Mike Pence caught up in bizarre new plagiarism scandal
Mike Pence has a knack for making things worse for himself no matter what angle he’s pursuing. While in New Hampshire this week, Pence revealed he “would welcome the opportunity” to run for President of the United States, according to WBZ News. Unfortunately for Pence, his pattern of taking one step backward, then two more steps back will not enable him to waltz into the Oval Office in 2025.
Back in October 2020, at the vice-presidential debate, Pence accused then-presidential candidate Joe Biden of plagiarism. “The reality is, when you look at the Biden plan, it reads an awful lot like what President Trump and I and our task force have been doing every step of the way,” Fact-checkers wasted no time dismissing Pence’s allegation. PolitiFact noted that “Pence’s statement ignores critical facts and realities, making it inaccurate and ridiculous,” thus rating it “Pants on Fire!”
Now, Pence is the one trying to defend himself against plagiarism accusations. In prepared remarks for the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy in New Hampshire, Pence was set to announce this week: “If we want our families and communities to prosper, America must be the best place on earth to work, invest, innovate, build, master a trade, or start a business. We want companies to move to America, stay in America, and hire American workers.”
Politico discovered that Pence’s statement is a near-verbatim rendition of one that Trump made in a speech to the New York Economic Club in November 2019. Ironically, Pence aimed to use the opportunity to “emphasize his status as a pre-Trump Republican” and wanted to have “explicitly outlined some policy differences that set him apart from the Trump era.” For someone desperate to contrast himself with Trump, parroting Trump’s words isn’t the best idea.
A piece published on Thursday in the National Review entitled “Mike Pence Should Run,” ends by encouraging Pence to “remind Republicans that there is a better way forward.” At the rate Pence is going, his words, actions, and failed record in office should be enough to remind the nation that there is indeed a better way forward: voting Democratic.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month