Reagan had been Pence’s midwestern hero and role model, even before he had met him briefly twenty-eight years earlier. The symbolism was complete when Thomas directed Pence to place his left hand on Ronald Reagan’s Bible, which was held by Pence’s wife, Karen. history to administer his oath of office as vice president of the United States. Pence had chosen one of the most conservative Supreme Court justices in U.S.
Allies and adversaries, their conflicts and contests set aside for the moment, bore witness to the transition of power. Surrounding the two men were politicians, public officials, family, and assorted dignitaries arrayed to form a tableau of democratic tradition. Driven as much by theology as personal ambition, Pence is now positioned to seize the big prize-the presidency-and use it to fashion a nation more pleasing to his god and corporate sponsors.Īs noon approached on January 20, 2017, Associate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas summoned Michael Richard Pence before him at the lectern on the West Front of the United States Capitol.
They reveal how he used his time as rightwing radio star to build connections with powerful donors how he was a lackluster lawmaker in Congress but a prodigious fundraiser from the GOP’s billionaire benefactors and how, once he locked in his views on the issues-anti-gay, pro-gun, anti-abortion, pro big-business-he became laser-focused on his own pursuit of power.Īs THE SHADOW PRESIDENT reveals, Mike Pence is the most important and powerful Christian Right politician America has ever seen. In this landmark biography, Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael D’Antonio and Emmy-nominated journalist Peter Eisner follow the path Pence followed from Catholic Democrat to conservative evangelical Republican. Pence’s drive for power, perhaps inspired by his belief that God might have big plans for him, explains why he shocked his allies by lending Christian credibility to a scandal-plagued candidate like Trump. Behind his self-proclaimed humility and self-abasing deference, however, hides a man whose own presidential ambitions have blazed since high school. Little-known outside his home state until Donald Trump made him his running mate, Mike Pence-who proclaims himself a Christian first, a conservative second, and a Republican third-has long worn a carefully-constructed mask of Midwestern nice.
In this well-rounded, deeply-investigated biography, the first full look at the vice president, two award-winning journalists unmask the real Mike Pence. Cue the outrage from Sean Hannity et al." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) D'Antonio and Eisner have succeeded in this well-documented, damning book. "Producing a biography of a living, controversial politician is always difficult. You've seen his colors before, but not so vividly and in this detail." -Frank Bruni, The New York Times "It presents an entirely damning portrait of Pence.