Mike Pence answers 11-year-old girl’s body image question with pivot to terrorism

By Adrienne Shih

CNN

When Mike Pence was asked to respond to an 11-year-old girl’s questions about body image and female objectification, the Republican vice presidential nominee responded by talking about foreign policy.

WBNS anchor Scott Light asked Pence Thursday how he would respond to the girl, a Girl Scout who had recently visited the radio station, who told a staff member that Donald Trump’s words and campaign commercials made her feel bad about looking at herself in the mirror.

“I would say to any one of my kids Donald Trump and I are committed to a safer and more prosperous future for their family,” Pence responded. “The weak and feckless foreign policy that Hillary Clinton promises to continue has literally caused areas of the world to spin apart. The rise of terrorist threats that have inspired violence here at home. We’ve seen an erosion of law and order in our streets and we’ve seen opportunities and jobs evaporate and even leave Ohio and even leave this country. I would tell every kid that if Donald Trump and I have the chance to serve in the White House that we are going to work every day for a stronger, safer and more prosperous American.”

This comes just days after Donald Trump, Pence’s running mate, has come under fire, still heavy in fallout over a leaked hot mic tape in which the GOP candidate can be heard making lewd comments about women.

Several other women have come forward, alleging Trump groped them and kissed them without their consent. CNN has not independently verified those accusations, and Donald Trump has denied all of the allegations in those reports.

Pence has staunchly stood by his running mate, rebuking allegations being made against Trump. He said in the same interview that he is confident Trump had never assaulted women — calling the claims “unsubstantiated” — and instead pivoting and launching into an attack on former president Bill Clinton’s past extramarital affairs.