#bill and mike would appear like cheers cast members

[yesiwasateenagewerewolf]

Lol yes, I can absolutely see Richie thinking he could be mature about a bully, but then when confronted with the path to do so just absolutely losing all sight of it. Meanwhile Eddie's over here rolling his eyes like *he* had to be the mature one, *whatever, Richie*. Okay Ben so would do that. But I guess I'm just thinking of Richie trying to project onto some delicately wonderful man who has similar tastes to Eddie, and also happens to have access to a lot of really fun parties, etc. And so Richie dates him but in not-really-a-date kind of way. And Alistair is like, "Well, I do have eyes... But, you know; I think we could still make it work ;)" And Richie's like, "Boy don't I wish my feelings for Eddie were that easy to ignore. ♥" Is Bev Roz? I could definitely see Ben as ... oh lord what's his name? Kenny. (We're not gonna talk about how much Richie's actually like Bulldog right? Cause Bulldog needs to stop SO many things.)

Oh gosh, Richie as Bulldog - beeping himself! Playing practical jokes on co-workers, making lewd comments. I would love that. 

Yes, I see your point! Richie dating a guy who is Eddie-adjacent but not really dating him because he can’t commit while Eddie chews the walls up in a frenzy because Richie is dating this wonderful man who has access to all of the glitz and glamour that Eddie has lost since his divorce from Myra, having been shunned from her social circle. He can’t even get reservations any more! How could he ever woo Richie now? Like Richie wouldn’t happily sit in the park and eat hog dogs while listening to Eddie bitch about food safety regulations.  Yes, I was thinking of Bev as being a Roz kind of figure. I love the idea of her being brash and flirty. Yes, Ben as a Kenny kind of guy, sweet and bumbling and not actually able to stand up to Richie about anything because Richie just steamrolls over him with his plans. But also Ben would be super practical and able to fix things, which would be great because Eddie and Richie have no practical skills whatsoever and Bev isn’t going to do it - she doesn’t want to.

[fangirl-imagines]

Miss America and the Heartbreak Prince//Teen!Eddie Kaspbrak

A/N: Requested by @lover1307

Prompt: Based on the song “Miss, America and the Heartbreak Prince” by Taylor Swift on her new album Lover. In this imagine Eddie, the reader, and the rest of the losers are all in high school. 

Warnings: Bullying, name calling, and slut shaming

“Whore!” 

You winced but kept your head held high as you walked through the hall ways with all the grace of the pageant queen you were. Beverly, who had been walking next to you spun on her heels and flipped the offending boy off with a hard glare before whirling back around and squeezing you wrist. You kept walking, trying to look cool and uncaring at the petty insults of seventeen year old boys. Except it wasn’t just senior boys saying these things about you. It was boys in every grade and the girls too. The girls were worse actually. 

“Just ignore him Y/N. He’s a creep.” Beverly reminded you with a concerned glance. You turned your head to face her and smiled weakly. 

“Thanks Bev.” The bell rang for class and you stopped in your tracks causing your fiery haired best friend to stop and turn to look back at you. “You can go ahead to class Bev. I forgot something in my locker.”

She raised her brows but you just brushed by her and into the stairwell, leaving her standing there. Alone in the stairwell you leaned your head back against the cold brick wall and lowered yourself into the floor, tucking your skirt under your legs gently and closing your eyes. Oh how far you had fallen in just a year. 

You use to be one of the most popular girls in this school. You’ve been competing in pageants since you were in middle school and had won most of them. You had your eyes set on being Miss.Maine after high school and maybe even Miss.America one day. You still do actually. It was your looks that got you in with the popular crowd in the seventh grade and had kept you there until last year. Until you broke it off with David Sanders for cheating on you with Caroline Silver, who you had considered a friend. It had been messy and painful in a way only high school breaks up could be and in the fall out they said things about you that stuck, things that people believed coming from your boyfriend and best friend. Your reputation was ruined and you suddenly realized your so called friends didn’t care about you at all. 

But Beverly Marsh knew what it was like to have people call her a slut for things she had never done. You had never even talked to her before but she remembered that you had never talked about her either. She sat down with you at lunch one day and the two of you talked about how much you hated your town and 90% of the men in it. She introduced you to the rest of the Loser’s Club and the rest was history. You found it hard to believe that a year ago you didn’t know who Beverly Marsh, Richie Tozier, Ben Hanscom, Mike Hanlon, Stan Uris, Bill Denbrought, or Eddie Kaspbrak were but now they were without a dought the most important people in your life.

The first pageant you did after you met them they all came to and sat in the back row cheering loudly and in Richie's case, catcalling for you. You lost the contest but afterwards Eddie gave you the roses they brought you and you all went out for celebratory milkshakes leaving you with a better feeling than winning ever did. 

That was the night you and Eddie started dating. Eddie was different than the guys you dated in the past and you loved that about him. He was sarcastic and witty, vulnerable and anxious, chatty and always present, loyal and loving. Good or bad you loved being with him. But you never wanted him to see how badly the rumors affected you. You knew the losers all knew the truth and that was what mattered but even after a year it hadn’t gotten any easier to hear the whispers when you walked down the halls or the names thrown at you by the particularly brave. Your mother told you to ignore them, keep your head held high like a queen but it was much easier said than done. Breaking down in the girls bathroom or the stairwell wasn’t a new occurrence for you but you refused to let yourself cry in front of your friends or your classmates that tried to break you down. 

“There you are!” You stiffened and looked up to see Ben standing by the door on the stairs above you. He turned his head and called out into the hall, “Guys, she’s in here!” 

You hastily wiped your eyes and stood up, trying to keep what was left of your dignity. The rest of the Losers suddenly appeared behind Ben but it was Eddie that ran down the stairs and stopped in front of you. “Are you okay?! Beverly told us some guy yelled at you and you ran off.” He took your hand and squeezed it but his face kept its worried frown.

“Yeah, she pulled us all out of class to come hunt you down!” Mike added from the top section on the stairs.

You smiled weakly. “I’m sorry guys, you shouldn’t have left class for me. We don’t all need to get detention over this.”

“She’s right, we shouldn’t have.” Stan added deadpan only to get shoved by Bill. You laughed lightly knowing Stan was joking.

Eddie rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to you. “Seriously though, are you okay? What did that guy say to you?”

You shrugged your shoulders which was enough for him to know it was the same type of thing everyone called you lately. Eddie’s frown deepened. “I’m really sorry we go to school with a bunch of idiots Y/N. You’re too good for them you know.”

He stressed, squeezing your hand again. You forced a smile and nodded. “Thanks Eds.” He rolled his eyes again making you burst out laughing.

“Hey, how come she gets to call you Eds?!” Richie pointed at you with mock jealousy. “You homewrecker!”

“Beep beep Richie!” You laughed which made Richie smile with pride.

The bell for next period interrupted you all and signaled it was time to head for lunch. Together you all walked back into the hall and made your way to the cafeteria. You were walking through the crowd, holding Eddie’s hand and listening to Mike tell you about a new book he read when suddenly you felt a rush of wind pass you and almost knock you down, pulling up your skirt as they went and laughing. You stumbled into Mike with a squeal and he wrapped his arms around your waist to keep you steady. That’s when you looked up and relived that it wasn’t a gust of wind but Jamie Carson, Brian’s best friend. He was laughing so hysterically at the “joke” that he was leaning against one of his buddies for support. He was pointing at your skirt as he laughed. Your cheeks went red as you quickly readjusted your skirt, pushing off of Mike’s shoulder. You opened your mouth to yell at him but before you could say anything there was a high-pitched scream from beside you.

You had never seen Eddie in a fight before. You were almost possitive he had never actually fought anyone besides the time he told you he and the other losers pelted the Bower’s gang with rocks. So you weren’t surprised that everyone around you seem to pause simultaneously at the sight of Eddie Kaspbrak, anxious,hypochondriac, and founding member of the Losers Club racing across the hall and throwing his body into Jamie Carson’s. He straddled the taller boy’s chest and grabbed Jamie’s shirt in one hand and swung his other fist wildly and without a clear direction. The first blow broke the spell that had been cast over Derry high school and the hall broke into chaos. 

Jamie tried scooting back from Eddie but got clocked in the jaw while doing so. Mike and Bill grabbed at Eddie’s shoulders and arms trying to pull him off Jamie. Beverly looked like she wanted to jump into the mix, but Ben wouldn’t let go of her hand, keeping her back. Stan watched the fight with wide eyes, frozen in his spot. Richie stood by your side, cheering proudly with enthusiasm for his boy.  Eddie was yelling too, a string of obscenities in Jamie’s face. Mike and Bill got hold of Eddie pulling him back by their grip on his arms. He didn’t try and fight them. Jamie sat up, blood pouring from his nose that sat at a crooked angle on his face. He touched it gingerly staring at Eddie in shock. Eddie glanced over at you and your open-mouthed stare, then down at the floor.

Someone in the crowd yelled teacher and the rest of the day became a blur. Jamie disappeared from the crowd, if he got in another fight he would be expelled, while you and the rest of the Losers made a barrier around Eddie to hide his disheveled form. The next few hours were a blur before you found yourself kneeling on the bathroom rug with Eddie sitting on the tub edge, wincing as you cleaned the blood off his busted knuckles.

“You don’t think that I could get hepatitis from this do you? Or-, Or what about AIDS? You don’t think some of Jamie’s blood could have had AIDS in it and gotten into my hand do you?!”

You applied more alcohol than necessary making Eddie wince and glared up at him. “Is that really what you’re worried about right now?! You just got into a fight with Jamie Carson, he could have killed you, and you’re worried about AIDS?”

Eddie shrugged softly, “It’s better than worrying about what my mom’s going to say when she finds out I got into a fight.” He admitted sadly.

Your heart softened; you closed your eyes with a sigh. “Why did you have to hit him Eddie?”

Eddie was quiet, watching you apply a bandage to his hand gently. “I’m sick of seeing them pick on you Y/N. You don’t deserve it, any of it.” His voice was soft and sad. You hadn’t realized how much what was happening to you affected him until now. “You were crying today in the stairwell and then as soon as you felt better some dick tries to knock you down again. And I’m sick of it. I just lost it.”

You kissed the bandage on his hand gently and then kissed his lips softly. “I love you Eddie Kaspbrak.”

He smiled at you, “We’re going to get out of here Y/N. As soon as we graduate. We’re getting out of here.”

You wrapped your arms around his stomach and pulled him into a grateful hug. You felt him kiss your head and you nodded.

“Together.”

“Together.”

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/the-latest-biden-raises-record-383-million-in-september-national-news/

The Latest: Biden raises record $383 million in September | National News

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the 2020 presidential race (all times local):

9:45 p.m.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden raised $383 million for his election effort in September, a record-breaking sum that eclipses the unprecedented fundraising from the previous month.

The haul, announced Wednesday night, leaves him with $432 million in the bank just weeks before the Nov. 3 election. He raised the money in conjunction with the Democratic National Committee.

The gobs of cash Biden has raised since securing the nomination amount to a complete reversal in fortune for the former vice president. During the Democratic primary, he struggled to raise cash and was almost broke by the time he won the South Carolina primary, which catapulted him to a commanding Super Tuesday performance.

In the months since, a flood of donations and low spending has enabled him to eclipse President Donald Trump’s once-formidable cash reserves. Biden’s campaign and the DNC raised $364 million in August.

In the tweet announcing his September haul, Biden thanked his supporters and said he was “humbled.” He added: “There’s still more work to be done, but I wanted to share the good news.”

The Trump campaign hasn’t yet released their September fundraising numbers.

———

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:

President Donald Trump is being forced to play Electoral College defense with a trip to Iowa, a state he won handily in 2016 but where Democrat Joe Biden is making a late push. Biden doesn’t have any public campaign events scheduled Wednesday.

Read more:

— Democrats, Republicans stretch for hard-to-get districts in House races.

— AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsifies Biden stance on fracking.

— NBC sets Trump town hall.

HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON:

9 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he doesn’t mind running against former Vice President Joe Biden, but he wouldn’t want to run against his Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.

Speaking to supporters in Iowa on Wednesday, Trump got some of his biggest cheers when he brought up her confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

He joked, “Please promise me, Amy, you’ll never run.”

Trump calls Barrett a “great intellect” who is deftly handling the questioning she is getting, particularly from Democrats, and “she handles it like nothing.”

Trump says he hasn’t spoken with Barrett for a few days, “and I just want to say we made the right choice with Amy.”

If Barrett is confirmed, which is expected, she would replace liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last month.

———

8:55 p.m.

Former President Barack Obama says his administration’s inability to eliminate racial bias in the criminal justice system may have left some Americans “skeptical about what the government can do.”

Obama was asked on an episode of “Pod Save America” released Wednesday night about what he would say to anyone still deciding whether to vote in next month’s presidential election — especially young people and minorities.

“Some of them may have been frustrated about my failure to have completely transformed the criminal justice system to eliminate racial bias,” Obama responded. “Part of that is because 90% of criminal sentencing typically is taking place at the state rather than the federal level.”

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has vowed to address institutional racism in the criminal justice system during his first 100 days in office. Obama didn’t address that goal specifically but said government can’t solve some of the nation’s most ingrained problems “overnight.”

Still, Obama said that’s no reason not to cast a ballot.

“The idea that you’d give away your power because you’re not getting 100% when you could get 30%, 40%, 50% better, that doesn’t make any sense,” he said.

———

3:20 p.m.

A Michigan congressman says he tested positive for the coronavirus before he was scheduled to appear at a campaign rally in the state with Vice President Mike Pence.

Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga said on Twitter on Wednesday that he took a rapid test and was isolating while awaiting results from a second test to confirm the results.

Pence spoke for about an hour outdoors at Lacks Enterprises in Cascade Township, near Grand Rapids. Peter Meijer, a Republican running for Congress, greeted and introduced Pence.

Pence says, “The road to victory runs right through Michigan.”

———

2:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump is expected to announce that he will present the Medal of Freedom to Dan Gable, a renowned wrestler and coach from Iowa.

Trump’s decision to award one of the nation’s highest civilian honors to Gable comes during a tight race in a state in which Gable is a sports legend. He was a champion wrestler at Iowa State University, and as a coach, led the University of Iowa to 15 NCAA team titles. He also won the gold medal in the 1972 Olympics.

Trump told the local ABC station in Des Moines on Wednesday that he would be presenting the award to Gable “today or shortly thereafter.” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also tweeted that congratulations were in order for Gable.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to people who have made exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of America, or to its culture or other significant endeavors. Trump has presented the award to several athletes during his nearly four years in office.

Trump is scheduled to hold a campaign rally at the Des Moines International Airport on Wednesday.

———

11:45 a.m.

President Donald Trump is describing the choice for voters in the Nov. 3 election as a “choice between the socialist nightmare and the American dream.”

Trump is promising a COVID-19 vaccine before the end of the year and claiming that if “the left wins power” they will shut down the economy and prolong the pandemic.

Trump was speaking Wednesday to economists from Washington, New York, Pittsburgh and elsewhere in a video address from the White House.

The pitch is comparable to the message Trump is delivering at rallies as the election campaign enters its final three weeks.

Trump, his voice raspy at times, called for those at lower risk of severe illness to the novel coronavirus to return to more normal economic activity. He says lockdowns are needlessly destroying lives.

He says he’ll push for more infrastructure investment in a second term, though Republicans and Democrats have struggled over how to pay for better roads, bridges and mass transit. He says he’ll continue to push for tax cuts while Democrats want to raise taxes.

———

7:55 a.m.

In lieu of a formal debate, President Donald Trump has agreed to answer voters’ questions during a town hall program sponsored by NBC News on Thursday night.

The event will be held outdoors at the Perez Art Museum in Miami.

NBC News says it has a statement from National Institutes of Health clinical director Dr. Clifford Lane indicating he and White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci have reviewed Trump’s medical data and concluded with a “high degree of confidence” the president is “not shedding infectious virus.”

Trump tested positive for the coronavirus Oct. 2. He spent three days at the Walter Reed military hospital. He resumed public appearances over the weekend and resumed campaign travel Monday.

A formal matchup between the Republican president and Democrat Joe Biden that was scheduled for Thursday in Miami by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debate was canceled. The commission shifted the format from a town hall to a virtual meeting, and Trump declined to participate.

Biden is participating in an ABC News town hall Thursday in Philadelphia.

[tragicbooks]

<p>20 things Mike Pence did while you weren't looking — and why it matters.</p>

He may not always be in the shadows.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

With the exception of an infamous trip to see Hamilton last November and a controversy about whether it's OK to dine with women other than his wife, we've heard relatively little about Vice President Mike Pence since the election. In May, CNN even ran a story with the headline, "Mike Pence's Disappearing Act."

He's a heartbeat away from the presidency and seems interested in following his own political ambitions beyond this administration, so what exactly has Mike Pence been up to lately? A lot, actually.

Here's 20 things Mike Pence has done since taking office:

1. In January, Pence and others lobbied Trump to take hard-line positions on abortion, making good on some of his anti-choice campaign pledges.

Just days after taking office, Trump signed a slew of executive orders. Among them was the reinstatement of the so-called "Mexico City policy," restricting foreign aid from going to groups that offer abortion services.

The Independent wrote about the decision to reinstate the policy, saying that pro-choice activists "feared [Trump] would reintroduce the policy as a gift to Vice President Mike Pence, known for his staunch opposition to abortion rights."

Proud to stand w/ President Trump signing EOs: withdrawing US from TPP, prohibiting int'l abortion funding & freezing hiring except military http://pic.twitter.com/PaHV2XGoAv

— Vice President Pence (@VP) January 23, 2017

2. Pence has led the charge to advance Trump's policy agenda.

You may have seen him popping up on the Sunday morning political talk shows to push Trump's agenda items. This has especially been the case when it's an issue where Trump himself may not appear to have a total grasp of the policy being discussed, such as health care.

ObamaCare will be replaced with something that actually works—bringing freedom and individual responsibility back to American health care.

— Vice President Pence (@VP) February 22, 2017

3. He's been very vocal about supporting the use of tax dollars to fund religious schools.

Under the guise of "school choice," Pence has been a long-time supporter of using tax dollars to fund charter schools and religious schools. As governor, Pence expanded Indiana's charter school program and opted out of the nationwide "Common Core" standards. One of the side effects of Pence's reign in Indiana was an uptick in the number of publicly funded schools teaching creationism. Pence, himself, hasn't given a clear answer on whether he believes in evolution.

Trump was short on specifics about education policy during the campaign. In office, he's rallying behind Pence's ideas.

This is Nat'l School Choice Week. @POTUS & I are committed to making a great education possible for all our children https://t.co/TdsCfhqtxy

— Vice President Pence (@VP) January 26, 2017

4. In January, Pence met with anti-abortion activists at the White House and delivered a speech at the annual March for Life.

During his address at the anti-choice march, Pence riled up the crowd with a pledge to "work with Congress to end taxpayer funding for abortion and abortion providers," along with promises to support Supreme Court nominees who would overturn Roe v. Wade.

It was my honor to speak at the @March_for_Life today w/ my family & share the commitment of @POTUS to restore culture of life in America. http://pic.twitter.com/2ucCZBAdHj

— Vice President Pence (@VP) January 27, 2017

5. Pence spent much of February selling the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court as "mainstream."

Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat on Jan. 31. Gorsuch, who had a record as a far-right, anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ judge, would face an uphill climb. That's where Pence came in.

Rather than nominate someone who could receive the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster, Trump picked Gorsuch, and Pence immediately began work urging Republican leaders in the Senate to blow up the filibuster. They eventually did, and Gorsuch was sworn in on April 10.

Rest assured, we will work w/ Senate leadership to ensure that Judge Gorsuch gets an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor- one way the other

— Vice President Pence (@VP) February 4, 2017

6. Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as secretary of education, the first time a vice president has done so on a cabinet pick.

In February, DeVos was under immense scrutiny from Democrats and moderate Republicans. The billionaire heiress had zero education-related qualifications to run the department, but she did have a history of donating to far-right causes and championing the use of public money to fund schools that would "advance God's kingdom," in line with Pence's own views on education.

With Republicans Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) voting against DeVos' confirmation, the 50-50 vote went to Pence to break the tie. He voted to confirm her.

JUST IN: Vice President Mike Pence casts tie-breaking vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education secretary, 51-50 https://t.co/niuQfDYB6u http://pic.twitter.com/8TYfhlTndo

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 7, 2017

7. In May, Pence was named the head of Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.

This commission was established based on Trump's unproven and unfounded claim that there was widespread voter fraud during the 2016 election. Pence was named commission chair, with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as vice chair. Together, Pence and Kobach have begun making requests for extensive voter information from states, with many voting rights groups worried that the commission will lead to widespread voter suppression.

8. Pence invited anti-abortion activists to the White House to discuss how to merge their agenda with that of the administration.

On March 9, Pence met with anti-abortion activists to discuss what sort of provisions they would like to see in the American Health Care Act bill, later pitching it to conservative members of the House of Representatives.

Grateful to host pro-life leaders today & reaffirm @POTUS Trump's commitment to the sanctity of life in the Obamacare repeal & replace plan. http://pic.twitter.com/W3yHUhOGZ1

— Vice President Pence (@VP) March 10, 2017

9. Later that month, he would cast the tie-breaking vote to nullify an Obama-era rule allowing that Title X funds be used for family planning services.

In his eight years in office, Joe Biden never cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate. Pence, just months into the job, has broken four ties (confirming DeVos, the motion to proceed on blocking the Title X rule, the final vote on blocking the Title X rule, and the motion to proceed on the Senate's health care bill).

Gutting the Title X rule is bad news, especially for low- and middle-income women across the country.

It was my honor to break tie vote in Senate overturning last minute Obama rule & restoring state control over Title X family planning funds. http://pic.twitter.com/jebspF3F3K

— Vice President Pence (@VP) March 30, 2017

10. Pence has met with members of the financial industry and championed efforts to roll back Dodd-Frank consumer protections.

Shortly after taking office, Pence addressed the GOP retreat, promising to dismantle the legislation enacted in the aftermath of financial collapse and its "overbearing mandates." In May, he spoke out in favor of Republican Rep. Hensarling's (Texas) CHOICE Act, which would deregulate the financial markets once again.

With Community Bankers at the @WhiteHouse, I said the CHOICE Act is a common-sense bill that repeals Dodd Frank & empowers consumers & biz. http://pic.twitter.com/a9U83FnIHc

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 1, 2017

11. In May, Pence addressed the Susan B. Anthony List "Campaign for Life" gala.

Touting the administration's successes when it came to curtailing reproductive rights, Pence declared, "For the first time in a long time, America has an administration that’s filled top to bottom with people who stand without apology for life."

To cheers, he would later promise to ensure that people receiving health care subsidies would not be able to purchase insurance coverage that includes access to abortion.

Let's strive to finish the work of Susan B. Anthony—to ensure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ring true. #SBAgala http://pic.twitter.com/8NtQ3SvfId

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 4, 2017

12. Pence played a role in urging Trump to sign a "religious liberty" executive order during a National Day of Prayer ceremony.

While the final order was viewed by many conservatives as simply being one step in the right direction and not everything they wanted, the move showed just how much pull the extremely religious vice president has over his boss.

Proud to stand w/ @POTUS on the #NationalDayOfPrayer as he signs an exec order that reaffirms the role faith plays in our nation. http://pic.twitter.com/8ztIB2dIOI

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 4, 2017

13. Pence addressed the first-ever World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians on May 11.

The speech bolstered the administration's narrative that Christians are the true victims of terrorism in the Middle East. The truth is that people of all faiths have been targeted by ISIS, and messages about how Christians are the most persecuted only help advance some of the inherent Islamophobia in actions such as the travel ban — which only helps ISIS.

It was humbling to join people of faith at the first-ever World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians: https://t.co/bHlUhsBytT http://pic.twitter.com/5qF1Bv4MVb

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 11, 2017

14. At the University of Notre Dame, Pence delivered a fiery commencement address, targeting "political correctness."

The idea that college campuses are suppressing freedom of speech is a popular talking point, especially among conservatives. Pence used his platform to stoke that fire, saying, "Far too many campuses across America have become characterized by speech codes, safe zones, tone policing, administration-sanctioned political correctness — all of which amounts to nothing less than the suppression of freedom of speech."

Proud to address @NotreDame's 2017 Class. To the over 3,100 who graduated: strive every day to lead for good w/ courage & conviction #ND2017 http://pic.twitter.com/NfSBovg2Ub

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 21, 2017

15. In May, Pence started his own political action committee called the "Great America Committee."

Marking another first for a sitting vice president, the formation of a PAC signals that maybe he has some larger political ambitions that go beyond the Trump administration and his role as VP. Coupled with outgoing White House press secretary Sean Spicer saying that he'd be on board with a Pence run in 2024, this is worth keeping an eye on.

When and if @mike_pence runs in 2024 I would proudly play any role he asks Good to know you have already conceded that https://t.co/cHMSKHM07e

— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) July 31, 2017

16. In June, Pence was put in charge of U.S. space policy.

Pence, being someone who likely doesn't really believe in that whole "evolution" thing and once claimed that "smoking doesn't kill," seems like an odd choice to dictate anything related to science. But that's what President Trump did after signing an executive order bringing back the National Space Council.

It's still unclear what sort of direction Pence will take, though he has made promises to put people on Mars.

"Under President (@POTUS) Trump, America will lead in space once again." - @VP Pence. Watch live: https://t.co/mzKW5uDsTi #VPinFL http://pic.twitter.com/OEEmIwlyR4

— NASA (@NASA) July 6, 2017

17. He's raised money for his own PAC and other political causes.

What's the point of having a PAC if you're not going to raise money for it, right? In July, The New York Times reported that Pence has been playing host to "a string of dinners held every few weeks at the vice president’s official residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory in Washington," courting "big donors and corporate executives."

18. On June 23, Pence addressed Focus on the Family, a powerful anti-LGBTQ organization, for its 40th anniversary.

Speaking about the administration's commitment to helping "persecuted people of faith" and protecting their right to discriminate against LGBTQ people under the guise of "religious liberty," Pence told the crowd, "This president believes that no American, no American should have to violate their conscience to fully participate in American life, and he has taken action to protect the expressions of faith by men and women across this nation."

This is the same organization, mind you, that has called homosexuality "a particularly evil lie of Satan" and has called transgender people "mentally ill" and "like Cinderella in a fantasy world."

19. As special elections have popped up across the country, Pence has been hitting the campaign trail in support of his fellow Republicans.

It's not so surprising that Pence is getting out there. A little curious, however, is how little Trump has done comparatively — and how little coverage Pence's presence has garnered. This once again shows Pence for the shrewd politician he is, able to help prop up other candidates. Trump, on the other hand, is mostly good at promoting one person: Trump.

20. Pence has been pressuring Congress to implement anti-transgender policies in the military.

Days before Trump tweeted that he was banning trans people from serving in the military, Foreign Policy reported that Pence was lobbying hard to fight back against trans inclusion in the military. Pence was reportedly putting pressure on members of Congress to hold the 2018 defense authorization bill hostage unless it included a rider barring funds being used on transition-related health care.

According to Politico, Trump was motivated to outright ban all trans people from the military for fear that the defense bill would stall and he wouldn't receive the funding he requested for his wall. In the end, however, Pence got what he asked for and more. Though the Department of Defense is holding on implementing the tweeted policy until Trump formally submits a plan, it's nearly a done deal.

This matters because Pence might not always be in the background.

It's pretty clear that Pence's political ambitions don't end with being Trump's vice president. With scandals rocking the White House on what seems like a daily basis — including calls for investigations and even some for Trump's impeachment — it's pretty important to take a long hard look at the man next in line for the position.

During the campaign, Pence's extreme positions were largely whitewashed. His extreme anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion views were rarely talked about. As vice president, Pence has shown himself to be the man he's always been: a smooth-talking politician with far-right social conservative views. So let's keep a watchful eye on what he's doing now because he might just be president one day.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

[socialviralnews]

<p>20 things Mike Pence did while you weren't looking — and why it matters.</p>

He may not always be in the shadows.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

With the exception of an infamous trip to see Hamilton last November and a controversy about whether it's OK to dine with women other than his wife, we've heard relatively little about Vice President Mike Pence since the election. In May, CNN even ran a story with the headline, "Mike Pence's Disappearing Act."

He's a heartbeat away from the presidency and seems interested in following his own political ambitions beyond this administration, so what exactly has Mike Pence been up to lately? A lot, actually.

Here's 20 things Mike Pence has done since taking office:

1. In January, Pence and others lobbied Trump to take hard-line positions on abortion, making good on some of his anti-choice campaign pledges.

Just days after taking office, Trump signed a slew of executive orders. Among them was the reinstatement of the so-called "Mexico City policy," restricting foreign aid from going to groups that offer abortion services.

The Independent wrote about the decision to reinstate the policy, saying that pro-choice activists "feared [Trump] would reintroduce the policy as a gift to Vice President Mike Pence, known for his staunch opposition to abortion rights."

Proud to stand w/ President Trump signing EOs: withdrawing US from TPP, prohibiting int'l abortion funding & freezing hiring except military http://pic.twitter.com/PaHV2XGoAv

— Vice President Pence (@VP) January 23, 2017

2. Pence has led the charge to advance Trump's policy agenda.

You may have seen him popping up on the Sunday morning political talk shows to push Trump's agenda items. This has especially been the case when it's an issue where Trump himself may not appear to have a total grasp of the policy being discussed, such as health care.

ObamaCare will be replaced with something that actually works—bringing freedom and individual responsibility back to American health care.

— Vice President Pence (@VP) February 22, 2017

3. He's been very vocal about supporting the use of tax dollars to fund religious schools.

Under the guise of "school choice," Pence has been a long-time supporter of using tax dollars to fund charter schools and religious schools. As governor, Pence expanded Indiana's charter school program and opted out of the nationwide "Common Core" standards. One of the side effects of Pence's reign in Indiana was an uptick in the number of publicly funded schools teaching creationism. Pence, himself, hasn't given a clear answer on whether he believes in evolution.

Trump was short on specifics about education policy during the campaign. In office, he's rallying behind Pence's ideas.

This is Nat'l School Choice Week. @POTUS & I are committed to making a great education possible for all our children https://t.co/TdsCfhqtxy

— Vice President Pence (@VP) January 26, 2017

4. In January, Pence met with anti-abortion activists at the White House and delivered a speech at the annual March for Life.

During his address at the anti-choice march, Pence riled up the crowd with a pledge to "work with Congress to end taxpayer funding for abortion and abortion providers," along with promises to support Supreme Court nominees who would overturn Roe v. Wade.

It was my honor to speak at the @March_for_Life today w/ my family & share the commitment of @POTUS to restore culture of life in America. http://pic.twitter.com/2ucCZBAdHj

— Vice President Pence (@VP) January 27, 2017

5. Pence spent much of February selling the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court as "mainstream."

Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat on Jan. 31. Gorsuch, who had a record as a far-right, anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ judge, would face an uphill climb. That's where Pence came in.

Rather than nominate someone who could receive the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster, Trump picked Gorsuch, and Pence immediately began work urging Republican leaders in the Senate to blow up the filibuster. They eventually did, and Gorsuch was sworn in on April 10.

Rest assured, we will work w/ Senate leadership to ensure that Judge Gorsuch gets an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor- one way the other

— Vice President Pence (@VP) February 4, 2017

6. Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as secretary of education, the first time a vice president has done so on a cabinet pick.

In February, DeVos was under immense scrutiny from Democrats and moderate Republicans. The billionaire heiress had zero education-related qualifications to run the department, but she did have a history of donating to far-right causes and championing the use of public money to fund schools that would "advance God's kingdom," in line with Pence's own views on education.

With Republicans Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) voting against DeVos' confirmation, the 50-50 vote went to Pence to break the tie. He voted to confirm her.

JUST IN: Vice President Mike Pence casts tie-breaking vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education secretary, 51-50 https://t.co/niuQfDYB6u http://pic.twitter.com/8TYfhlTndo

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 7, 2017

7. In May, Pence was named the head of Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.

This commission was established based on Trump's unproven and unfounded claim that there was widespread voter fraud during the 2016 election. Pence was named commission chair, with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as vice chair. Together, Pence and Kobach have begun making requests for extensive voter information from states, with many voting rights groups worried that the commission will lead to widespread voter suppression.

8. Pence invited anti-abortion activists to the White House to discuss how to merge their agenda with that of the administration.

On March 9, Pence met with anti-abortion activists to discuss what sort of provisions they would like to see in the American Health Care Act bill, later pitching it to conservative members of the House of Representatives.

Grateful to host pro-life leaders today & reaffirm @POTUS Trump's commitment to the sanctity of life in the Obamacare repeal & replace plan. http://pic.twitter.com/W3yHUhOGZ1

— Vice President Pence (@VP) March 10, 2017

9. Later that month, he would cast the tie-breaking vote to nullify an Obama-era rule allowing that Title X funds be used for family planning services.

In his eight years in office, Joe Biden never cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate. Pence, just months into the job, has broken four ties (confirming DeVos, the motion to proceed on blocking the Title X rule, the final vote on blocking the Title X rule, and the motion to proceed on the Senate's health care bill).

Gutting the Title X rule is bad news, especially for low- and middle-income women across the country.

It was my honor to break tie vote in Senate overturning last minute Obama rule & restoring state control over Title X family planning funds. http://pic.twitter.com/jebspF3F3K

— Vice President Pence (@VP) March 30, 2017

10. Pence has met with members of the financial industry and championed efforts to roll back Dodd-Frank consumer protections.

Shortly after taking office, Pence addressed the GOP retreat, promising to dismantle the legislation enacted in the aftermath of financial collapse and its "overbearing mandates." In May, he spoke out in favor of Republican Rep. Hensarling's (Texas) CHOICE Act, which would deregulate the financial markets once again.

With Community Bankers at the @WhiteHouse, I said the CHOICE Act is a common-sense bill that repeals Dodd Frank & empowers consumers & biz. http://pic.twitter.com/a9U83FnIHc

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 1, 2017

11. In May, Pence addressed the Susan B. Anthony List "Campaign for Life" gala.

Touting the administration's successes when it came to curtailing reproductive rights, Pence declared, "For the first time in a long time, America has an administration that’s filled top to bottom with people who stand without apology for life."

To cheers, he would later promise to ensure that people receiving health care subsidies would not be able to purchase insurance coverage that includes access to abortion.

Let's strive to finish the work of Susan B. Anthony—to ensure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ring true. #SBAgala http://pic.twitter.com/8NtQ3SvfId

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 4, 2017

12. Pence played a role in urging Trump to sign a "religious liberty" executive order during a National Day of Prayer ceremony.

While the final order was viewed by many conservatives as simply being one step in the right direction and not everything they wanted, the move showed just how much pull the extremely religious vice president has over his boss.

Proud to stand w/ @POTUS on the #NationalDayOfPrayer as he signs an exec order that reaffirms the role faith plays in our nation. http://pic.twitter.com/8ztIB2dIOI

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 4, 2017

13. Pence addressed the first-ever World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians on May 11.

The speech bolstered the administration's narrative that Christians are the true victims of terrorism in the Middle East. The truth is that people of all faiths have been targeted by ISIS, and messages about how Christians are the most persecuted only help advance some of the inherent Islamophobia in actions such as the travel ban — which only helps ISIS.

It was humbling to join people of faith at the first-ever World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians: https://t.co/bHlUhsBytT http://pic.twitter.com/5qF1Bv4MVb

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 11, 2017

14. At the University of Notre Dame, Pence delivered a fiery commencement address, targeting "political correctness."

The idea that college campuses are suppressing freedom of speech is a popular talking point, especially among conservatives. Pence used his platform to stoke that fire, saying, "Far too many campuses across America have become characterized by speech codes, safe zones, tone policing, administration-sanctioned political correctness — all of which amounts to nothing less than the suppression of freedom of speech."

Proud to address @NotreDame's 2017 Class. To the over 3,100 who graduated: strive every day to lead for good w/ courage & conviction #ND2017 http://pic.twitter.com/NfSBovg2Ub

— Vice President Pence (@VP) May 21, 2017

15. In May, Pence started his own political action committee called the "Great America Committee."

Marking another first for a sitting vice president, the formation of a PAC signals that maybe he has some larger political ambitions that go beyond the Trump administration and his role as VP. Coupled with outgoing White House press secretary Sean Spicer saying that he'd be on board with a Pence run in 2024, this is worth keeping an eye on.

When and if @mike_pence runs in 2024 I would proudly play any role he asks Good to know you have already conceded that https://t.co/cHMSKHM07e

— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) July 31, 2017

16. In June, Pence was put in charge of U.S. space policy.

Pence, being someone who likely doesn't really believe in that whole "evolution" thing and once claimed that "smoking doesn't kill," seems like an odd choice to dictate anything related to science. But that's what President Trump did after signing an executive order bringing back the National Space Council.

It's still unclear what sort of direction Pence will take, though he has made promises to put people on Mars.

"Under President (@POTUS) Trump, America will lead in space once again." - @VP Pence. Watch live: https://t.co/mzKW5uDsTi #VPinFL http://pic.twitter.com/OEEmIwlyR4

— NASA (@NASA) July 6, 2017

17. He's raised money for his own PAC and other political causes.

What's the point of having a PAC if you're not going to raise money for it, right? In July, The New York Times reported that Pence has been playing host to "a string of dinners held every few weeks at the vice president’s official residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory in Washington," courting "big donors and corporate executives."

18. On June 23, Pence addressed Focus on the Family, a powerful anti-LGBTQ organization, for its 40th anniversary.

Speaking about the administration's commitment to helping "persecuted people of faith" and protecting their right to discriminate against LGBTQ people under the guise of "religious liberty," Pence told the crowd, "This president believes that no American, no American should have to violate their conscience to fully participate in American life, and he has taken action to protect the expressions of faith by men and women across this nation."

This is the same organization, mind you, that has called homosexuality "a particularly evil lie of Satan" and has called transgender people "mentally ill" and "like Cinderella in a fantasy world."

19. As special elections have popped up across the country, Pence has been hitting the campaign trail in support of his fellow Republicans.

It's not so surprising that Pence is getting out there. A little curious, however, is how little Trump has done comparatively — and how little coverage Pence's presence has garnered. This once again shows Pence for the shrewd politician he is, able to help prop up other candidates. Trump, on the other hand, is mostly good at promoting one person: Trump.

20. Pence has been pressuring Congress to implement anti-transgender policies in the military.

Days before Trump tweeted that he was banning trans people from serving in the military, Foreign Policy reported that Pence was lobbying hard to fight back against trans inclusion in the military. Pence was reportedly putting pressure on members of Congress to hold the 2018 defense authorization bill hostage unless it included a rider barring funds being used on transition-related health care.

According to Politico, Trump was motivated to outright ban all trans people from the military for fear that the defense bill would stall and he wouldn't receive the funding he requested for his wall. In the end, however, Pence got what he asked for and more. Though the Department of Defense is holding on implementing the tweeted policy until Trump formally submits a plan, it's nearly a done deal.

This matters because Pence might not always be in the background.

It's pretty clear that Pence's political ambitions don't end with being Trump's vice president. With scandals rocking the White House on what seems like a daily basis — including calls for investigations and even some for Trump's impeachment — it's pretty important to take a long hard look at the man next in line for the position.

During the campaign, Pence's extreme positions were largely whitewashed. His extreme anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion views were rarely talked about. As vice president, Pence has shown himself to be the man he's always been: a smooth-talking politician with far-right social conservative views. So let's keep a watchful eye on what he's doing now because he might just be president one day.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

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