News and Headlines

Actions

WATCH: Mike Pence's radio show from the '90s

Posted
and last updated

INDIANAPOLIS -- Before he was a vice presidential candidate, Indiana's governor, or a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Pence was a radio show host.

He used "The Mike Pence Show" in the 1990s to help springboard his political career in the 2000s. Politico notes that he used the radio show to talk to everyday Hoosiers. He learned how to talk to listeners (and later, potential voters) in ways they could relate to.

MORE | He could be your next VP: Who is Mike Pence?

Video footage from local radio shows from the 1990s is difficult to track down, even with the help of the internet. But Politico found audio of Pence's show in 1996, and video from a show in 1997. The 1996 show opens with Pence discussing the Iowa Caucus and the presidential election. 

Politico also obtained video of his "Open Phone Friday" show from May 23, 1997, a day after Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

PREVIOUS | Trump-Pence.com redirects to Pence's 'This Week' RFRA interview

Pence discusses the "normalization" of adultery, using the example of Kelly Flinn, the country's first B-52 pilot. Flinn had just been discharged from the U.S. Air Force after disobeying a commanding officer and lying about an affair.

“I mean, is adultery no longer a big deal in Indiana and in America? I’d just love to know your thoughts because I for one believe that the Seventh Commandment contained in the Ten Commandments is still a big deal. I maintain that other than promises that we make of fidelity in our faith, the promises that we make to our spouses and to our children, the promises that we make in churches and in synagogues and marriage ceremonies around this, it's the most important promise you'll ever make. And holding people accountable to those promises and holding people accountable to respecting the promises that other people make, I, to me, what could possibly be a bigger deal than that in this country?”

ALSO READ | Five Hoosiers have been elected vice president

Pence sounds less like a politician and more like a typical radio host, asking listeners to call at "800-603-MIKE."

"I've got a couple of lines open, you can jump in -- jump in now," he said. 

PREVIOUS | Pence in 1999: 'Mulan' is liberal propaganda

He also criticized The Indianapolis Star later in the show for downplaying the size of the crowd at Carb Day. 

Watch Pence in the 1997 radio show in the video below and read more from Politico here.

MORE ON DEMOCRACY 2016:

Trump, Pence officially earn GOP nominations

Periods for Pence takes aim at Donald Trump

Trump defends Pence's support of Iraq War

Chaos erupts: Never Trump forces vow to fight