Piety & Power: Mike Pence and the Taking of the White House

by Tom LoBianco

Overview

MIKE PENCE: THE ULTIMATE POLITICAL SHAPE-SHIFTER

“I’m a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican . . . in that order.” —Mike Pence

As the impeachment of President Donald Trump remains a constant topic of discussion in political circles, the questions around our current vice president also continue to swirl, and in some ways, the puzzlement over his true nature has never truly been clear. Tom LoBianco, a longtime Pence reporter, cuts to the core of the nation’s most enigmatic politician in this intimate yet expansive account of the vice president’s journey to the White House. In Piety & Power, LoBianco follows Pence from his evangelical conversion in college to his failed career as a young lawyer, to his thwarted attempts at politics until he hitched his wagon to far-right extremism, becoming the Congressional poster boy for faith-based policy and Tea Party rhetoric. Giving readers a minute-by-minute account of the selection process that made him Donald Trump’s unlikely running mate in 2016, Piety & Power traces Pence’s personal and political life, painting a picture of a man driven by faith and conviction, yes, but also a hunger for power.

LoBianco crafts a revealing portrait of the real Mike Pence—a politician whose understated style masks a drive for power, but also a surprising political acumen—by drawing on years of research, over one hundred exclusive interviews with those closest to the vice president, and deep ties both within the Beltway and Indiana state politics. Highlighting Pence’s strained, at times obsequious, relationship with Trump; his marriage to Karen; his deeply repressed personality; his presidential aspirations and plans for America’s future; and his deep-rooted faith in his country, in God, and ultimately himself; Piety & Power provides insights and answers as it sheds light on this ambitious Midwestern politician, his past, and his possible future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062887948
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/24/2019
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	592
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Tom LoBianco is a longtime reporter who has covered Mike Pence from the statehouse to the White House for the Associated Press, CNN, and the Indianapolis Star. LoBianco is a regular political analyst on national television and radio, including CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, NPR and more. In more than a decade covering politics, he has unearthed scores of stunning stories. He lives in the Washington D.C. area with his wife and daughter.

Table of Contents

Author's Note ix

Introduction You Got What You Wanted, Mike 1

Prologue The Cornfield in Pence's Backyard 7

Chapter 1 Idyllic 17

Chapter 2 Conversion 25

Chapter 3 Candidate School-1988 47

Chapter 4 Broke-1990 65

Chapter 5 The Think Tank 77

Chapter 6 Mike Pence, Inc. V. Michael 89

Chapter 7 Resurrection-2000 107

Chapter 8 The Unknown 119

Chapter 9 Pence's Moment 143

Chapter 10 Back Home Again 165

Chapter 11 Governor Pence for President 189

Chapter 12 Now, George 207

Chapter 13 At Peace 221

Chapter 14 God's Plan 257

Chapter 15 Piety & Power 287

Acknowledgments 311

Notes 317

Index 363

Editorial Reviews

Tom LoBianco asks all the right questions in Piety & Power, his crisp and engaging biography of the vice president.” — New York Times Book Review

“LoBianco offers key insights into Pence’s personal life and career, including his evangelical conversion, and gives a highly-detailed history of how President Trump selected Pence to be his running mate in 2016.” — Time

“[There are] many details that LoBianco includes in the latest book that tries to answer the question of who is Mike Pence – and why the devout Christian has entwined himself with Trump.”  — USA Today

“In his evenhanded debut book, the author…allows the facts to speak for themselves. …A useful portrait of an enigmatic politician.” — KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Like Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, [LoBianco is] good at getting people to talk. … LoBianco has come up with the best detailed treatment of Pence in the context of Indiana politics.” — INDIANAPOLIS STAR

From the Publisher

Tom LoBianco asks all the right questions in Piety & Power, his crisp and engaging biography of the vice president…

The New York Times Book Review - Peter Baker

“Tom LoBianco asks all the right questions in Piety & Power, his crisp and engaging biography of the vice president.”

New York Times Book Review

“LoBianco offers key insights into Pence’s personal life and career, including his evangelical conversion, and gives a highly-detailed history of how President Trump selected Pence to be his running mate in 2016.”

Time

“[There are] many details that LoBianco includes in the latest book that tries to answer the question of who is Mike Pence – and why the devout Christian has entwined himself with Trump.”

USA Today

“Like Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, [LoBianco is] good at getting people to talk. … LoBianco has come up with the best detailed treatment of Pence in the context of Indiana politics.”

Indianapolis Star

Like Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, [LoBianco is] good at getting people to talk. … LoBianco has come up with the best detailed treatment of Pence in the context of Indiana politics.

INDIANAPOLIS STAR

[There are] many details that LoBianco includes in the latest book that tries to answer the question of who is Mike Pence – and why the devout Christian has entwined himself with Trump.” 

USA Today

LoBianco offers key insights into Pence’s personal life and career, including his evangelical conversion, and gives a highly-detailed history of how President Trump selected Pence to be his running mate in 2016.

Time

2019-07-28
A biography of the vice president, who has consistently demonstrated his "chameleon properties."

In his work for the Associated Press, CNN, and the Indianapolis Star, journalist LoBianco has observed Mike Pence's political career both as governor of Indiana and vice president. In his evenhanded debut book, the author sometimes offers his own commentary but mostly allows the facts to speak for themselves. (Pence declined to be interviewed for the book.) In The Shadow President (2018), Michael D'Antonio and Peter Eisner created a picture of Pence as an ineffective lawyer and governor and hypocritical vice president whose brand of Christian faith has led him to consistently condemn homosexuality and abortion. The co-authors argued that Pence could be considered an insignificant public figure with one exception: creating a persona as a radio talk show host in Indiana after losing two attempts to get elected to the House of Representatives; the show provided Pence a base that helped him gain entry to the House on his third attempt. LoBianco makes a similar argument, noting Pence's "self-affixed Christian-first label" and his long-held, unswerving belief that the God of an inerrant Bible has preordained his path to the presidency. LoBianco is especially effective in explaining how his rigid beliefs receive daily affirmation from Pence's wife, Karen. In convincing detail, the author shows how Karen made more final decisions about policy during Pence's governorship than Pence did. As the author writes, his subjugation to Karen's directions have likely carried over to his role as Donald Trump's vice president. Despite offering copious evidence and periodic interpretations, LoBianco reiterates throughout the narrative that Pence is the "ultimate political shapeshifter," especially compared to other elected politicians. The author presents the possibility that Pence could serve a second term if Trump wins in 2020 and then seek the presidency in 2024.

A useful portrait of an enigmatic politician.

Kirkus Reviews