Could We See A President Pence?

“He could well be the next commander in chief. The one person in America he can’t have thinking about that is his boss.”

Eli Newman / WDET

All at once, Vice President Mike Pence seems to be everywhere and nowhere in the scandal-ridden Trump administration.

He’s constantly on the political stump, representing the polished, righteous counterpart to his boss to Republican colleagues and constituents. And yet—as POLITICO Magazine journalist Tim Alberta tells Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson—Pence’s name is conspicuously absent from the slew of controversies constantly whirling around Trump. Alberta, who has just finished a feature titled “Man on a Wire: Mike Pence’s Tightrope Act,” poses that Pence is especially adept in appraising his relationship with the president. 

“Pence and his team are really the only ones who have stayed above the fray,” says Alberta. “This has the added benefit of really endearing him to Trump…Pence truly authentically believes it is his responsibility to keep disagreements with the president behind closed doors.” 

Pence’s reputation as a veteran, dogged lawmaker make him especially invaluable to the administration, and Alberta argues his political trajectory is looking better than ever when compared to Trump’s “sabotage of the Republican agenda.” 

“He’s universally respected in Washington,” he says. “There’s no question about it that a Pence presidency would be more effective and successful than the current one.” 

Click on the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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  • Detroit Today
    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.