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Mike Pence criticized Joe Biden‘s stewardship of the economy but avoided any criticism of Donald Trump, who had called him a ‘human conveyor belt’ for failing to reject what he said were fraudulent votes in the 2020 election.

‘Tough economic times are upon us,’ Pence said Monday during a speech to the University Club of Chicag, which he used as  an indictment of Biden’s presidency.

‘The economic woes now upon us have been caused almost single handedly by one person,’ he said. 

And, he warned, Americans ‘know there will be more economic pain to come.’

Pence, who is exploring a 2024 presidential bid, called for a ‘change of direction.’ 

‘The truth is, a majority of Americans know the President Biden’s economic policies have failed utterly and completely and it is time for a change of direction for America,’ he said.

Pence, in a speech that could be seen as a campaign platform, slammed Biden for the high gas prices facing the country, inflation, and the baby formula shortage.

‘The Biden administration has squandered American prosperity faster than any other administration in the history of our country,’ he said. 

‘Inflation is rampant. Gas and food prices are rising. Real wages are falling. And the stock market is plummeting. Grocery stores from time to time are empty, and that confidence and pride that were once synonymous with the American people in recent years has been replaced with fear and a national anxiety,’ Pence said. 

But he also noticably didn’t direct any criticism toward Trump, who has continued to slam him for not overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election when Pence oversaw the certification of the electoral college – a ceremonial role.  

Pence did reference the January 6th indirectly but made no reference as to what he went through that day – the mob of MAGA supporters shouted they wanted to hang him – nor did he speak about Trump’s role in the insurrection. 

‘You know we’ve all been through a lot over the last several years – a global pandemic social unrest, a divisive election, a tragic day in our nation’s capital and this administration seemingly every day driving our economy into the abyss of a socialist welfare state,’ Pence said. 

But he went no further than that, pivoting back to criticizing Biden. 

The special committee investigating January 6th focused last Thursday’s hearing on Pence and the pressure he was under from Trump and his allies to reject Biden’s electoral count victory.

Testimony showed Trump berated his then-vice president as a ‘wimp.’ 

And, after the hearing, in his speech to religious conservatives at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s ‘Road to the Majority’ gathering, Trump berated his vice president yet again.

‘Mike was afraid of whatever he was afraid of,’ said Trump.

‘But as you heard a year and a half ago, Mike Pence had absolutely no choice but to be a human conveyor belt …. even if the votes were fraudulent. 

‘They said he had to send the votes … couldn’t do anything.’

Trump will be Illinois soon too. He is headed to there this weekend – ahead of the state’s primary election – to hold a rally in support of freshman Rep. Mary Miller, whom he endorsed in a one-on-one Republican matchup with five-term Rep. Rodney Davis. 

The only mention of Trump made by Pence on Monday was to brag about the country’s economic record under Trump’s presidency. 

‘President Biden inherited the most prosperous economy in the history of the world. Before the pandemic hit under the Trump pence administration Americans had gained more than 7 million new jobs,’ Pence said.

Pence focused much of his remarks on the economic hardships many Americans are feeling. Voters give Biden low marks on his handling of economy. And Democrats fear they could lose control of Congress in the upcoming midterm election because of voters’ financial unhappiness.

‘I have every confidence that unless this administration changes course and their allies in Congress change course dramatically, the American people are going to change leadership, and change leadership very soon,’ he said. 

Pence said that under his and Trump’s tenure, ‘America became the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world.’

And he struck out at Biden for blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine for the high gas prices around the country. 

‘President Biden has blamed Vladimir Putin is unconscionable invasion of Ukraine for our present energy crisis. The truth is gasoline prices are skyrocketing, not because of the war in Ukraine. Gas prices are rising because of Joe Biden’s war on energy and it has got to stop and stop today,’ he said.

Meanwhile, members of the committee investigating the insurrection said they may subpoena Pence.

‘We´re not taking anything off the table in terms of witnesses who have not yet testified,’ said Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who described a Pence subpoena as ‘certainly a possibility.’

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