CLEVELAND _ You may have missed Donald Trump's introduction Saturday of Mike Pence as his running mate, because it turned into another demonstration of how the Republican campaign is all about Trump. Trump spoke for 28 minutes, alone on the stage, rarely mentioning the Indiana governor Pence joined him onstage.
Some of Trump's monologue was an effort to write, or rewrite, history: Pence's endorsement of rival Ted Cruz this spring was "really more of an endorsement for me," Trump said.
Some was Trump explaining why Democrat Hillary Clinton is responsible for the world's turmoil.
When he finally got to Pence, Trump didn't express much excitement, and eventually read from notes that described the wonders of Indiana's economy and how Pence made it so.
It was all a vivid reminder that this campaign is largely a solo act, and that once Pence gives his acceptance speech at the Republican convention, he may rarely be noticed nationally again.
When he finally joined Trump, Pence gave a calm, pointed speech, describing himself as "really just a small-town boy who grew up in southern Indiana with a big family and a cornfield in the backyard."
Today, Pence said, he's "a pretty basic guy �� a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order."
Pence endorsed Cruz just before the Indiana primary. People misread that endorsement, Trump said.
"I learned that when Governor Pence, under tremendous pressure from establishment people, endorsed somebody else, but it was more of an endorsement for me, if you remember," Trump said.
Trump maintained that Pence would have easily won re-election this year in Indiana. Maybe not, since polls showed that Pence was in some jeopardy.
That didn't deter Trump. He rattled off data painting Indiana as a Midwestern paradise. He noted Indiana's unemployment rate, 8.4 percent when Pence took office, went below 5 percent, which is correct. The rate in May was 5 percent, just above the national rate of 4.7 percent. The state ranked first in the Midwest for doing business, according to Chief Executive magazine.
Trump noted that during Pence's term, the state labor force increased by more than 186,000 jobs.
The state's economy grew at a 2.2 percent annual pace in 2013 and 2014, matching or exceeding gains in the U.S. overall.
According to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, over the past three years, Indiana's private sector has grown by more than 147,000 jobs. Indiana's private sector employment growth since July 2009, surpassed the nation's: 13.7 percent vs. 12.6 percent.
Trump maintained that Indiana is one of the nation's best places for young people to live and find work. Indianapolis is No. 10 on Forbes' list of top 20 cities for young professionals, citing its strong projected annual job growth over a three-year period
Trump did not mention his differences with Pence on free trade, or how Pence in December criticized his running mate's call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering this country as "offensive and unconstitutional."
Pence Thursday said he now supports a ban on immigration from nations where "terrorist influence and impact represents a threat to the United States." Pence has long been supported removing international barriers to trade; Trump wants tougher restrictions.
