In the Wednesday episode of White House Apprentice, Ivanka and Jared Kushner went to Mike Pence’s house. Then Donald Jr. went to Mike Pence’s house. And finally Pence’s Indiana home played mini-tower to the whole Trump entourage, Don Sr. included. It was all enough to make you think that either Mike Pence was going to be the vice-presidential pick, or they were giving him a really hard sell on a nonexistent Mexican condo.
This came just a day after finalist Pence completed his latest try out and was blessed with a ringing blast of huh? by Trump.
"I don't know if he's going to be your governor or your vice president, who the hell knows?" Trump teased Tuesday night, as thousands of Hoosiers here cheered, standing on an indoor artificial turf field at the Grand Park Events Center.
Yeah. Who the hell knows. Apparently not Trump. He has to wait for the writers to tell him who would be the most dramatic “You’re fired” in this week’s show.
Though hey, Pence would surely give Trump some good American Heartland conservative cred.
In his single term as governor of Indiana, Mike Pence has slashed taxes, enacted conservative health care reforms, tightened abortion restrictions and boasted deep support among the lucrative political network of Charles and David Koch.
In other words, he’s another in the Sam Brownback, Rick Snyder, Rick Scott 'It became necessary to destroy the state to save it' school of governing. Only Pence has bonus points from a bruising fight over making it legal to discriminate against gays through the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and more lumps from a ridiculous scheme to create his own state propaganda service. He’s cost his state billions. So, absolutely. Go for it.
But before you think the Indiana pilgrimage is a sure sign of Pence winning the show, don’t be too sure. There's also a surprise visitor in town.
As Donald Trump comes closer to announcing his vice presidential running mate, two contenders, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), will meet with Trump in Indiana on Wednesday.
Gingrich is a season-long favorite, and apparently the kids like him. But Sessions has been a Trump trumpeter from early days, and he enjoys a big advantage nationally in that most people don’t know who the hell he is. So they don’t hate him yet. Unlike Newt.
And when Trump was deep in his racist rant against a “Mexican judge” that was one person who stood by him.
It wasn’t Bob Corker.
Sen. Bob Corker, who stirred up VP speculation by meeting with Trump in New York City, said Tuesday that “the last five or six days have been very negative,” urging his party’s presidential nominee to “move into a very different place.”
It wasn’t Newt.
Even former Speaker Newt Gingrich, who had been an early Trump backer and potential VP pick, called the statement “inexcusable.” “It was inappropriate” for Gingrich to weigh in, Trump shot back. “I was surprised at Newt”—an episode which may wipe Gingrich off the veep list. Loading
On the other hand …
But from Sessions, who himself was accused of racism 30 years ago when nominated to the federal bench, there was no protest, no condemnation—just silence.
There’s nothing Trump likes as much as someone who never criticizes Trump. So could Sessions swoop in to nab the win at the last minute? In any case, the entry of Sessions changes the diversity of Trump’s choices … not at all.
Stay tuned for the next (and let’s hope, last) episode of White House Apprentice.