Highlights from CNN Forum with Mike Pence

() — Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized his former boss, former President Donald Trump, for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin on a forum Wednesday night.

Pence appeared at the forum hosted by ‘s Dana Bash at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, hours after officially launching his bid for the 2024 Republican Party presidential election from the same state.

Pence repeated his criticism of Trump’s actions prior to and on January 6, 2021, when supporters of the former president rioted at the US Capitol. But he said he hopes Trump will not be charged in a federal investigation into his possible mishandling of classified documents.

Here are the five highlights of Pence’s speech:

Pence walks Trump’s tightrope

Pence urged the Justice Department not to indict his former boss, saying such an indictment would fuel division within the country and “send a terrible message to the rest of the world.”

Although Pence said “no one is above the law,” he said the Justice Department could resolve its investigation into Trump’s possible mishandling of classified documents without resorting to indictment, just as it did last week. The Justice Department informed Pence’s attorney that no charges would be filed in the case of the classified documents discovered at his home.

But in Pence’s case, the former vice president immediately contacted the National Archives and the FBI to return his documents, while Trump resisted handing over his classified material and did not return all classified documents after receiving a subpoena last month. of May.

Pence’s response underscores the tightrope the former vice president is walking when it comes to the many inquiries into his former boss. reported Wednesday that the Justice Department had informed Trump that he is the subject of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into mishandling of classified documents and possible obstruction, a sign that prosecutors may be moving closer to indicting the former president. .

Although Pence criticized Trump for his actions on Jan. 6 at his campaign start on Wednesday and at the forum, he tried to distinguish those actions from the investigation of the documents, protesting that there were “dozens” of better ways the FBI could having handled Trump’s case before resorting to an unprecedented search of the former president’s residence.

Pence participates in a forum moderated by ‘s Dana Bash at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 7. (Credit: Will Lanzoni/)

Pence lashes out at Trump for his praise of Putin

So far, Pence’s sharpest criticism of Trump came when asked about the role of the United States in helping Ukraine in its efforts to repel the Russian invasion.

Arguing that the United States should step up its support for the Ukrainian military, Pence took aim at Trump’s portrayal of Putin in a February 2022 radio interview as a “genius” for his invasion of Ukraine.

“I know the difference between a genius and a war criminal, and I know who has to win the war in Ukraine,” Pence said. “And it’s the people fighting for their freedom and fighting to restore their national sovereignty in Ukraine. And the United States; it’s not our war, but freedom is our fight. And we have to give the people of Ukraine the ability to fight and defend their freedom”.

Pence’s comments align him with Nikki Haley, Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations and rival for 2024, and against his former boss and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who entered the GOP race last month. The former vice president echoed Haley’s veiled shot at DeSantis – who described the war as a “territorial dispute” – dismissing such characterizations as naive.

“Anyone who thinks Vladimir Putin will stop if he invades Ukraine has what we say in Indiana, another thing to come,” Pence said. “He has no intention of stopping. He has made it clear that he wants to recreate that old Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe.”

Pence talks about the rights of parents, but not about the families of transgender children

Pence repeatedly stressed his support for “parents’ rights,” especially as it relates to schools. But she said the judgment of those same parents should not be applied to situations in which a minor seeks gender transition care.

“I strongly support state legislation, including, as we did in Indiana, that prohibits all gender transition procedures, chemical or surgical, under the age of 18,” she said, even as parents support their child’s decision to continue. forward.

Every Republican presidential candidate has lashed out at what Pence described Wednesday as “radical gender ideology,” language that, by definition, falsely suggests there is a movement of people trying to convince young people to change their gender identity. .

“However adults want to live, let them live,” Pence said. “But for boys, we’re going to protect boys from radical gender ideology and say there’s no chemical or surgical transition before the age of 18.”

Pressed on the age issue, Pence compared gender transition to body art, saying, “There’s a reason you don’t let kids get a tattoo before they’re 18.”

Asked by Bash what he would say to children and families who feel attacked by his position and that of his ideological allies, Pence offered something of an olive branch.

“I’d put my arm around them and tell them I love them,” he said, “but (I’d tell them) ‘Wait’.”

Pence participates in a forum moderated by ‘s Dana Bash at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 7. (Credit: Will Lanzoni/)

Pence does not apologize for his stance on abortion

Pence has been a fierce supporter of the anti-abortion cause throughout his adult life. On Wednesday night, he made it clear that he would not deviate from that position.

“I couldn’t be more proud to be vice president in an administration that appointed three of the justices who consigned Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history,” Pence said, “and gave America a fresh start for life.” .

On the issue of a federal ban on the procedure, Pence said he supported the exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. But he did not dwell on the fundamental question, despite the fact that voters across the country – in midterm elections and in referendums – have registered their anger over the Supreme Court decision and the subsequent passage of laws state to drastically restrict the right to abortion.

“We will not rest or relent until we restore the sanctity of life to the center of American law in every state across the land,” Pence said.

Still, the former vice president acknowledged that his side has a “long way to go to win the hearts and minds of the American people” and encouraged his allies to show both “principle and compassion.”

It did this by offering nuanced support for social spending programs to help newborns and new parents.

“We have to care as much about newborns and mothers as we do about the unborn,” Pence said. But he stopped short of specifically endorsing paid family leave for all Americans or subsidized child care.

Pence sticks to the script of criticizing Trump

Pence repeated criticism he has leveled at his former boss for more than a year, insisting that Trump was wrong to ask his second-in-command to nullify the 2020 Electoral College votes of some states in his ceremonial role of presiding over Congress. while counting those votes on January 6, 2021.

Pence said he “frankly hoped the president would come to his senses” from early 2021, though he agreed that some states inappropriately changed their election procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.

“But at the end of the day, I think the Republican Party has to be the party of the Constitution,” he said.

Pence also broke with Trump over the legal fate of those who rioted at the US Capitol on January 6; and have since faced criminal charges and convictions. Trump said he would consider pardoning many of those rioters, whom he said were being treated “very unfairly.”

Pence, however, said the United States “can never allow what happened on January 6 to happen again in the heart of our democracy.”

“I have no interest or intention in pardoning those who assaulted police officers or vandalized our Capitol. They have to answer to the law,” he said.