Vice President Pence declared Thursday that it had been a “banner week” for infrastructure, even as another event commanded the attention of Washington and major cable news networks all week long.
The comments came the same day that former FBI Director James Comey delivered closesly watched testimony on Capitol Hill for the first time since his abrupt firing in May.
{mosads}“Folks, it’s already been a banner week for infrastructure,” Pence told mayors and governors assembled at the White House for an infrastructure summit. “We’re actually calling it Infrastructure Week in this administration, and today I have the honor to kick off our very first summit focused on infrastructure.”
“I know I’m not the main attraction today,” he added.
The White House launched a series of high-profile events this week designed to ramp up support for Trump’s effort to rebuild U.S. roads, bridges, airports and other public works.
But the rollout has been largely overshadowed by Trump’s own tweets and the dramatic news surrounding the Comey hearing.
In fact, the concept of “Infrastructure Week” has become somewhat of a punch line on Capitol Hill.
“I think this is the most exciting hearing of the day on Capitol Hill, for the record,” quipped Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) during a Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on air traffic control on Thursday.
“You can tell by all the cameras here,” Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said sarcastically.