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| Donald Trump's latest trick: turning Mike Pence into media catnip | Donald Trump's latest trick: turning Mike Pence into media catnip |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Donald Trump has done the impossible: he has made Mike Pence interesting. | Donald Trump has done the impossible: he has made Mike Pence interesting. |
| The governor of Indiana, a social conservative, looks like a politician from central casting, a well-coiffed Hoosier who might sit silently behind any president through any State of the Union speech. | The governor of Indiana, a social conservative, looks like a politician from central casting, a well-coiffed Hoosier who might sit silently behind any president through any State of the Union speech. |
| In recent weeks, as the Trump veepstakes dragged on, he stayed relentlessly scripted, perpetually on-message. Next to the other finalists, the former House speaker Newt Gingrich and the New Jersey governor, Chris Christie, he lacked star power. He lacked pizzazz. | In recent weeks, as the Trump veepstakes dragged on, he stayed relentlessly scripted, perpetually on-message. Next to the other finalists, the former House speaker Newt Gingrich and the New Jersey governor, Chris Christie, he lacked star power. He lacked pizzazz. |
| Then, with an existential crisis more worthy of a candidate for prince of Denmark than president of the United States, Trump changed all that. | Then, with an existential crisis more worthy of a candidate for prince of Denmark than president of the United States, Trump changed all that. |
| After news of Pence’s choice leaked on Thursday afternoon, first to Roll Call and then confirmed to at least a dozen other outlets including the Guardian, Trump suddenly insisted that it wasn’t a “final, final decision”. He prevaricated in TV interviews and canceled his scheduled VP announcement in order to pay tribute to the victims of the truck attack in Nice. | After news of Pence’s choice leaked on Thursday afternoon, first to Roll Call and then confirmed to at least a dozen other outlets including the Guardian, Trump suddenly insisted that it wasn’t a “final, final decision”. He prevaricated in TV interviews and canceled his scheduled VP announcement in order to pay tribute to the victims of the truck attack in Nice. |
| Through it all, and a round trip on a private jet from Indiana to New York on Thursday, Pence remained silent. | Through it all, and a round trip on a private jet from Indiana to New York on Thursday, Pence remained silent. |
| The clock, however, was ticking. Pence had until noon on Friday to withdraw from his re-election campaign in Indiana, or else be ineligible to run for vice-president under state law. Sensing this, his rivals for VP tossed out fiery rhetoric, in an attempt to convince Trump to change his mind. | The clock, however, was ticking. Pence had until noon on Friday to withdraw from his re-election campaign in Indiana, or else be ineligible to run for vice-president under state law. Sensing this, his rivals for VP tossed out fiery rhetoric, in an attempt to convince Trump to change his mind. |
| Most strikingly, Gingrich went on Fox News to say: “We should, frankly, test every person here who is of a Muslim background and if they believe in sharia, they should be deported.” | Most strikingly, Gingrich went on Fox News to say: “We should, frankly, test every person here who is of a Muslim background and if they believe in sharia, they should be deported.” |
| This all added immense drama to what otherwise would have been a relatively dull process. Pence was the safe pick, but instead of a strategic leak the night before an announcement then safely confirmed by the campaign, there began a dramatic “he said, she said” news story, full of twists and turns. | This all added immense drama to what otherwise would have been a relatively dull process. Pence was the safe pick, but instead of a strategic leak the night before an announcement then safely confirmed by the campaign, there began a dramatic “he said, she said” news story, full of twists and turns. |
| Eventually, just before 11am on Friday, Trump tweeted that he had chosen Pence. The crisis was resolved. Apparently. | Eventually, just before 11am on Friday, Trump tweeted that he had chosen Pence. The crisis was resolved. Apparently. |
| But on Saturday morning at a midtown Manhattan hotel, Trump still delivered a strikingly unorthodox rollout. The billionaire took the stage just after 11am and delivered a nearly half-hour-long, stream-of-consciousness monologue. | But on Saturday morning at a midtown Manhattan hotel, Trump still delivered a strikingly unorthodox rollout. The billionaire took the stage just after 11am and delivered a nearly half-hour-long, stream-of-consciousness monologue. |
| Pence was barely mentioned. Trump talked extensively about himself, bragging that “no one in the history of this country has known so much about infrastructure as Donald Trump” and even insisting that “school choice is where it’s at, folks”. | Pence was barely mentioned. Trump talked extensively about himself, bragging that “no one in the history of this country has known so much about infrastructure as Donald Trump” and even insisting that “school choice is where it’s at, folks”. |
| He weighed in on the coup attempt in Turkey, saying: “As far as Turkey is concerned, so many friends in Turkey, great people, amazing people, we wish them well. It looks like they are resolving the difficulty but we wish them well, a lot of anguish last night but hopefully it will all work out.” | He weighed in on the coup attempt in Turkey, saying: “As far as Turkey is concerned, so many friends in Turkey, great people, amazing people, we wish them well. It looks like they are resolving the difficulty but we wish them well, a lot of anguish last night but hopefully it will all work out.” |
| He also attacked Hillary Clinton and bragged that he had predicted the result of the British referendum on whether to leave the European Union. | He also attacked Hillary Clinton and bragged that he had predicted the result of the British referendum on whether to leave the European Union. |
| “I think it was a win for them,” he said. | “I think it was a win for them,” he said. |
| Busy weekend in NY! Enjoying a quick dinner with the family at @Chilis. Looking forward to getting back to Indiana. pic.twitter.com/SUFjYcvQpH | Busy weekend in NY! Enjoying a quick dinner with the family at @Chilis. Looking forward to getting back to Indiana. pic.twitter.com/SUFjYcvQpH |
| It was bizarre – and, sure enough, it grabbed the media’s attention. Most presidential candidates introducing a running mate deliver a paean to their chosen one. Trump talked about every topic under the sun, occasionally mentioning Pence but then digressing. | It was bizarre – and, sure enough, it grabbed the media’s attention. Most presidential candidates introducing a running mate deliver a paean to their chosen one. Trump talked about every topic under the sun, occasionally mentioning Pence but then digressing. |
| Eventually, the Indiana governor took the stage. Trump quickly left it. There wasn’t even time for a decent picture of the two men embracing. | Eventually, the Indiana governor took the stage. Trump quickly left it. There wasn’t even time for a decent picture of the two men embracing. |
| Left on his own, Pence gave a solid but unspectacular speech. He hit all the right notes but with no flights of fancy, no moments of inspiration. Save for the comment that he received a phone call on Wednesday offering the VP position, a statement that ran contra to the narrative as reported, it was entirely forgettable. | Left on his own, Pence gave a solid but unspectacular speech. He hit all the right notes but with no flights of fancy, no moments of inspiration. Save for the comment that he received a phone call on Wednesday offering the VP position, a statement that ran contra to the narrative as reported, it was entirely forgettable. |
| He had no need to say anything interesting. In the zigzagging drama of the past 48 hours, Trump had successfully created yet another unorthodox spectacle. | He had no need to say anything interesting. In the zigzagging drama of the past 48 hours, Trump had successfully created yet another unorthodox spectacle. |