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White House Press Pool Reports @WHPressPool - VP Pool Report #4 — Remarks End
Apologies for the error in report 3. The VP took the stage at 12:39. His remarks concluded at 1:28.
Please check quotes against the livestream.
Vance shouted out former Gov. Paul LePage, calling him “the biggest advocate for your tax dollars and the biggest threat to fraudsters that ever existed in the state of Maine.” He said “fraud has festered in Maine because this guy is no longer the governor.”
On Sen. Susan Collins:
“Susan is back in DC. She doesn't like to miss votes, and here's the thing I'll say about Susan Collins, is sometimes I get frustrated with Susan Collins, I almost wish that she was more partisan. But the thing I love about Susan is she is independent, because Maine is an independent state. And frankly, if she was as partisan as I sometimes wish that she was, she would not be a good fit for the people of Maine.” He gave her a shoutout.
He said in Minneapolis and Maine, people are being paid “millions and millions of your dollars” to fake providing services for autistic children. “You have been fleeced by your government for far too long, and we are stopping it every single day,” he said.
Vance said Maine was “maybe the bronze medalist” for fraud in the U.S. after Minnesota and California. He blamed it on Gov. Janet Mills and former President Joe Biden. “Thankfully, one of them has already been kicked to the curb and one is on her way out the door,” he said.
“Let’s kick Janet Mills to the curb, and let’s send Paul LePage to Washington,” he said.
He said he would extend a hand to anybody, regardless of party, if they help the Trump administration fight fraud. “Maine Democrats, elected Democrats, seem to really like fraudsters,” Vance said.
As the VP was taking questions, someone in the crowd invited him to go cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
Asked how low income people in Maine will continue to receive healthcare if the administration cuts Medicaid in the state, Vance said “the threat to the Medicaid program is not us keeping fraudsters away from the Medicaid program. It's the fraudsters raiding that program to begin with.”
Asked if he would endorse any of the Republican gubernatorial candidates running in Maine, he did not, but said anyone would be better on fraud than Janet Mills.
Someone in the crowd appeared to have a medical emergency at 1:26, and Vance called for a doctor. Someone in the crowd shouted “what about voter fraud?” Vance did not answer the question and called for the crowd to part. He said to be respectful he would not answer any more questions, and asked to say a prayer for the person. He concluded his remarks by saying the vice presidency is “the coolest job.”
“We have the most talented, the most compassionate, and the toughest people in the world.”
Irie Sentner