Indiana Gov. Mike Pence had a nearly impossible wall to scale during the vice presidential debate Tuesday night: convincing the American people that Donald Trump is not, in fact, Donald Trump.
But attempting to persuade us that Trump is not Trump is like trying to explain the recent spate of clown sightings around campus: it’s futile, nonsensical and thoroughly befuddling for all parties involved.
Unless, of course, you are — like Pence — utterly convinced that Trump is not Trump.
Had Pence and Democratic nominee Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) been debating for the presidency themselves, things might have been different. Pence was, admittedly, much more composed than Kaine throughout the debate. He seemed cool and collected, while Kaine came off as overeager and antsy.
But this wasn’t a presidential debate — it was between the vice presidential candidates and thus a fundamentally different debate. They weren’t entirely representing their own views but instead serving as proxies for Trump and Hillary Clinton, respectively.
Pence has an intriguing rhetorical style in that he absolutely refuses to concede a point. If he’s made up his mind about something, he simply does not accept any other realities as even mere points of contention.
This makes for an interesting — and at times absurd — debate.
Exhibit A: When asked if he could rationalize his statement that Trump is “thoughtful, compassionate and steady,” Pence responded by saying that Kaine and Clinton “would know a lot about an insult-driven campaign.”
Uh. Well. Excuse me while I unroll the miles-long laundry list of Trump’s slanders, insults and name-calling.
The thing is, this characteristic also makes Pence a perfect VP pick for Trump.
Pence bases his whole appeal on his apple-pie-and-wholesome-goodness ethos. In his opening remarks, he cast himself as a small-town southern Indiana boy.
In doing so, he establishes a sort of charm that says, ”Trust me, I’m harmless.” Because of this, he’s able to get away with justifying Trump’s stances. He’s able to stand up on a debate stage and deny the very things that make Trump who he is.
Those who have put up with Pence’s policies and rhetoric for a long time — i.e. Hoosiers — know that this, quite simply, is how he operates in all things — not just debates.
One classic example of a Pence evasive maneuver is his 2015 interview with George Stephanopolous about the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act that he signed. During the interview, Stephanopolous asked Pence whether it was now legal for a Christian florist to deny business to LGBT customers.
He asked Pence this not once, not twice, but several times. And Pence just flat out refused to answer.
At one point, he even said, “Come on, George. Hoosiers don’t believe in discrimination.”
The interview turned out to be a PR disaster for Pence, but it made one thing clear: Pence is not only capable of denying reality, but more than eager to do so. And while on the campaign trial for Trump, that is a truly invaluable trait.
acgroove@indiana.edu
