Pence & Prudence

Over at National Review, Jonah Goldberg defends Mike Pence and his wife from liberal elitists who mock Pence’s for being serious about their marriage.

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The Washington Post ran a profile of Vice President Mike Pence’s wife, Karen, and lots of people are outraged or repulsed that two Evangelical Christians do things that are fairly normal for Evangelical Christians to do. Specifically, Mike Pence apparently doesn’t dine alone with women or attend events where alcohol is served if his wife doesn’t accompany him. Perhaps this practice started when he was in Congress, a place where many a politician has ruined his marriage and career by not following such rules. In response, there’s been a lot of cheap mockery from prominent liberal writers and activists. It’s an affront to working women! He’s a Christian weirdo! He thinks a meal with any woman will lead to sex! A lot of conservatives have leapt to the Pences’ defense — and rightly so. Mollie Hemingway of the Federalist concentrated on how these rules help prevent infidelity: “Good on Mike Pence for acknowledging these truths and knowing his limits.” I agree. But it’s worth pointing out that infidelity needn’t be the issue. I doubt Pence would be a lothario save for those rules. Perhaps he followed them simply to reassure his wife?

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