CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence defended a military mom's right to criticize Donald Trump's comments about the Muslim parents of a slain U.S. Army veteran during a campaign stop in Nevada, and then lashed out at the media's coverage of the controversy at the next.

Pence quieted a crowd that was booing a woman who asked Pence at a town hall meeting in Carson City Monday how he could tolerate Trump's disrespect for American servicemen. In Reno a few hours later, Pence said that both he and Trump have stated that "Capt. Humayun Khan is an American hero."

Pence said he understands and appreciates the attention given to Kahn's family. But he doesn't understand "why the media maligned and continues to ignore the moving mother of fallen Air Force veteran and diplomat Sean Smith."

Pence said much of the same media criticizing Trump earlier condemned Patricia Smith's speech at the GOP convention about the U.S. information officer killed in the 2012 attack in Benghazi.

"Let's demand the media listen to and honor all of the families of the fallen in this country," he said.

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