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Mike Pence on Friday reaffirmed that he not only never had a moral compass, he's lost his ability to pretend that he has one.

Yep, you guys are really gonna do great things together: hit people you don't like, lie about it, slap each other on the back, maybe hobnob with some Russians.

Donald Trump naturally called the candidate's victory a "great win" after endorsing him as a "wonderful guy." But frankly, that's to be expected. Gianforte is Trumpsmini-me who actually clocked a reportersomething Trump himself bragged about wanting to do on the campaign trail.

What's been interesting is watching Mike Pence lose all bearing on the appearance of what's acceptablebecause of the idiot presidency he signed up for. Keep it up, Mikey. Your political viability is going down the crapper by the day. You may well end up in the history booksalongside Spiro Agnew.

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The morally reprehensible Mike Pence congratulates the morally reprehensible Greg Gianforte - Daily Kos

Some students at the Catholic university plan to walk out of the speech as part of a protest against Pence and his policies, which they say target marginalized people on the basis of their religion, skin color or sexual orientation, according to the student activist group We Stand For.

Luis Miranda, a co-organizer of the walkout, said Pence, as Indiana governor and as vice president, targeted vulnerable people with his policies. Catholic values promote standing up for the poor and marginalized, so he plans to stand up on Sunday, literally.

"They are going to be in the audience in one of the most important moments of my life with someone targeting them for who they are," he said.

As of Thursday afternoon, about 75 people had signed up to participate in the walkout.

"This is not just about the numbers, but about standing up for truth," Miranda said. "We feel that there is power in truth and hopefully there will be power in numbers that come stand up with us."

The university is not particularly worried about the protest.

Paul Browne, a spokesperson for Notre Dame, said walkout organizers reached out to police and administrators ahead of time to plan the quiet proceedings.

"We're not concerned," Browne said. "We think they will be respectful in the way they express their differences with the administration."

Browne said officials were more concerned with the potential for thunderstorms on Sunday, which could force them to move the commencement from the spacious outdoor football stadium to a smaller arena.

Pence will become the first vice president to deliver a commencement speech at Notre Dame when he receives an honorary degree on Sunday, according to the university.

Six presidents from both sides of the aisle have given commencement speeches at Notre Dame, including Barack Obama in 2009 and George W. Bush in 2001.

Pence received his bachelor's degree from Indiana's Hanover College and attended Indiana University School of Law.

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Mike Pence Notre Dame speech: Walkout planned by ... - cnn.com

Vice President Mike Pence greets guests during an event celebrating National Military Appreciation Month and National Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 9, 2017, in Washington.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Ahead of Montana's special House election on Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence is stepping in to lend a hand to the GOP's candidate in the moderately Republican state.

Pence recorded a robocall on behalf of Greg Gianforte, saying "President Trump and I need Greg working with us in Washington to cut your taxes, secure our borders and protect your Second Amendment rights."

Pence goes on to slam House Democrats, specifically Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, urging voters not to let them "take this seat out of Republican hands" adding that "the stakes are high" in Thursday's election.

This is the second case of Pence stepping in to help Republican candidates. He recently established his own political action committee, the Great America Committee, in order to help raise money to get pro-Trump candidates elected.

Pence campaign strategist Nick Ayers shut down any speculation that the PAC was anything more than a vehicle to help other candidates.

While it's not common for a sitting vice president to set up a fundraising vehicle like Pence's, the PAC, Ayers says, moves all of the data, emails and digital assets that Pence had built up in a state-level gubernatorial political committee into a federal PAC.

It's a "legal necessity," Ayers said. "It is what it is."

Democrats are hoping for a win in Montana as they need to win 24 seats to get back control of the House in 2018. Both parties have been spending large sums to fill the vacant seat left by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

The campaign committees for Democrat Rob Quist and Gianforte have raised at least $10 million combined, with outside groups spending more than $7.1 million thus far.

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Mike Pence records robocall for Montana special House election - CBS News

Vice President Mike Pence is expected to bring the national debate over the future of health care and federal spending priorities to Louisiana business leaders on Wednesday.

Pence will hold a listening session with Louisiana job creators and small business ownersat Cajun Industries in West Baton Rouge Parish to hear first-hand about the state of the economy and health care. His closed-door meeting with them will be followed by a public address.Pence, a Republican and former governor of Indiana, is expected to arrive in Baton Rouge via Air Force Two at around 10:20 a.m.

Pence's appearance comes just a day after Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, blasted the Trump administration's budget plan for the coming fiscal cycle as turning a "blind eye to the needs of the state of Louisiana."

Edwards is expected to meet with Pence upon his arrival at the Baton Rouge airport.

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville; U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge; and CMS Administrator Seema Verma are expected to join the vice president for a third trip to Louisiana in the past year.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump's administration unveiled a $4.1 trillion spending proposal that includes deep cuts to safety-net programs for the poor, including Medicaid and food stamps. Meanwhile, it calls for increases to military spending and border security.

It leans on the passage of a GOP-backed overhaul of the federal health care law, which has been tepidly received by the Senate following swift passage in the House earlier this year.

As it passed the House, the American Health Care Act would scale back the expansion of Medicaid that Louisiana rolled out in July 2016. More than 428,000 Louisiana residents have enrolled in Medicaid in the months since the eligibility was expanded.

Across our state, thousands of working poor people receive lifesaving health care treatment thanks to Medicaid expansion, and we are saving Louisiana taxpayers a significant amount of money in the process," Edwards said in a statement. "The presidents budget proposal would rip this health coverage from the hands of the people who need it most, and states like Louisiana would be left with very few options."

Mick Mulvaney, budget director for the Trump administration, defended the budget proposal during a press briefing on Tuesday. He said that the AHCA will provide more flexibility in Medicaid, for example, lowering costs.

"Everyone is interested in seeing the truly needy in their state and in our nation get the care that we promised them in Medicaid," Mulvaney said. "But there's a better way to do it than under current law, which is Obamacare."

During the presidential campaign, Pence joined Trump to see first-hand the devastation after historical floods swept across the Baton Rouge metro area. He then took part in a rally in New Orleans for Kennedy.

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President-elect Donald Trump told nearly 5,000 cheering fans who gathered in Baton Rouge on

Vice President elect Mike Pence speaks during a visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

A young supporter is looked after while waiting during a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence speaks during a visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence speaks during a visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Supporters go through security for a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Rep. Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip, speaks during a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy speaks during a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence, center, takes his picture taken with a supporter using her cell phone during his visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence, center, has his picture taken with a baby during his visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy, left, and Vice President elect Mike Pence wave to the crowd during a visit by Vice President elect to New Orleans to campaign for the GOP Senate candidate at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy, left, and Vice President elect Mike Pence wave to the crowd during a visit by Vice President elect to New Orleans to campaign for the GOP Senate candidate at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Protesters line street during a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy, left, and Vice President elect Mike Pence wave to the crowd during a visit by Vice President elect to New Orleans to campaign for the GOP Senate candidate at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy, right, and Vice President elect Mike Pence wave to the crowd during a visit by Vice President elect to New Orleans to campaign for the GOP Senate candidate at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence speaks during a visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

A young supporter is looked after while waiting during a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence speaks during a visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence speaks during a visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Supporters go through security for a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Rep. Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip, speaks during a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy speaks during a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence, center, takes his picture taken with a supporter using her cell phone during his visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Vice President elect Mike Pence, center, has his picture taken with a baby during his visit to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy, left, and Vice President elect Mike Pence wave to the crowd during a visit by Vice President elect to New Orleans to campaign for the GOP Senate candidate at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy, left, and Vice President elect Mike Pence wave to the crowd during a visit by Vice President elect to New Orleans to campaign for the GOP Senate candidate at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Protesters line street during a visit by Vice President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans to campaign for GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy, left, and Vice President elect Mike Pence wave to the crowd during a visit by Vice President elect to New Orleans to campaign for the GOP Senate candidate at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

GOP Senate candidate John N. Kennedy, right, and Vice President elect Mike Pence wave to the crowd during a visit by Vice President elect to New Orleans to campaign for the GOP Senate candidate at a rally at New Orleans Lakefront Airport Saturday Dec. 3, 2016.

Follow Elizabeth Crisp on Twitter, @elizabethcrisp.

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See VP Mike Pence's plans for Baton Rouge visit Wednesday seeking insight on health care, economy - The Advocate

Story highlights

(CNN)Vice President Mike Pence's commencement speech at Notre Dame on Sunday drew national attention due to the fact a group of students decided to protest the address by leaving once it began. How big a deal was the walk-out actually? And how did Pence do overall? I reached out to longtime South Bend Tribune political columnist Jack Colwell, who was at the Pence speech, for answers. Our conversation, conducted via email and lightly edited for flow, is below.

Cillizza: How was Pence received at ND, broadly speaking? There's a ton of focus on the protests. Is that representative of his overall reception?

Colwell: Pence received a somewhat lukewarm response from the graduates when his honorary degree was presented just before the speech. There was polite applause. But only a few students stood. There was a warmer response when he concluded his remarks, with most of the graduates standing and applauding. The warmer response then was no doubt because of his usual sunny disposition and the many times he expressed praise for Notre Dame. There was more enthusiasm from parents and guests in the stadium stands throughout the speech than from the graduates on the field.

Cillizza: The protesters. How many? How disruptive? And how big an impediment to Pence's actual speech?

Colwell: About 200 people walked out when Pence began to speak. That includes graduates and some parents and friends who joined them. There was no disruption. They walked out silently. Pence continued without pause with his speech and never mentioned the departure. A couple hundred walking out was a small portion of the crowd estimated by Notre Dame to be 24,000 -- graduates, guests, faculty and staff. Now, more graduates than those who walked out had expressed displeasure with selection of Pence. But most were not about to leave their commencement ceremony.

Cillizza: Let's talk about Pence's actual speech as a piece of political rhetoric. Effective?

Colwell: The speech was similar to Pence speeches heard for years when he was governor. He used no harsh rhetoric and no denunciations of the type associated with President Trump. He talked of his religious faith and American ideals, especially freedom of speech and of religion. He of course included traditional commencement admonitions to follow precepts and principles and to provide future leadership. As a commencement speech, it was effective. It was not at all a policy speech.

Cillizza: Pence left Indiana not terribly popular. Has that changed since he became vice president?

Cillizza: Finish this sentence. "The most important takeaway from the Pence speech at Notre Dame is _________." Now, explain.

Colwell: The most important takeaway from the Pence speech is that he showed no inclination to move even a smidgen away from President Trump. Despite speculation that he is seeking to ease away from defending the President, Pence had high praise for Trump. He said Trump has taken steps to protect religious liberty at home, including for Notre Dame, and had just spoken out in Saudi Arabia against religious persecution around the world. And he forcefully repeated his oft-expressed belief that "the greatest honor of my life is to serve as vice president to the 45th president . . . Donald Trump."

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What it was like to be in the audience at Mike Pence's Notre Dame speech - CNN