# Is Pence ready to step in? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 21, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414 "2017-02-21T21:12:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/41 "2018-05-14T18:29:43Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Yeah, sure, let me round up a bunch of Indiana businesswomen and get them memberships here and let them tell you themselves… get right on that… That’s not what I was asking. Your description of the rule Mike Pence has set for himself doesn’t seem very close to what others say, or what he says himself. Here’s what you claimed - > [@](#): > > Doesn’t matter if there are 12 other people in the room, Pence doesn’t want just one person out of those 12 to be a woman unless his wife is there. So if he was president there would be either no cabinet meetings unless his wife was also present or no women in his cabinet. Here’s what he says - > [@](#): > > In 2002, Mike Pence told the Hill that he never eats alone with a woman other than his wife and that he won’t attend events featuring alcohol without her by his side, either. [Cite from the _Washington Post_.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/karen-pence-is-the-vice-presidents-prayer-warrior-gut-check-and-shield/2017/03/28/3d7a26ce-0a01-11e7-8884-96e6a6713f4b_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c2299e609e49) Saying he won’t have dinner alone with a woman, or attend parties where alcohol is served without his wife, is a little short of saying he won’t attend cabinet meetings if there is a woman present. Like from here to Indianapolis short. That goes a good bit beyond spin, IMO. Sorry - not buying it. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/42 "2018-05-14T18:30:56Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > But, as a general rule, Trump’s lifestyle isn’t one that’s recommended for healthy living. It’s amazing to me that people feel the need to invent problems when you have a target who does as many awful and weird things as Trump does. There’s no actual evidence that he has more health problems than other presidents (certainly not more than the one who died in office of pneumonia), but people keep arguing that he’s got to be the most unhealthy ever because… reasons. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/43 "2018-05-14T18:59:42Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Clearly you did not read what I said. > > \*\*It is not about being ALONE with another women, it’s about having ANY woman present at all. \*\* Hence, my comment about a PUBLIC dinner. Doesn’t matter if there are 12 other people in the room, Pence doesn’t want just one person out of those 12 to be a woman unless his wife is there. So if he was president there would be either no cabinet meetings unless his wife was also present or no women in his cabinet. I will place $1000 right now that on the condition Pence becomes President, he will hold cabinet meetings with women present without his wife around. The thing is, I can find no reference to support your interpretation of his personal chaperone policy. Every single reference to it I can find states his policy is to not be **alone** with another woman who isn’t his wife. You are the only source I can find who says he will never meet with women in any capacity without his wife around - which, of course, he already has done every time he was in a Cabinet meeting. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/44 "2018-05-14T19:04:50Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > …but people keep arguing that he’s got to be the most unhealthy ever because… reasons. Well, his former personal physician has admitted that his rather bizarre write-up 2015 of Trump’s physical condition was something that was personally dictated by Trump himself, and alleges that Trump’s people raided the doctor’s office in 2017 to seize Trump’s medical records. Plus, Ronny Jackson’s report on Trump’s annual physical raised a lot of eyebrows, most notably his report of Trump’s weight, which seemed to be rather on the kind side. You’re right that, other than being overweight, sedentary, and eating a fatty diet, there’s no publicly-known evidence of actual physical maladies for him. On the other hand, as is often the case with Trump, there’s evidence to suggest that he’s taking pains to make himself sound even better than he actually may be. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/45 "2018-05-14T19:07:01Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Second, I have no idea where you get ‘accepted gospel’ from. I’d love to see him have a major stroke, but I don’t think I’m lucky enough for that to happen. My Facebook feed is regularly inundated with remarks about Trump being in horrible health, including photoshopped pictures of him playing golf that were very obviously of John Daly originally. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/46 "2018-05-14T20:23:28Z")
Based on what you said about the Pence rule, I did some superficial Googling on some of the rest of your allegations. > [@Broomstick](#): > > He abolished the ONE clinic in Scott County, Indiana that did HIV screening, and he did it based on religious reasons. I wasn’t able to find anything to back this up. I did find a reference to an HIV outbreak in Scott County, and public health officials advised setting up a needle exchange, which was illegal under state law at the time. Pence opposed this at first, but > [@](#): > > He later signed an emergency declaration allowing Scott County to start a needle exchange program. Rather than legalize such exchanges statewide, Pence signed a bill that forces counties to ask permission to start a needle exchange. Is that what you meant? It’s not very close to what you said. > [@](#): > > He wants to either cut out social security or privatize it. I’d like to see a cite for the Social Security cuts. > [@](#): > > Pence is a climate change denier. Also a bit of an over-statement. > [@](#): > > PENCE: Well, look, there’s - there’s no question that - that - that the activities that take place in this country and in countries around the world have some impact on the environment and some impact on climate. But Donald Trump and I say, let’s follow the science, but for heaven’s sakes let’s not go rushing into the kind of restrictions on our economy that are putting Americans out of work and, frankly, are driving jobs out of this country. [Cite.](http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1609/27/nday.08.html) > [@](#): > > He wrote the attorney general in 2014 saying he would not have the state of Indiana comply with prison rape reduction because it was “too expensive” - get this, _he’s opposed to rape prevention_ because it’s not free. Is there any difference between something being too expensive, and its not being free? ETA - the Department of Prisons estimated it would cost $25-30 million to implement the program (some of the provisions had been implemented already). Total amount allocated for grants for this program was $25 million the first year, and $20 million the second. No state received more than $1 million ([cite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_Rape_Elimination_Act_of_2003)). Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/47 "2018-05-14T20:39:09Z")
It does seem that **Broomstick** has something of a penchant for exaggeration when it comes to our Vice President. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/48 "2018-05-14T20:52:16Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > It does seem that **Broomstick** has something of a penchant for exaggeration when it comes to our Vice President. Unfortunately even some of the things she says that are true, more or less, don’t show demonic tendencies in the VP. For instance - > [@](#): > > He voted against Medicare Part D, the prescription act that helps old people get their medications (even if the current structure is highly flawed). Yes, he did. > [@](#): > > Ryan Fisher, who served for several years as Pence’s legislative director, told Indianapolis Monthly that Pence saw Medicare Part D as a new, unfunded entitlement that would add to the national debt. “There was never any, ‘Well, maybe if we change this or that,’” Fisher said. “It was a principled stand.” Guess what? [Pence was correct](http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2013/nov/18/facebook-posts/obamacare-law-was-funded-and-expected-save-billion/). Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/49 "2018-05-14T21:13:32Z")
First of all, I’m not talking about Trump’s health “for his age”. _Any_ man Trump’s age would be expected to be unhealthy. And he’s the oldest President we’ve ever had. We’re not comparing him to other men his age; we’re comparing him to other Presidents. Second, of what we do know about his health, every single point of it points at it being poor. We know that he eats junk. We know that he actively avoids exercise. We know that he’s obese. We know that he’s terrible at stress management. What is there, at all, to indicate good health? Third, we know that his health is sufficiently bad that he felt obligated to blatantly lie about every point of it. OK, I’ll grant that Trump routinely lies about everything just because he’s Trump, but that’s still got to be indicative. ---
**Author:** ![epolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@epolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epolo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/50 "2018-05-14T21:49:12Z")
If I were in charge of the Democratic agenda next year (I’m not) after they take back the House and Senate (they won’t) I would focus on trying to find a way to impeach Pence and leave Trump in office. Don’t even bother considering any replacement nominations. Make it clear to Trump that he’s on his own. Then start passing bills to roll back the imperial presidency while letting him go on TV as often as he likes. And push through the entire liberal agenda under titles like “The Donald Trump has Huge Hands and Other Parts Bill (to enact a single payer healthcare system but you don’t need to pay attention to this part) Yay Trump”. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/51 "2018-05-14T21:55:41Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Unfortunately even some of the things she says that are true, more or less, don’t show demonic tendencies in the VP. > > For instance - Yes, he did. Guess what? [Pence was correct](http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2013/nov/18/facebook-posts/obamacare-law-was-funded-and-expected-save-billion/). > > Regards, > Shodan Medicare Part D. Really. Pence being “right” about that is the takeaway here? Never mind his 50’s-era attitude towards women and LGBTQs – thank Og he was right about Medicare Part D. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/52 "2018-05-14T22:11:10Z")
> [@epolo](#): > > If I were in charge of the Democratic agenda next year (I’m not) after they take back the House and Senate (they won’t) I would focus on trying to find a way to impeach Pence and leave Trump in office. Don’t even bother considering any replacement nominations. Make it clear to Trump that he’s on his own. Then start passing bills to roll back the imperial presidency while letting him go on TV as often as he likes. And push through the entire liberal agenda under titles like “The Donald Trump has Huge Hands and Other Parts Bill (to enact a single payer healthcare system but you don’t need to pay attention to this part) Yay Trump”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4An1BrG2u_4/hqdefault.jpg "it could work !!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4An1BrG2u_4) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/53 "2018-05-15T05:03:24Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Based on what you said about the Pence rule, I did some superficial Googling on some of the rest of your allegations.I wasn’t able to find anything to back this up. I did find a reference to an HIV outbreak in Scott County, and public health officials advised setting up a needle exchange, which was illegal under state law at the time. Pence opposed this at first, but Is that what you meant? Nope, he defunded the Planned Parenthood clinic in Scott County because of his religious stance (anti-abortion, even though that particular clinic did not perform abortions, and being anti-birth control). It was the only clinic in Scott County doing any HIV screening, counseling, education, or outreach. > [@](#): > > ETA - the Department of Prisons estimated it would cost $25-30 million to implement the program (some of the provisions had been implemented already). Total amount allocated for grants for this program was $25 million the first year, and $20 million the second. No state received more than $1 million ([cite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_Rape_Elimination_Act_of_2003)). So we should allocate more money for rape prevention. Seems obvious to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/54 "2018-05-15T06:23:37Z")
He’s been doing practice Presidential Furrowed Brows of Pious Faux-Concern in the mirror since the day he took office. The man is ready! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/55 "2018-05-15T13:24:57Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Nope, he defunded the Planned Parenthood clinic in Scott County because of his religious stance (anti-abortion, even though that particular clinic did not perform abortions, and being anti-birth control). It was the only clinic in Scott County doing any HIV screening, counseling, education, or outreach. In case it’s not clear, what’s being asked for is a cite. You can’t just say “nope” and expect folks here to accept that\*, especially after having made several factual errors on the subject. \*well, lots of folks here will accept it since it reinforces their preferred narrative, but some folks aren’t going to just accept it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/56 "2018-05-15T14:41:16Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > In case it’s not clear, what’s being asked for is a cite. You can’t just say “nope” and expect folks here to accept that\*, especially after having made several factual errors on the subject. [cite](http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-rutter-on-scott-county-st-0607-20150606-story.html) [cite](https://www.indy100.com/article/mike-pence-indiana-hiv-outbreak-planned-parenthood-needle-exchange-7628001) [cite](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/31/indiana-planned-parenthood_n_6977232.html) [cite](https://woldcnews.com/1513130/indiana-hiv-outbreak-tied-to-closure-of-planned-parenthood-clinics/) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/57 "2018-05-15T15:05:12Z")
However, someone with direct experience should be given more credit than someone without it questioning it. Cite requests are for topics that are contrary to expectations or common experience, not to indulge someone unwilling to Google it himself. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/58 "2018-05-15T16:41:33Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > However, someone with direct experience should be given more credit than someone without it questioning it. Cite requests are for topics that are contrary to expectations or common experience, not to indulge someone unwilling to Google it himself. Have you got a cite for that? ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/59 "2018-05-15T18:27:32Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > I wouldn’t go that far. First of all, he is a fundie Christian, but I _don’t_ believe he’s at “fanatic” level. Sorry, I just don’t. He supports torturing gay people until they are willing to act straight to get the torture to stop, that’s what conversion therapy actually is. I’m perfectly willing to label that alone as ‘fanatic’ level, without even getting into his weird beliefs about women which others are already pointing out. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414/60 "2018-05-16T00:26:20Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > …He abolished the ONE clinic in Scott County, Indiana that did HIV screening, and he did it based on religious reasons… > [@Broomstick](#): > > [cite](http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-rutter-on-scott-county-st-0607-20150606-story.html) > [cite](https://www.indy100.com/article/mike-pence-indiana-hiv-outbreak-planned-parenthood-needle-exchange-7628001) > [cite](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/31/indiana-planned-parenthood_n_6977232.html) > [cite](https://woldcnews.com/1513130/indiana-hiv-outbreak-tied-to-closure-of-planned-parenthood-clinics/) Lots of cites, but no quotes from them. Just perusing them, it looks like Planned Parenthood was defunded in Indiana due to actions taken by the legislature. Now, it may very well be that Pence was in lock step with that action (I suspect he was), but it seems that the legislature, representing the people of Indiana, was the active party here. The other issue, of course, is that Planned Parenthood gets less than 50% of its funding from government sources, so saying Pence “abolished the ONE clinic…” is not an accurate portrayal of the situation since 1) it was the legislature that did the defunded things and 2) it’s not like anyone specifically targeted that one clinic-- Planned Parenthood must have made the decision to close that particular clinic, keeping other clinics open, due to government funding pullbacks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pence-ready-to-step-in/780414.md?page=4)