Mike Pence Doesn’t Dine Alone With Any Woman Other Than His Wife
Vice President Mike Pence unintentionally stirred up a hot debate after an article published in The Washington Post referenced a 2002 article from The Hill where he said he never eats alone with any woman other than his wife
Photo: Unsplash/@bady
Vice President Mike Pence unintentionally stirred up a hot debate after an article published in The Washington Post referenced a 2002 article from The Hill where he said he never eats alone with any woman other than his wife. Writer Laura Turner, pointed out that for an evangelical Christian like Pence, there’s nothing new about this concept. It’s commonly known as the “Billy Graham Rule,” after the famous evangelical minister denounced meeting alone with women under the pretense that it could lead to extramarital affairs.
The internet got riled up in what New York Times columnist Nate Cohn called “the most surprising and eye-opening cultural divide in a while.”
There were plenty of people who defended Pence and his “moral” standards.
Some were quick to call foul on judging Pence when Bill Clinton was caught cheating.
However, Celeste Ng suggested that the right doesn’t have much claim to preaching about faithfulness and morality either, given Donald Trump’s track record.
What was most disturbing to many, was not Pence’s attempt at loyalty toward his wife, rather that his choice seems to hypersexualize a woman’s existence.
And well, there’s this…
Today, Pence gave the tie-breaking vote in the Senate on a bill that allows states to refuse federal funding to healthcare facilities like Planned Parenthood, potentially putting many women (especially low-income women) at risk.
In the grand scheme of things, some people think this is simply irrelevant.
The thing is, this actually DOES affect our lives, because he’s, ya know, the vice president. His role requires that he take meetings with female politicians, constituents, etc. Granted, this interview is from 2002, so maybe things have changed. But if he can’t be alone in the room with a woman while working on behalf of the people of the United States government, then can he properly fulfill his duties?
Because as Arianna Huffington pointed out, there are plenty of boss ladies out there who need to meet to handle business – and nothing else!
Politics aside, dear readers, we want to hear from you. Do you have an issue with your man dining alone with another woman? Sound off in the comments below.
