US President Donald Trump on Tuesday during a press conference praised US Vice President Mike Pence, saying that he is “solid as a rock” and has the ability to stand against Joe Biden’s vice presidential running mate, Senator Kamala Harris.
“Well I like Vice President Mike Pence much better [than Sen. Kamala Harris],” Trump told reporters when asked if Harris would help or hurt Biden’s presidential bid. “He is solid as a rock. He’s been a fantastic vice president. He’s done everything you can do. He’s respected by every religious group, whether it’s evangelical, whether it’s any other group, they respect Mike Pence. He’s been a great vice president and I will take him over Kamala”.
Asked if having Sen. Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket will help Joe Biden, President Trump praises Vice President Mike Pence: “He is solid as a rock. He’s been a fantastic vice president.” https://t.co/Zh3v7wi2vN pic.twitter.com/kzd0RlgIxR
— ABC News (@ABC) August 11, 2020
During the press conference, Trump said that he was “a little surprised” by Biden’s selection of Harris and slammed the former 2020 presidential hopeful as being “nasty” and “disrespectful” to the former vice president during primary debates and being “a big tax raiser” who wants to cut “funds for our military”.
“She was very very nasty, to — one of the reasons that surprised me, she was very — she was probably nastier than even Pocahontas to Joe Biden. She was very disrespectful to Joe Biden, and it's hard to pick somebody that's that disrespectful,” Trump said of the Democratic Senator.
Netizens reacted on social media, mocking the president’s comparison of Pence to Harris, insisting that the Senator “will chew up Pence and spit out the bones” in the VP debates which are scheduled to take place on 7 October.
He's scared! Kamala will chew up Pence and spit out the bones!
— Elizabeth B Hall (@ElizabethBHall1) August 11, 2020
At least one Twitterian questioned whether Pence would make it to the election date as VP without being fired in a Trump tweet.
“Does this mean Pence is getting fired by tweet Friday evening?” the user wondered.
Does this mean Pence is getting fired by tweet Friday evening?
— Hippie Heather (@moonmermaid23) August 11, 2020
Heaps of praise onto Pence because Trump will need his pardon when he finally accepts he can’t win and resigns.
— Cess —\~~~~~/— (@incub8er) August 11, 2020
@Mike_Pence “Solid as a Rock!”@KamalaHarris @SenKamalaHarris is as fugazi as a cubic zirconia for Los Angele’s 6th street and Hill street jewelry district. pic.twitter.com/ISDSfrZlVP
— The Upside-Down Report (@Upside_Down_Rpt) August 11, 2020
Hahahahaha hahaha what a joke. Give me some @KamalaHarris @vp debate. She will destroy @Mike_Pence
— M. (@hausofirons) August 11, 2020
Oh c’mon dog, Harris will always be a better choice than Pence. And Biden will ALWAYS be a better choice over Trump. Do you disagree?
— dale earncash (@tboggins) August 11, 2020
Joe Biden picked the running mate who challenged him the most aggressively in the primary debates.
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) August 11, 2020
Trump picked the weakest sycophant he could find.
Pence is going to be in a critical burn unit after Harris sets him afire.
Did he say “solid as a rock” or “Dumb As A Rock”! 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
— FeelingBlue (@jdharburg) August 11, 2020
Users also cited the Trump administration's poor handling of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, as an example of Vice President Pence's "failure", as he is leading the White House's pandemic response task team.
Leading the COVID team VP pence failed just as he failed Indiana during the HIV ravaging that state when he was the governer.
— kypros_47 (@kypros_47) August 11, 2020
but he has a little trouble with science! pic.twitter.com/nMgQrxjJaz
— Daily Cartoons (@DaylieKartunes) August 11, 2020
Pence was in charge of the COVID19 response. How did that work out for you, Donnie Boy?
— Bernie (@Bernie8256) August 11, 2020
Early in the day, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Senator Kamala Harris as his VP running mate in the November 2020 vote, because, as he put it, she is a “fearless fighter” and “one of the country's finest public servants”.
“I need someone working alongside me who is smart, tough, and ready to lead. Kamala is that person. I need someone who understands the pain that so many people in our nation are suffering. Whether they've lost their job, their business, a loved one to this virus,” Biden said about Harris, cited by Axios.