Pence: Clinton’s ‘Deplorables’ Remark ‘Disqualifies’ Her

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks question during a news conference, Tuesday, March 31, 2015, in Indianapolis. Pence said that he wants legislation on his desk by the end of the week to clarify that the state's new reli... Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks question during a news conference, Tuesday, March 31, 2015, in Indianapolis. Pence said that he wants legislation on his desk by the end of the week to clarify that the state's new religious-freedom law does not allow discrimination against gays and lesbians. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) MORE LESS

During a Tuesday visit to Capitol Hill, Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence again blasted Hillary Clinton for saying that some of Donald Trump’s supporters are part of a “basket of deplorables.”

“I think millions of Americans were shocked and saddened to see Hillary Clinton refer to people across this country as a ‘basket of deplorables’ in a prepared speech before wealthy donors in New York City on Friday night. She said that, at the time, half of the people supporting Donald Trump and I were irredeemable, were not American, and frankly, I’ve never heard a major party candidate in the United States speak about the American people with such contempt,” he said in a press conference.

Addressing reporters along with the House GOP leadership, including Speaker Paul Ryan, Pence gave every indication that the Trump campaign will continue to highlight the “deplorables” comment.

“For Hillary Clinton to express such disdain for millions of Americans, I think is one more reason that disqualifies her to serve in the highest office in the land,” he added. “Anyone who has that low an opinion of the American people should never serve as president of the United States of America.”

Pence offered a full-throated defense of the Trump campaign’s supporters.

“What Hillary Clinton apparently doesn’t know is that the people supporting this campaign are hard-working Americans,” he said. “They’re people that run businesses. They’re veterans, members of the armed forces. They’re law enforcement officers, moms, dads, and farmers.”

“I’ll say again, that Donald Trump supporters are not a basket of anything. They are Americans and they deserve the respect of the Democrat nominee for president of the United States,” he later added. “We believe from our heart, even those who do not support us, even those who are critical of us or have strongly different views, have our respect because they are Americans and we respect their right to their views. And it would be the highest honor of our life to serve them.”

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Notable Replies

  1. Well it might were it not for that pesky first Amendment.

  2. As much as Clinton’s deplorable comment was an unforced error on her part, has Pence been paying attention to the hundreds of “disqualifying” statements his running mate has made?

  3. No, because it is just fine to be a truth cannon only if one is a member of the Grand Old Projection party.

  4. so the Trump campaign is doing that thing where they accuse Clinton of what they are actually guilty of

  5. If you can’t call somebody like David Duke deplorable, what makes you think you belong in the race ?

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