Pence takes victory lap at CPAC: ‘This is our time’

Vice President Pence on Thursday touted the early accomplishments of President Trump’s young administration and showered praise on the former real estate mogul as the herald of a new era at a major conservative gathering.

Speaking at the high-profile Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland, Pence seized on an enthusiastic audience to declare victory over the Affordable Care Act and tout Trump’s victory in November.

“Men and women of the conservative movement: This is our time,” Pence said.

“I believe President Trump has given voice to the aspirations and frustrations of the American people like no leader since Reagan,” Pence said to cheers. “I just knew our knew president would reignite our cause and renew it in our own day.”

{mosads}“President Trump won a historic victory all across the United States of America,” he said.

CPAC is familiar territory for Pence. His remarks on Thursday marked the ninth time he has addressed the annual gathering.

But predictably absent from Pence’s remarks were the myriad challenges and controversies that have roiled the Trump administration in its first month.

There was no talk of the president’s contentious executive order barring refugees and citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. Nor did Pence discuss the abrupt resignation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Instead, the 20-minute address was a sort of victory lap for Trump’s campaign, touching on shunning the media and the political establishment and vows to “make America great again” — themes that have dominated Trump’s rhetoric since his early days as a presidential candidate.

“The media, the elites, the insiders, everybody else who profits off preserving the status quo — they dismissed our president every step of the way,” Pence said. “And in dismissing him, they also dismissed millions of the hard-working, forgotten men and women that make this country great.

“And worse yet, they’re still trying to dismiss him. They’re still trying to dismiss all of us,”

Pence also voiced support for Israel, vowing that Trump would “stand with” the Jewish state.

“Israel’s fight is our fight. Her cause is our cause. Her values are our values,” Pence said to rising applause. “And under President Trump, America will stand with Israel.”

Pence rolled through several of Trump’s major campaign talking points, spending the most time on ObamaCare.

“Despite the best efforts of liberal activists at town halls around the country, the American people know better,” Pence said. “ObamaCare has failed, and ObamaCare must go.”

The vice president’s remarks came a day before Trump himself is set to take the stage at the annual conservative meeting. Earlier in the day, White House senior strategist Stephen Bannon and chief of staff Reince Priebus took the stage together. 

“I’m confident that with your help and with God’s help and with President Donald Trump in the White House, I know the best days for America are yet to come. Let’s get to work,” Pence concluded.