RantCrush Top 5: August 7, 2017

Over the weekend, a news report suggested that Vice President Mike Pence seems to be planning a run in the 2020 election, only a little over six months after taking office. Now the VP has denounced the idea as “fake news,” “laughable,” and “absurd.” “Today’s article in The New York Times is disgraceful and offensive to me, my family and our entire team,” he wrote in a statement.

Lol Mike Pence’s response to the @nytimes piece (about him possibly strategizing for a run in 2020) just makes the story 10x more condemning pic.twitter.com/e7jOVn4uQD

— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) August 6, 2017

The original article stated that Pence has had an unusually full calendar for being a first-time vice president and that he has already approached party donors. But it also mentioned many other top Republicans, like John Kasich, who seem ready to run as presidential candidates–which is unprecedented so early in a new administration. However, Pence’s forceful denial of the report could suggest that there may be more truth to it than he wants to admit.

ROOMMATE: Did you eat my leftovers

ME: This is disgraceful and offensive to me, my family, and our entire team

— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) August 6, 2017

Pence to Trump: Are you going to believe me or are you going to believe The New York Times? (NYT might win this one) https://t.co/iI1y37KJeu

— adam nagourney (@adamnagourney) August 6, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.