Stephen Colbert answers the burning question: 'Who's Mike Pence again?'

(Image credit: Late Show)

published 21 July 2016

Stephen Colbert's nightly post–Republican National Convention recap Wednesday focused on the scheduled focus of Night 3: the acceptance speech of Donald Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. "We learned a lot about Pence's background, his family, his accomplishments and beliefs," Colbert said. "No question was left unanswered except for one: Who's Mike Pence again? Well, I'll tell you, I'll tell you, folks. Gov. Mike Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, one morning when, I believe, lightning struck a jar of mayonnaise."

Colbert went on to highlight Pence's opinions on smoking and death, the Disney film Mulan, and his involvement in the 2015 Indiana law that allowed discrimination against LGBT patrons. ("He was just following the old saying, 'The customer's always straight,'" Colbert said.)

You may not care who Mike Pence is, he acknowledged, but you will if Trump is elected, because, according to The New York Times, Donald Trump Jr. offered to make John Kasich "the most powerful vice president in history" — "which is saying something," Colbert said, "since we've already had a vice president who is half machine and got away with shooting somebody in the face." If Trump made a similar deal with Pence, he will be in charge of domestic and foreign policy, while Trump's portfolio will be "making America great again," as Don. Jr. put it. "A lot of you out there think Trump isn't qualified to be president," Colbert said. "Well, isn't it comforting to know that Donald Trump agrees with you?"

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Earlier in the week, Full Frontal's Samantha Bee has a less genial, more specific introduction to Pence, whom she described as "loaned out from Republican central casting to play the governor of Indiana" and "basically the reason Brooklyn is full of Midwesterners." Bee focused on Pence's opposition to abortion rights (and competence), and you can watch her congratulations to Indiana below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

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