THE PLOT THICKENS

Paul Manafort, Trump Kids Meet With Pence

Paul Manafort joined Donald Trump’s children in a meeting with Mike Pence on Wednesday, just days before Trump is expected to announce his running mate.

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Adding fuel to the VP speculation fire surrounding Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Donald Trump met at the Indiana governor’s mansion Wednesday morning with Pence, Trump’s children and campaign manager Paul Manafort.

A source with knowledge of meeting confirmed Manafort’s attendance.

Manafort’s presence at the meeting an indication that talks between Trump and Pence may have moved beyond testing chemistry between the two men to operational details of the governor joining the Trump ticket as his vice presidential nominee.

At an earlier meeting in July, The New York Times reported that Pence had traveled to New Jersey to sit down with Trump at one of Trump’s golf resorts, along with his wife, Karen. Manafort did not attend the New Jersey meeting.

On Tuesday, Pence both introduced Trump at a Westfield, Ind. rally and, in speaking with reporters, compared Trump to Ronald Reagan in voicing admiration for the New York billionaire.

“He’s been successful on Wall Street but he’s never turned his back on Main Street,” Pence said of Trump, adding that the mogul had connected with the American people like “no other leader in my lifetime since Ronald Reagan.”

At the rally later, Trump said of Pence, “I don’t know whether he’s going to be your governor or your vice president, who the hell knows?” Trump said. “You’re going to call him up and you’re going to say, ‘Governor, or vice president, sir, please, please speak to Mr. Trump. We’re winning too much.’”

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Patricia Murphy

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