The 48th Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, came to the Nixon Library within days of launching his latest book, What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience. Expressing his hope that the book will spark a broader conversation about the future of the Republican Party, Pence opened the evening with remarks from the podium before engaging in a wide-ranging conversation on his manifesto on conservatism with Joe Lopez, Chief Operating Officer of the Richard Nixon Foundation.

Describing his time serving as Vice President as “the greatest honor of my life,” Pence drew on that experience, along with his years as a Congressman and Governor, to offer his analysis of where the Republican Party stands today and where it must go. Acknowledging the rising threat from the populist right, he argued that it is more important than ever to carry forward time-tested conservative principles.

Central to that vision is a belief that the founding ideals of freedom at the heart of this republic will continue to resonate with younger generations. Pence shared that he began his political life as a Democrat before joining the Republican Party, inspired by the leadership of Ronald Reagan. On matters of governance, he spoke about the legacy of the Library’s namesake, connecting President Nixon’s New Federalism and its emphasis on moving resources and decision-making out of Washington to the enduring principles of the Tenth Amendment.

On fiscal policy, Pence was direct: “The time has come to put us back on a path to a balanced budget.” He also addressed foreign policy, speaking about the war with Iran and America’s support of Israel.

The Vice President closed with a reflection on American identity and civic education. “I really do believe that it is important to teach our children to love America and understand why America is great,” he said. He ended the evening on a note of unity and hope:

When we think about the American founding and the ideals enshrined in that Declaration and that Constitution, I think we will realize that there will always be more that unites us in these United States than could ever divide us — and my prayer is that we will hew to those roots, that we will see from whence we have come, and we will chart another 250 years of boundless prosperity and freedom for generations of Americans. So help us God.

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