In VP debate, Pence gets tasked with cleaning up for Trump

WASHINGTON — In Tuesday's vice presidential debate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will step into a role that has become all too familiar during his time as Donald Trump's running mate: clean-up duty.

It was Pence, a mild-mannered Midwesterner with strong conservative credentials, who tried to soften Trump's criticism of a military family and toughen the businessman's stance on Russia. When Trump waffled over endorsing House Speaker Paul Ryan in his August primary, Pence weighed in with a solid vote of confidence in his former congressional colleague.

Pence's task has perhaps never been more critical than on the debate stage at Virginia's Longwood University, where he'll face off Tuesday evening against Sen. Tim Kaine, the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's No. 2.

http://www.startribune.com/in-vp-debate-pence-gets-tasked-with-cleaning-up-for-trump/395771491/