in midtown Manhattan, Mike Pence defended his support for Israel, receiving applause for nearly thirty minutes.
When Zvika Klein, the chief editor of The Jerusalem Post, asked Pence, an evangelical Christian, to lead the room in prayer for the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, he hardly hesitated.
"It would be my great honor: Let us pray," said Pence, who served as Donald Trump's vice president from 2017 to 2021. His invocation drew a chorus of "Amen."
Over the past seven months, following his withdrawal from the Republican presidential nomination ahead of impending losses in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Pence has been engaging with supportive audiences as part of his effort to revive his political career.
Equally, he positions himself as a custodian of the conservative values of the Republican Party he once knew, values which he believes have been reshaped by Trump, according to the New York Times.
Mike Pence wants Republicans to return the core GOP values
His political advocacy group has also pledged to invest $20 million this year in promoting conservative stances through appearances and advertisements on various issues, including tariffs, government expenditure, and the United States' international role.
He has publicly stated that he will not endorse Trump, who selected him as vice president during his tenure as governor of Indiana. Pence even appeared in prominent television interviews to oppose Trump's changing stance on abortion.
Furthermore, at 65, he has not ruled out another presidential run.
In an interview ahead of the midtown Manhattan conference, the former vice president noted, "The role I want to play is to be a champion for a broad, mainstream conservative agenda that’s defined the Republican Party since the days of Ronald Reagan. I see some evidence that some voices in and around our party are departing from that — I want my voice, my organization, to be an anchor to windward."
Mike Pence expressed surprise at the idea of being isolated within the Republican Party
Pence appeared surprised by the notion that he had become isolated within his own party, akin to a Republican Robinson Crusoe, standing solitary as Trump reshapes the party in his own image.
He responded, "I hope not. I hope I’m on a continent. I’m where I’ve always been since I joined the Republican Party. When I was running for president, people would often say, 'Mike Pence’s problem is that he’s running in a Republican Party that doesn’t exist anymore.'"
"That wasn’t my experience. Everywhere I went on the campaign trail, people, whether they were supporting the former president or supporting someone else, almost invariably would say, ‘I appreciate what you stand for'. I’m convinced that this is still a conservative party," added the former Indiana governor.
The evidence of his isolation is clear. Pence mentioned he hasn't spoken to Trump in "a long time."
It is reported that he is unlikely to receive a prominent speaking role at the Republican convention in Milwaukee this July. According to a YouGov/Economist poll from March, 52 percent of Republicans view Pence unfavorably, while 42 percent hold a favorable view of the former vice president.
Internet ridicules Mike Pence as he seeks to revive his political career
One wrote, "Spoiler: his political career is so over," and another added, "Trump was his career."
"Time for him to take up knitting," quipped a person, while someone else said, "He believes deeply in fairy tales."
An individual fumed, "He is an outcast to the working class in the country, 100% RINO."
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
