CHESTERFIELD, Mo. _ Mike Pence continued his criticisms of Democrats at a rally on Tuesday, painting a picture of diminishing American exceptionalism under President Barack Obama's administration that would continue if Hillary Clinton is elected president.
The vice presidential nominee and Indiana governor called running mate Donald Trump "the genuine article," while questioning Clinton's integrity and suggesting the Democratic nominee broke the law during her tenure as secretary of State.
"Hillary Clinton deleted 18,000 emails," he said. "That doesn't look like politics, that looks like obstruction."
The attacks continued through much of the roughly 40-minute speech at the DoubleTree hotel.
Pence said foreign policy decisions made under Clinton and Obama created a vacuum of power in Iraq that allowed Islamic State to emerge.
"The world is more dangerous today because of Obama's policies," Pence said, adding that "we can't have four more years of apologizing to our enemies and abandoning our friends."
On domestic policy, Pence called Clinton's ideas stale, describing her as the typical tax-and-spend liberal often caricatured by Republicans.
"Donald Trump has a plan to get the economy moving," he said. "Conservative ideas work every time you try them."
Pence said among Trump's first actions if he's elected president will be to lower business taxes and eliminate the estate tax, which conservatives often call the "death tax."
"Death will no longer be a taxable event," Pence said, adding that Trump will also roll back federal regulations and executive orders enacted under the Obama administration.
At different times during his speech, many of the several hundred in attendance alternately chanted Trump's name or booed any mention of Clinton or Obama.
Perhaps the loudest applause came as Pence reiterated Trump's rallying cry to end illegal immigration and build a border wall paid for by Mexico.
Later, Pence warned that the next president will likely set the direction of the U.S. Supreme Court for a generation or more.
He cautioned that divisive issues including abortion rights and access to guns could be decided by a liberal court, if Clinton wins the White House.
"Think about the liberties that are enshrined in our Constitution," he told the crowd.
The attack lines didn't stop at the Democrats.
Media members received a hearty round of boos when Pence accused reporters of paying closer attention to Trump's tweets than Clinton's trustworthiness.
Pence was briefly interrupted when he mentioned this week's passing of conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly. Two protesters in the crowd yelled anti-Schlafly expletives until they were drowned out by chants of "USA!" and escorted from the ballroom by security.
Pence summed up a Trump presidency as one devoted to security and American integrity and not beholden to special interests.
He called on supporters to pray for the country and to be "happy warriors" in spreading Trump's message to people on the fence about voting on Election Day.
