Married in 1985, Mike and Karen Pence have been husband and spouse for 4 a long time, so it is pretty protected to say the 2 have a strong factor going. Even so, each couple has its quirks — and the Pences aren’t any exception.

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We’ll begin with essentially the most weird element of all of them: Mike refers to Karen as “Mom.” Sure, we’re now picturing Karen changing Kris Jenner in Meghan Trainor’s “Mom” music video. Mike’s attention-grabbing alternative of pet title grew to become public information again in 2017 when Rolling Stone ran a characteristic on the then-Vice President. An insider informed the outlet that they’d been to a dinner at Pence’s house whereas he was nonetheless Governor of Indiana when, at one level, Mike started shouting inquiries to Karen throughout the desk, asking, “Mom, mom, who ready our meal this night?” Mike was mentioned to have repeated the title once more whereas inquiring in regards to the tableware. 

Understandably, Mike’s detractors had a discipline day with the story, and to today, Googling “Mike Pence mom” brings up tons of search outcomes (and even bumper stickers) linked to the awkward nickname. As for what he and Karen have needed to say about it, neither has ever addressed it themselves. Nonetheless, Alyssa Farah Griffin — who labored as Mike’s press secretary previous to becoming a member of “The View” — informed the “One Determination” podcast that it wasn’t true. Kinda. “That is when he has youngsters who had been … most likely 14, 15 years outdated. And he steps up and he says, ‘Mother,’ and he calls her mother. However my dad and mom did that too. In entrance of youngsters, you say, ‘Dad,’ ‘Mother,'” she mentioned. That is likely to be the case. Then once more, Rolling Stone’s supply talked about that the dinner had been for legislators, with no point out of the Pence youngsters being current.

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Aside from the “Mom” debacle, one other element about Mike and Karen Pence’s marriage that has prompted quite a lot of eyebrow-raising is Mike’s no-women-other-than-Karen-policy. 

In a nutshell, Mike Pence has lengthy made it recognized that he will not dine socially or professionally with one other lady until his spouse is current. Talking to NewsNation in 2023, he defined that that was a choice he and Karen had come to collectively as soon as he was elected to Congress and that it was merely one thing that was essential to them. Granted, he did make clear that he did not imagine it was a necessity for everybody, and even one thing he’d recommend different {couples} attempt. “I respect the way in which anyone manages their marriage, and I by no means need to really feel like I am imposing my values on anyone,” he mentioned. Members of the LGBTQ+ group could disagree, however we digress. 

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In equity to the Pences, if not eating with ladies aside from Karen is a vital boundary to them, that is their prerogative. The truth that they’ve remained collectively sans scandal (not like many different political figures who’ve been caught dishonest) may be the proof they should show it has been for the most effective. Having mentioned that, it is also comprehensible that there was some criticism over it. For one, as was identified in Mike’s NewsNation interview, if he’d been elected president and had a lady as his working mate, that will have been a tough workaround — one thing he admitted as he chuckled at what he deemed “a intelligent query.” Positive was. In fact, Pence in the end did not win his presidential bid, so the query has been placed on ice in the intervening time. 

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A few years earlier than Mike Pence promised his spouse he’d by no means dine solo with one other lady, he and Karen Pence had been simply courting — however let’s simply say Karen was lengthy trying ahead to being her beau’s missus — and to say she put it out into the universe in a really huge means. 

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Talking to IndyStar in 2013, Karen shared that just a few months into her relationship with Mike, she obtained a cross and had it engraved. The phrase she obtained inscribed? “Sure” — the reply she’d give if he went down on one knee. Within the meantime, she stored it in her purse so she’d have it on her when the time got here. Evidently, Karen’s efforts paid off as a result of Mike proposed only one month later. Discuss setting an intention!

Admittedly, we’re unsure if this one must be filed beneath “Unusual” or “Cute.” Maybe if the couple’s emotions for each other weren’t fairly so mutual, it might have come throughout as a little bit too keen. Nonetheless, contemplating Mike had already gone to nice lengths to safe Karen’s telephone quantity (as she informed IndyStar, he’d referred to as the registrar at his regulation college to get her sister’s quantity to ask in flip for her contact particulars), it is fairly clear each had been smitten. Cute it’s. 

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One other element that we may say is an indication of the Pences being tremendous shut? Whereas Karen Pence has informed IndyStar she does not get entangled in politics and does not plan to both, there have been some events when she’s made a degree of creating her emotions recognized. 

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Obvi, there was the time she snubbed Donald Trump after he so publicly fell out along with her husband. ICYMI, when the Trumps arrived at Jimmy Carter’s funeral, Mike Pence stood to shake his hand and change just a few phrases. Karen, alternatively, didn’t — and she or he additionally appeared in the other way as he walked previous in a gesture that recommended she had zero plans on acknowledging his presence, president-elect or not. Karen additionally notably didn’t attend Donald’s inauguration simply over every week later — however primarily based on what she’d mentioned whereas Mike was nonetheless within the working for the Republican nominee, we aren’t shocked. In a delicate but undeniably shady response to Gayle King asking on “CBS Mornings” if she would assist Donald if he grew to become the nominee, Karen had responded, “I do not assume anyone who places himself above the structure ought to ever be president.” 

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Given Karen’s earlier assertions that she will not discuss coverage or politics, her very clear disdain for Donald definitely obtained lots of people’s consideration. A lot so, in reality, that Mike was requested about it in an interview with Christianity Immediately. “You’d need to ask my spouse about her posture, however we have been married 44 years, and she or he loves her husband, and her husband respects her deeply,” he mentioned. Third-person references could also be a little bit cringe, however on this case, we’re right here for the spice. TBH, even with out the shadiness, third individual nonetheless beats “Mom.”