Pence debate advice to Trump: Be yourself

Fresh off his strong performance in Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said he is not pushing Donald Trump to follow his lead but instead wants the Manhattan billionaire to “be himself.”

“I’d encourage Donald Trump to do what he did in his first debate, and that is be himself. Speak from his mind and speak from his heart, and I know he's going to do that,” Pence said Thursday morning on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.” “He will be ready for this coming Sunday night.”


The Sunday night to which Pence referred is the much-anticipated next presidential debate, a town-hall style matchup that Trump’s camp says plays to his strength of connecting with voters. Unlike his cool, polished running mate, Trump was erratic in his head-to-head matchup with Hillary Clinton, interrupting regularly and allowing himself to be baited by the former secretary of state’s barbs.

Pence said he expects Sunday’s debate to more closely resemble the commander-in-chief forum NBC held last month, a town-hall style event that focused on military issues. Trump performed well at that event, and the Indiana governor said he expects the same on Sunday.

“He really does a great job, particularly in a town-hall setting. I think the reason why you see these enormous crowds rallying around Donald Trump, enormous crowds yesterday out West, is because he's made a real connection with everyday Americans,” Pence said. “And so my advice for him for Sunday night is what it was before the last debate, and that is go out, be yourself and share that vision for how we're going to make America great again. He will have a great night.”