This past Friday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced his selection of Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate. This seems to be in response to anxiety in the Republican party about Trump, a person with no political experience and the unfortunate habit of speaking impulsively, as its nominee. Pence, on the other hand, is a solid favorite of the Republican establishment, sporting a strong Koch brothers backing and a hardy reputation for social conservatism.
Trump’s lack of political experience also makes it much easier for Trump to adjust his stance on various issues using his primary mediums: Twitter and televised rallies (a surefire and inexpensive advertising strategy).
His public statements of opinion are important in measuring his position on important political issues; however, because of his tendency to state and then retract, or otherwise edit his statements, claiming that he has been misunderstood, they are extremely unreliable.
His stance on abortion, for example, has evolved pretty dramatically over the years. He used to be quite publicly pro-choice, saying in an NBC interview with Tim Russert in 1999 that he was “very pro-choice” (though also specifying that he “hate[d] the concept of abortion” but “just believe[d] in choice”). The interview can be found here.
During a 2015 Republican primary debate moderated by Chris Matthews, he stated, when pressed about his opinion on the subject, that women should have “some punishment” for abortion. Later, realizing the questionable nature of this statement, released a more polished official statement through his Twitter. He seems to have settled on the idea that Planned Parenthood, though it has done some good things for women’s health, should not be funded by the federal government.
Trump’s strategy allows him to gauge public opinion. If there is a backlash to his statements, he has time to assess the accusations, and then reframe what he has said in a more favorable light. Whenever candidates have a political record, it makes it easier to get a sense of how they will act if elected. If they were part of a legislative body, how they voted on various measures is available to the public, and inescapable for the candidates. While candidates can still maintain they have changed their mind or become more informed on certain issues, it makes professed opinions more solid, and less retractable in the way that Trump’s Twitter professions are.
Mike Pence seems to have been selected to ease the minds of traditional conservatives with reservations about Trump’s unpredictability and deviation from the standard Republican platform. His record is that of a solid social conservative, supporting efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and prevent the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has expressed reservations about Trump as the Republican nominee, citing Trump not being Hillary Clinton as his primary reason for backing the controversial candidate, explaining this presidential election is “a binary choice” and that you “don’t get a third choice”. After Trump’s announcement of Governor Pence as his running mate, Ryan seemed much more comfortable with the choice, stating that there was “no better choice for our Vice Presidential candidate”. In an interview about his support for Donald Trump, his vouching for the Republican nominee amounted to “I believe he is going to endeavor to try to change”.
Pence’s own stance on abortion has not been without controversy. His passing of restrictive anti-abortion legislation in the state of Indiana led to a slew of women sending him detailed updates on their menstrual cycle because of the keen interest he seemed to take in their reproductive systems. As early as 2011, Pence supported legislation preventing federal funding of Planned Parenthood.
Pence’s record does not allow for the dynamic opinions which characterize Trump’s politics, but they do contribute to his appeal to staunchly and traditionally conservative voters. In this way, though he is less able to deny his more controversial political stances, he is also able to prove a record of consistency and create a more clear sense of expectation for his possible vice presidency, in a way which reassures Republicans who grow nervous over Trump’s departure from their party’s traditional stances and values, and the changeability of his public opinions.
Trump operates in the fluid realm of flexible vocalized opinion. He can say anything, and then retract it if it is poorly received. Sure, this erratic style has generated a lot of criticism about his “flip-flopping”, but in many ways, this allows some conservatives, who are earnestly endeavoring to support party unity by backing Trump, to believe that he is able to represent their interests with a Trump presidency, and would prioritize what they characterize as traditional, Christian values if elected.
