UPDATE - This would be some serious smoke-and-mirrors fakery if Pence isn't the pick:
Pence on a private plane to NY at time his state campaign is given stand down orders. I think we know who the veep is now.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 14, 2016
If the white-hot speculation and mounting evidence is confirmed tomorrow morning at Trump Tower, Indiana Governor Mike Pence will be Donald Trump's running mate heading into the fall election. Pence is a mild-mannered Midwesterner with decent (not to be confused with flawless) conservative credentials, and a breadth of governing experience. He appears to be a "safe" pick and is someone who publicly did not back Trump in the primary -- suggesting that the presumptive GOP nominee may recognize a need to attempt to unify the party, as well as to add someone to the ticket whose reputation and demeanor contrast with his own. Here is my rapid reaction to the breaking news on Fox News this afternoon, via Right Sightings:
As I mentioned in this segment, I found Rich Lowry's column making the case for Gingrich over Pence and Christie to be pretty convincing, but Trump certainly could have done worse than Indiana's chief executive. One more note: Even though this is being widely reported as a done deal -- and it probably is, as many signs absolutely point in that direction -- I still wouldn't be entirely stunned by an eleventh hour twist. It'll be Pence when, and only when, those words escape Donald Trump's lips. For what it's worth, the man himself is still saying he hasn't finalized his decision yet, and one of his loudest media cheerleaders has started grousing publicly about the Pence reports. It ain't over til it's over:
EXCLUSIVE @DonaldJTrumpJr tells me "It's down to 3." Trump will decide this afternoon.
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) July 14, 2016
Pence is the combo-platter of disaster. For details, see what I just posted on my Facebook page.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 14, 2016