ORLANDO, Fla. _ The New York Times should be "ashamed" it printed a column by an anonymous Trump administration official who claimed there is chaos within the White House, Vice President Mike Pence told reporters in Orlando on Thursday.
Pence, in town to stump for Gov. Rick Scott in his bid to become a U.S. senator, spoke about the controversial op-ed for the first time since its publication Wednesday, calling it "a disgrace."
"The anonymous editorial published in The New York Times represents a new low in American journalism," Pence said. "I think The New York Times should be ashamed, and I think whoever wrote this anonymous editorial should also be ashamed as well."
Pence's spokesman had already denied the vice president was the author of the piece, which claimed "the president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic" and "his impulsiveness results in half-baked, ill-informed and occasionally reckless decisions that have to be walked back."
Other Cabinet members and administration officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, have also denied authorship.
Later, Pence told a gathering of Republicans at the Marriott Orlando Downtown that he "couldn't be more excited about what will be possible when Rick Scott becomes part of an even larger Republican majority."
Pence described the state's strong economy and the opportunity that Scott would give to approve more of Trump's agenda _ despite Scott's attempts to distance himself from Trump over the course of his campaign to defeat Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.
"Florida is booming under Gov. Rick Scott, and America is booming under President Donald Trump," Pence said. "You can see the symmetry with what the president and I are doing in Washington, D.C., and what Rick Scott is doing in Florida. ... When Rick Scott arrives in the Senate, he'll bring a record of experience and common sense conservative principle to the U.S. Senate."
The vice president also said he had to cast eight tie-breaking votes in the U.S. Senate since he was sworn in. "And Rick, I don't want to ever cast another tie-breaking vote again."
Pence, who was also scheduled to appear at a private luncheon for Scott in The Villages, also praised U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, the GOP gubernatorial nominee, and DeSantis' new running mate, state Rep. Jeanette Nunez. DeSantis first appeared with Nunez at a GOP unity rally across town at the Ace Cafe shortly before Pence's arrival.
