Winter Olympics: Official says offer not request to talk with skater made
Mike Pence
2018 Winter Olympics: Mike Pence tweets '#FAKENEWS' on report about skater Adam Rippon
At about the same time as Pence took to Twitter  a White House official was explaining to reporters traveling with the vice president to South Korea that  Pence 's team did contact the U.S. Olympic Committee. But the vice president's office was offering— not requesting — a meeting with Rippon and wanted to give the skater as much space as possible. The official declined to be identified.
Columnist Christine Brennan reported on Wednesday that  Pence  had become so concerned about criticism he faced from Rippon  an openly gay athlete  that his staff reached out to the USOC to set up a conversation between the two.
Headed to the Olympics to cheer on #TeamUSA. One reporter trying to distort 18 yr old nonstory to sow seeds of division. We won’t let that happen! #FAKENEWS. Our athletes are the best in the world and we are for ALL of them! #TEAMUSA — Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 8  2018
.@Adaripp I want you to know we are FOR YOU. Don’t let fake news distract you. I am proud of you and ALL OF OUR GREAT athletes and my only hope for you and all of #TeamUSA is to bring home the gold. Go get ‘em! — Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 8  2018
“ You mean Mike Pence  the same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy ? I’m not buying  it  ” Rippon responded.
Around the same time that  Pence  sent out his two tweets over the reports about his spat with Rippon  a White House official confirmed that the vice president's chief of staff Nick Ayers called U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun after Rippon had initially criticized  Pence  last month.
Rippon’s criticism of  Pence  was over language on a campaign website that some LGBT activists say shows that as a congressman the vice president had supported gay conversion therapy.
Ayers told Blackmun that the criticism of  Pence  was untrue and that he never supported gay conversion therapy  the White House official told reporters. When the issue surfaced during the 2016 presidential campaign   Pence 's then press secretary  Marc Lotter  also denied that  Pence  supported the policy.
Ayers offered to have someone from the vice president's team explain to Rippon the confusion over  Pence 's stance. Ayers also said that  Pence  would meet with Rippon or speak with him over the phone if he preferred  the White House official said.
2018 Winter Olympics: [TGT] tweets '#FAKENEWS' on report about skater Adam Rippon
At about the same time as Pence took to Twitter  a White House official was explaining to reporters traveling with the vice president to South Korea that  Pence 's team did contact the U.S. Olympic Committee. But the vice president's office was offering— not requesting — a meeting with Rippon and wanted to give the skater as much space as possible. The official declined to be identified.
Columnist Christine Brennan reported on Wednesday that  Pence  had become so concerned about criticism he faced from Rippon  an openly gay athlete  that his staff reached out to the USOC to set up a conversation between the two.
Headed to the Olympics to cheer on #TeamUSA. One reporter trying to distort 18 yr old nonstory to sow seeds of division. We won’t let that happen! #FAKENEWS. Our athletes are the best in the world and we are for ALL of them! #TEAMUSA — Vice President [TGT] (@VP) February 8  2018
.@Adaripp I want you to know we are FOR YOU. Don’t let fake news distract you. I am proud of you and ALL OF OUR GREAT athletes and my only hope for you and all of #TeamUSA is to bring home the gold. Go get ‘em! — Vice President [TGT] (@VP) February 8  2018
“ You mean [TGT]  the same [TGT] that funded gay conversion therapy ? I’m not buying  it  ” Rippon responded.
Around the same time that  Pence  sent out his two tweets over the reports about his spat with Rippon  a White House official confirmed that the vice president's chief of staff Nick Ayers called U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun after Rippon had initially criticized  Pence  last month.
Rippon’s criticism of  Pence  was over language on a campaign website that some LGBT activists say shows that as a congressman the vice president had supported gay conversion therapy.
Ayers told Blackmun that the criticism of  Pence  was untrue and that he never supported gay conversion therapy  the White House official told reporters. When the issue surfaced during the 2016 presidential campaign   Pence 's then press secretary  Marc Lotter  also denied that  Pence  supported the policy.
Ayers offered to have someone from the vice president's team explain to Rippon the confusion over  Pence 's stance. Ayers also said that  Pence  would meet with Rippon or speak with him over the phone if he preferred  the White House official said.