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Its good to maintain perspective on the current chaos in Washington and so I look to a number of sources for input.

They include The Washington Post, The New York Times, the television networks, occasionally Fox News, and also comedian Albert Brooks. Heres a tweet he put out in March:

President Mike Pence. The president, Mike Pence. President Pence. President and Mrs. Michael Pence. I was just practicing.

Brooks is a comedian, so its a joke, right? In fact, I borrowed it for use at this years Gridiron Dinner. Thanks, Albert. It got some laughs.

Yet it now appears, all joking aside, that a President Pence is a real possibility, what with the Russia investigations, talk of impeachment and all. And it could be that one Michael R. Pence is preparing for that possibility. More on that in a little bit.

First, lets just contemplate how the fortunes of Mike Pence have changed in the last year. He went from a guy struggling to be re-elected as governor, to vice presidential nominee, to surprise winner on Nov. 8. I can tell you he was surprised, if you werent, because he previously committed to be at a reception for my retirement from WISH-TV Channel 8 on the 11th. He sent a Sagamore of the Wabash (I have found the opportunity to thank him personally) but no one was there to present it. He was otherwise occupied as the VP-elect and didnt have a Plan B.

Meanwhile, we all know Pence had his sights on the White House for some time. When he publicly debated over a run for re-election to Congress versus a run for governor in 2012, he was careful to remind reporters that he was also weighing a possible run for the highest office in the land.

When he became governor, public appearances suddenly looked more and more presidential. The state seal adorned every rostrum he stood behind. News conferences and bill signings had themes with signage to match. House Minority Leader Scott Pelath told me that, when legislative leaders would meet in the governors office, it was like going to the White House. There were eight people taking pictures, he said.

(By comparison, Pelath said meetings with Mitch Daniels were like a trip to the principals office and meetings with Eric Holcomb are surprisingly normal.)

Now, back to what Pence is doing currently. He has started a political action committee and he recently established a plan to make political appearances around the country over the summer. They are moves that are within the realm of vice presidential duties but some pundits see Pence positioning himself for bigger things. Denials mean nothing at this point.

So, lets speculate a little bit. A Pence presidency would be good for Indiana. Make no doubt about it. Every civic leader in this state would suddenly be on a first-name basis with the commander-in-chief. The president would have a clear understanding of every issue facing the state.

But how long would it last? Would a President Pence be forced to pardon his predecessor, as Gerald Ford did? Would that doom his career?

Would he display the sort of leadership failures that marked his term as governor? Would he be steered by ideology?

Or, would he rise to the occasion?

That would be good for America and it would also increase the value of my Sagamore.

__________

Shella hosted WFYIs Indiana Week in Review for 25 years and covered Indiana politics for WISH-TV for more than three decades. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.

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SHELLA: President Mike Pence. The president, Mike Pence? - Indianapolis Business Journal

Updated: Jun 9, 2017 - 7:54 PM

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Vice President Mike Pence arrived in metro Atlanta Friday to meet with airmen and their families at Dobbins Air Force base.

Pence arrived in Marietta on Air Force Two just before 11 a.m. He talked to a crowd of service members and then met with them.

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He also attended an event to help raise money for Karen Handel. Handel is up against Jon Ossoff in the Georgia 6th Congressional District runoff this month.

Channel 2's Richard Elliot spoke one-on-one with the Vice President about the high stakes in the6th District race.

Pence said the election is not just about the 6th District, but also about the Trump presidency, and that's why it's important to Republicans.

"This is being turned into, in many ways, a referendum on the choice the American people made last fall, and we've seen that in other special elections," he said.

That focus has helped turn the election into one of the most expensive congressional races in U.S. history and both Democrats and Republicans have pumped millions of dollars into the Handel and Ossoff campaigns.

"And we've seen resources coming in from all over the country, which it's a free country. People are entitled to participated and a lot of people are supporting Karen Handel," Pence said.

Handel told the crowd Friday that they helped raise $250,000, making it a total of $5 million for her campaign. She said the vice president's support means the world to her.

"It has been extraordinarily humbling and Vice President Pence has been more than gracious in his comments for me and about me," she said.

A spokesperson for Ossoff sent a statement on Pence's visit which said:

"Jon Ossoff spent today talking to 6th district voters at public events in the community, as he has done since the beginning of this campaign, sharing his vision for growing metro Atlanta's economy by cutting government waste and prioritizing high-tech and biotech research."

Early voting is already underway and election day is June 20.

2017 Cox Media Group.

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VP Mike Pence visits metro Atlanta - WSB Atlanta

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Friday, June 9, 2017, 6:00 PM

Hamilton is still the hottest ticket in town, but demand for the much-coveted seats have dropped among one sector: Republican pols.

Interest from the right side of the aisle started to sag after Vice President Mike Pences much discussed visit to the red-hot Broadway hit, Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis told us at the Publics annual gala at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Shortly after the November election, waves were made when actor Brandon Victor Dixon who plays Vice President Aaron Burr in the show addressed Pence at curtain call, urging him and the Trump administration to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. An angry Donald Trump took to Twitter, and many a Republican cried foul.

Interestingly enough, since that night we've had a decrease in requests from Republican elected officials, said show producer Eustis, who helped guide the development of the musical, which debuted at the Public Theater in February 2015 and moved to Broadways Richard Rodgers Theatre the following August. Prior to that, he said, we had lots of folks Dick Cheney, Lynne Cheney and I think there's less interest.

'Hamilton' breaks box office record after Mike Pence controversy

As Eustis recently revealed, the Cheneys almost didn't make it. At the Concert for America at Town Hall in April, Eustis recounted the story of how he faced a tough decision when the pairs names came to the top of his waiting list - and he was tempted to skip right past the controversial and much-despised former veep. After all, nobody would know.

He consulted with Angels in America playwright Tony Kushner, who told him he ought to give the Cheneys their tickets so he did.

What if Donald Trump wanted to come to the show, we asked him would he and Melania get seats?

11 photos view gallery

Sure, said Eustis. He's the President of the United States, I'm not going to say no to the President to see our show.

Danai Gurira calls 'Hamilton' speech to Mike Pence a 'war cry'

Eustis half-hearted invitation to our 45th president shouldnt be mistaken for an endoresment.

Whether he's my President personally isn't the issue, he said.

With Nicki Gostin

Read the original:
Hankering for 'Hamilton' tickets cooled among GOP pols after Pence curtain-call flap, says producer - New York Daily News

Michael King, WXIA 3:30 PM. EDT June 09, 2017

Vice President Mike Pence at Dobbins ARB on Friday, June 9, 2017 (Photo: WXIA)

The White House has released the full text of Vice President Mike Pence's speech as delivered Friday morning at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta:

REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE TO TROOPS AND FAMILY MEMBERS

11:08 A.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much, General. It is great to be in Georgia at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, a place of history and consequence in the life of this nation. (Applause.)

Its wonderful to see you all, servicemen and women in uniform and also your wonderful families. And I bring greetings from your Commander-in-Chief, a tireless defender of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, President Donald Trump. (Applause.)

I want to thank General Parker for welcoming us here today and for his great leadership of the 94th Air Wing.

And thank you to all leadership of this Air Reserve Base that's here with us today -- General Stokes, General Jarrard, General Simmons, and General Blackstock. We are so proud of the leadership and the men and women who serve at this great Air Reserve base. Could you give them all a big round of applause? They sure deserve it. (Applause.)

And let also say I really enjoyed bringing some congressmen home to you today. I hope you saw them come off the plane. These are extraordinary men of principle -- who I can tell you having served with a few of them in the House of Representatives myself -- represent your state and represent your states values so well -- Congressman Tom Graves, Congressman Doug Collins, Congressman Barry Loudermilk, Congressman Drew Ferguson, and Congressman Austin Scott. Would you give them and their families a big round of applause? (Applause.) And to all the men and women who serve here at Dobbins Air Reserve Base and your families who are here, it really is my honor to be with you today.

Its a particular honor, only four days after the anniversary of D-Day, to be here with a veteran of the Second World War. He joined the Navy on the day he turned 17, and I havent spotted him yet. But Mr. Allan Hall is with us today. And on behalf of the American people and your entire generation, Allan, thank you for your service. (Applause.)

The Good Book says: If you owe debts, pay debts. If honor, then honor. If respect, then respect.

I stand before you today on behalf of your Commander-in-Chief, President Donald Trump, simply to pay a debt of honor and gratitude and respect to each one of you who stepped forward and put on the uniform of the United States. You've earned the well-deserved respect of the President of the United States, the people of Georgia, and the American people. The American people are proud of the men and women who serve in our armed forces at every level, and Im here to tell you that. (Applause.)

You are the sons and daughters of freedom, and now you have stood up and stepped forward to defend that freedom in the uniform of the United States. Youre patriots, all; heroes, all. You are the best of us, and everyone here in Georgia and every American is grateful to you. So Im here today more than anything else to say thank you for your service. Thank you for your courage.

And as the proud father of a United States Marine, let me also just take a moment to give these soldiers a chance to say thanks to all the family members who are with us here today who make it possible for the men and women of our Guard and Reserve to serve. (Applause.)

The truth is your loved ones enlist, but its families who serve. And I know that well. So I just want to express again my appreciation for everyone who keeps the home fires burning. When you're sent overseas, as some in this unit are as we speak, its the families that take care of things at home and give you the peace of mind to be able to step forward and serve our country.

But lets just take a minute and marvel at where we are today in this extraordinary place known as Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Its been a bastion of American strength for over 70 years. Since 1943, the air wings stationed here and the aircraft built here have flown for freedom across the globe -- over Europe and the Pacific in World War Two, over Korea and Vietnam, in Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom, and essentially every conflict in between.

As I prepared to come before you today, I learned that personnel from this base are, as we speak, downrange, in harms way, serving freedom and serving the people of the United States with distinction, as people from Dobbins Air Reserve Base have done over the course of these more than seven decades.

It's remarkable to think that Dobbins Air Reserve Base is now the largest multi-service training base anywhere in the world. (Applause.)

Here, our men and women in uniform train for combat and ready themselves for deployment at a moments notice. Four hundred and ten airmen from the 94th are deployed overseas as we speak, and theyre in our hearts and in our prayers.

In my last job, as governor of Indiana, I had the high honor to serve as commander-in-chief of the Indiana National Guard. It was the greatest privilege I had in that role. So I know firsthand the importance of our guardsmen and our reservists, and the heroic service that you and your families render. You serve both community and country and you complete the total force -- and make no mistake about it, you represent the unbreakable backbone of American freedom. And you have our deepest respect. (Applause.)

To all in our Guard and Reserve, know that your Commander-in-Chief is grateful for your service. And I'm here to tell you President Donald Trump is the best friend the Armed Forces of the United States will ever have. (Applause.)

You know, I can tell you, I told the President I was headed this way, and he wanted me to give you his thanks and his warmest respects and regards.

Serving with him every day, I can assure you President Donald Trump has no higher priority than the safety and security of the American people, and to protect our nation, this President has committed this administration and called on this Congress to make historic investments in our national defense. And this we will do. (Applause.)

Now, just a few weeks ago, speaking before your brothers and sisters in arms stationed in Italy, our President, rightly, said, in his words, the men and women of the U.S. military have been the greatest force for peace and justice in the history of the world. And since day one of our administration, President Trump has been fighting tirelessly to rebuild our military, restore the arsenal of democracy. And we will once again give our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guard, Reserve and Guard the resources and the training you need to accomplish your mission to protect our country and come home safe. That is our pledge to you. (Applause.)

And let me assure you, it's not just talk. Working with these distinguished members of Congress last month, the President signed a $21 billion increase in funding for the Armed Forces of the United States. It was the largest investment in military readiness in nearly 10 years. (Applause.)

And just a few weeks ago, President Donald Trump sent his first budget to Capitol Hill and laid out our plans to work with this Congress, and we're going to pass the largest increase in military spending since the days of Ronald Reagan. We're going to get it done and we're going to rebuild our military. (Applause.)

Men and women of Dobbins Air Reserve Base, you heard it from me: The era of budget cuts to the American Armed Forces is over and a new era of American strength has begun. (Applause.)

Our President is determined to work with the Congress to make the strongest fighting force in history stronger still. And with renewed strength, our President is restoring Americas rightful place in the world.

It really was inspiring, wasnt it, to see the Presidents leadership on the world stage during his historic trip to Europe and the Middle East just a few weeks ago. He affirmed our old alliances; he forged new partnerships. And every step of the way, we saw this President stepping without apology into Americas role as leader of the free world. And under President Donald Trump, America will lead again. (Applause.)

And this Commander-in-Chief made it clear we're going to stand with our allies and stand up to our enemies. And under President Trumps leadership, the strength of Americas Armed Forces will come together, and we will hunt down and destroy ISIS at its sources, and we will drive the cancer of radical Islamic terrorism from the face of the Earth. (Applause.)

It seems like every day, we have another gruesome reminder of the threat that global terrorism places on our people and on our allies. It represents the greatest threat facing our nation and our way of life. In just the past week alone, weve seen horrific terrorist attacks in our cherished allies, Australia and the United Kingdom. Our hearts break for the families of the victims and the injured in London, and Melbourne. They're the latest innocents to suffer at the hands of terrorists, joining those who fell in Manchester, Kabul, Paris, Istanbul, Brussels, Berlin, San Bernardino, and so many others from barbaric acts of terrorism. They and their families have our prayers.

But more than that, they have our unwavering resolve. As this President said earlier this week, with the strength of the Armed Forces of the United States of America and the resolve of the American people, this bloodshed will end. I promise you.

As we speak, your brothers and sisters in uniform are taking the fight to terrorists on our terms on, their soil, and people from this base are in the fight. ISIS is on the run in Syria. Theyre on the run in Iraq. Were driving them out of Mosul. Were driving them toward their capital of Raqqa. And President Donald Trump will not rest and will not relent until we destroy ISIS at its source so it can no longer threaten our people or threaten our allies or freedoms around the world. (Applause.)

But in this time of widening challenges and unknowable threats, all of you must continue to be ready. Brave men and women of Dobbins Air Reserve Base may yet be called upon again in a wider way to be instruments of American power. And when that day comes, your Commander-in-Chief and I know youll be prepared to do what those who have gone before have done. For you know full well, in this place and in the great state of Georgia, as the Old Book says, the soldier does not bear the sword in vain. We know you will be ready when you are called.

While we must always work and hope and pray for peace, the best way to protect the peace is for our adversaries to know without exception that America is always prepared to fight and win any contest, any struggle, any war where the freedom and national interests of the United States of America are at stake. (Applause.)

Under President Trump, the United States will be strong -- stronger than ever before. Well be strong in arms. Well be strong in will. And just as we have been since the hour of our nations birth, under President Trump, America will be strong in our conviction that our cause is just and freedom is worth defending.

And I truly do stand before you today very humbled. See, Im the father of a Marine, and Im the son of a combat veteran. But unlike those of you that are proudly wearing the green today, my life didnt take me into the uniform of the United States. But as I stand before you today as Ive had the privilege to stand before men and women in uniform across this country and around the world, I can just tell you: I look in your eyes, I see your determination, I know of your professionalism, and I know of the sacrifices of you and your family, and I have faith. I have faith that together with you, standing on the ramparts of freedom, that we will make America safe again. And we will make America prosperous again. And to borrow a phrase, strongly standing with our military here in Georgia and all across the nation and all across the world, we will make America great again. (Applause.)

Thank you all very much. Thank you for coming out. And thank you for you service to the United States of America. God bless you all. (Applause.)

END 11:24 A.M. EDT

2017 WXIA-TV

WXIA

Vice President Mike Pence arrives in metro Atlanta

Originally posted here:
Full text of VP Mike Pence's speech at Dobbins ARB Friday morning ... - WXIA-TV

Vice President Mike Pence is heading to Georgia on Friday to campaign with Karen Handel, the Republican candidate running to replace Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price in the House.

The White House announced Thursday that Pence will head to Georgia on Friday morning, first to speak with airmen and other service members at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta.

Following that appearance, he'll attend an event with Handel. He committed to campaign for Handel late last month.

Handel is running a tough campaign against Democrat Jon Ossoff, who finished first in the primary election earlier this year but didn't get enough votes to win Price's old seat then. The run-off election is set for June 20.

Pence signed an email fundraising appeal for Handel's campaign earlier this week as the Republican tries to make up the funding gap between her and Ossoff's campaign. He's raised more than $8.3 million in the first three months of the year, whereas Handel only raised $500,000.

The seat for Georgia's 6th Congressional District has been held by Republicans for decades. The election is seen as a sort of referendum for President Trump's administration and whether Democrats can mount a challenge to Republican dominance of the federal government in the 2018 election.

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Mike Pence to campaign for Karen Handel in Georgia House race - Washington Examiner