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Updated 9.08pm
US VICE PRESIDENT Mike Pence has told Leo Varadkar that the Taoiseach’s partner, Matt Barrett, would be welcome in Pence’s home if he decides to attend next year’s St Patrick’s Day visit to the US.
Pence made the comments during a private conversation between the two, during which Varadkar raised LGBT rights and equality issues.
The US vice president describes himself as a “Christian, a conservative and a Republican” and has been criticised for his views and his legislative record on LGBT people.
The two held a closed breakfast meeting earlier today, breaking with the tradition of allowing the media access to the conversation.
The Taoiseach said it was the US administration that made the decision to have the meeting in private.
It is tradition during the St Patrick’s Day trip to Washington DC for the Taoiseach to have breakfast with the vice president.
Generally, this is done the morning before the Taoiseach meets the US President in the Oval Office.
Breaking from tradition this year, Varadkar attended the vice president’s residence this morning, a day after meeting Donald Trump in the White House.
The media questioned the vice president as to why the meeting was happening behind closed doors – but Pence gave no reply.
Taoiseach’s remarks
Speaking this evening in New York City following the meeting, Varadkar said that he had privately spoken to the the Pence family about LGBT rights.
“I did privately get to speak to them about equality bout my support for equal rights for women and the LGBT community in America and Ireland,” Varadkar said.
They were very well briefed. They knew about my personal story, that my partner was living in Chicago and they said both Matt and I would be very welcome to visit their home in future.
Varadkar said this was a “very nice gesture”.
Pence’s remarks
In his own remarks at the breakfast, Pence thanked Varadkar for coming to the US and paid tribute to the strong connection between Ireland and the US.
Pence – whose grandfather was from Sligo before he emigrated to the US – said it was “very special” to be able to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with the people gathered.
“But let me say, as the President said, yesterday, the relationship between Ireland and the United States has never been stronger and it’s only getting better,” Pence said.
He also said that he and his wife would “be traveling to Ireland in the coming years. I promise you that. We will accept that wonderful invitation.”.
Mike Pence greeting Leo Varadkar pic.twitter.com/OiytXoctku
— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) March 16, 2018
Conversion therapy
Earlier this week, TheJournal.ie asked Varadkar if he would raise the issue of conversion therapy and LGBT rights with Pence.
The Taoiseach said he will raise the “wider issue” of LGBT rights with Pence, if he has the opportunity.
I am told Vice President Pence is not a supporter of conversion therapy even though some people have mentioned he is. But I imagine I will have the opportunity, I am going to be meeting him over breakfast on Friday morning, so if I have the opportunity I will certainly be mentioning the wider issue of equal rights and freedoms for LGBT citizens.
Closed meeting
Speaking after his meeting with US President Trump, Varadkar said he did not know why the media are not allowed to attend the meeting.
“I don’t know, he was actually in the meeting here now and I’m going to meet him again over breakfast tomorrow,” Varadkar said.
I appreciate from a media point of view you’d like to be there and we’d like you to be there too but it’s their decision that it be closed.
“It allows us have maybe a frank conversation that we wouldn’t be able to have if the media was present,” he said.
What’s on the menu other than perhaps a frosty meeting? Eggs, Irish potatoes and avocado.
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The Picture heading looks either that Pence is thinking ” hey.. he’s cute” or ” i wonder wether conversion therapy would work on him. “
@The Viking: That’s some mind you got there,ever consider therapy yourself
@The Viking: I was thinking the same. Pence probably had his cheeks sewn together
@Patricia Murray: can’t see Leo’s left hand, and Pence’s facial expression!
@Sandra O’Fucáif: surely you mean sucking off ?
Did I miss the article about how soft his scented pillows are, or is that coming later?
These Informercials are brought to you by the “Lets get Leo and FG re-elected, Campaign” and sponsored by you the PAYE Tax Payers.
#FeelinggougedwithFG
@Jarlath Murphy:
well maybe Leo is planning a surprise FREE stay at Trumps Doonbeg for his fiancé. that would make sense him interfering in planning permission .
now we have Noonan style closed meetings where Leo will be eaten by the wolves . Just like noonan was eaten up by bankers and speculators at his closed meeting in the Dublin convention centre during the crisis.
@Jarlath Murphy: He’s welcome. But he has to use the front door.
Leo needs converting ….to sorting out the Health Service and the Housing Crisis .
Socks won’t cut the Mustard , Leo .
@Pl O’neill: Yawn,yawn yawn
@Pl O’neill: Awful effort.
@Pl O’neill: 0/10 trolling effort
@Pl O’neill: we can get over sockgate now surely
@frank murphy: Trolling about the state health service and housing?
@Sean Conway: but that’s what Minister for Health stayed home for
here we are again , sending in the sheep to guard our country against the wolves .
leo and his planning permission interference must have endeared him to the davos crowd as he has shown his willingness to bow and serve .
Leo is against renewable energy but is ok to take taxes from “poor paddy” to fund them ,as long as their placement does not interfere with wealthy friends .
@mur: You do know Clare Council have said he had no hand in the planning process and he himself did not “inquire” as to it’s status, but a member of the civil service from the ministers office made a simple call, as anyone is entitled to do to enquire about a planning matter.
@Mick Jordan: so, why did he lie about it then ? And I front of the worlds media
@Michael farrelly: To make himself look good in front of the US audience. Why does any politician try self promotion?
@Mick Jordan: So he’s lying there but telling us the truth?
@Mick Jordan: sure, but by blatantly lying ? ?
@Michael farrelly: what was the blatant lie again?
@Mick Jordan: yeah, right, nothing to see here, move along
@Gus Sheridan: Do all Politicians self promote? Do all they exaggerate how great they are? That is all part and parcel of the political game.
@Michael farrelly: Politicans lie all the time. How many times when canvassing for your vote has one them promised you the sun moon and stars if they get elected?
@Mick Jordan: Then there would be a record in the Council and one in the department….
@Mick Jordan: Then there would be a record in the Council and one in the department….
@Mick Jordan: So you are taking their word over Varadkars then?
@marg fitzgerald: What makes you think that Marg?
@Vigo the Carpathian: Does he know the DIFFERENCE between TRUTH AND LIES
@Mick Jordan: yes of course I agree with you but in front of the world’s media ?
@Dave O Keeffe: he said he made a phone call for Trump. Now he’s saying someone else made the call. That’s a lie
@Michael Farrelly: how dare he butter up one of the most powerful people on the planet by embellishing a tale!
@Mick Jordan: they’re all tying themselves up in knots, trying to come up with the best lie. They can’t make up their mind now whether it was V himself, a staff member, fainted ireland. Dig dig dig. Some laugh these buckos are.
@Father Hody Commody: ‘Failte’
Still waiting to hear the result of his private meeting in Davos with Denis O’Brien?
@Oscar Scatters: Youll see it in your pocket at some stage.
@Oscar Scatters: Because of Fake News generators/concoctors all the media have to be kept outside any important meeting. The other media should attack Fake News Fakes for destroying journalism.
Leo: Okay Mike, so this is a globe, and you can see the Earth is spherical and not flat, it’s also 4.5 billion years old.
Mike: *drools on chin*
@Michael Knight:
Dumb post, stupid poster.
@Joseph Rooney: quite clever and funny actually
@Michael Knight: Lol… that was actually quite good
@Michael farrelly:
Only to 12 year olds.
@Michael Knight:
For your stupidity to have any merit we would have to believe that Pence is a Flat Earther.
He isn’t.
And he has a sense of humor.
The humorless ignoramus here is you.
@Joseph Rooney: eh, he’s not far off a flat earther, he’s a Christian fundamentalist.
@Dave O Keeffe:… so worse!
@Joseph Rooney:
Learn to spell before you try to be smart!
Awesome work by our awesome taoiseach
Leo will be asking him what calls he can put in to stop any wind farms or block any developments. While all at the same time, driving through houses in areas with no infrastructure, destroying parks and trying to push through Water charges. Corrupt Taoiseach. He should resign if he has any respect for the role and our country
@frank murphy: I just discovered you can mute people. Yay!
@Whoswho:
You forgot about importing illegal migrants into places that cannot cope with them.
That does NOT include Castleknock.
@Dazz: Frank is a Russian troll, don’t bother replying:
Any twitter user with a name with 8 digits at the end probably is. https://twitter.com/conspirator0/status/900158823515770880
There are lot’s more @frankmu (8 random digits) users too (https://twitter.com/search?f=users&q=%40frankmu), most don’t have any tweets. Those that do are trolls like this lad.
@frank murphy: Ah Frank, good to see the sense of humour hasn’t faded like your intelligence.
@frank murphy: Twitter account still restricted i see, Frank.
@Whoswho: O tweets I see ? Curious that
@frank murphy: I see your Twitter account is restricted due to unusual activity Frank ? What was that then ?
@frank murphy: bollox, hows FG’s spin dept ?
@Gus Sheridan: are you calling Frank a bollox or saying that he talks bollox? Or both? Both then.
Or in other words… they can talk about the weather (actually might be a bit too controversial given the GOP’s environmental stance) and both get to save face and pretend that they had a constructive discussion and learnt a lot from each others views
@Gearóid Ó Murchú:
“they had a constructive discussion and learnt a lot from each others ”
the Donald is losing money on his investments , so now how about more tax breaks and we will not mention apple( until we get them for Donald.
Less risk of leo putting his foot in it!
@Adrian: So the Taoiseach makes a high profile visit the US for Paddy’s Day, and does it behind closed doors. The chap just can’t even depend on himself.
@Father Hody Commody: and we are paying for this embarrassing clown’s trip
It’s a pity it is behind closed doors.
We won’t get to see how Veradkar’s bluff and bluster turns into spinelessness and servility.
Can somebody lock that closed door and make sure it stays locked permanently? We can do just fine without both of them.
A closed meeting will allow both parties get their stories straight. I don’t know which of them I dislike more. My preference would have been a cage fight for this ‘meeting’ anyway !!!
Looking at video of yesterday’s White House meeting with Donald Trump, Leo looked distinctly uncomfortable.
I just think he lacks the experience and gravity necessary for such encounters.
He may not be quite so self conscious at the Pence meeting today .
@John Campbell:
Veradkar’s use of the barroom phrase “pisstake” was disgusting. Confirms the common American belief that the Irish cannot utter a sentence without a curse or vulgarity.
The guy is not up to the job. He was a mediocrity as Minister also.
@Joseph Rooney: that’s a crap comment
@Joseph Rooney: you’re wrong – Varadkar wasn’t even reaching the levels of mediocrity as a Minister & now failing in spectacular fashion as Taoiseach. He’s drowning in spin & it’s plain to see how out of his depth he is when not being primed for spin videos & tweets. Fianna Gael shambles.
@John Campbell: Varadkar is just a boy. He and that lame duck in Canada are the same breed. Just google Trudeau on youtube. You’re in for a treat.
Scientific studies have shown that those in society who present themselves as most staunchly homophobic are often motivated by a deep inner turmoil in their own sexual identity. This triggers their resorting to an extreme self defense mechanism, manifested by over-projecting and promoting rejection and opposition to their own suppressed carnal desires.
In a nutshell, Pence has a lot going on emotionally that he is desperately struggling to hide and contain by trying his best to himself appear the opposite of what he truly is.
@alphanautica:
SO where did you get your Ph.D in psychology? Mickey Mouse University?
@alphanautica: That is simply nonsensical pseudo-psychology.
@alphanautica: Crackers! Wackadoo and nuts is your dogmatic approach, what an absurd comment. Frank Murphy 2.0!
@Little Nero: nope that’s just alpha twittical being him/her/ itself ! Same story every day with that clown.
@Joseph Rooney: Mickey Mouse University! Burn of the week!!!
@Little Nero: @Joseph Rooney @Declan @Setrakian White Rabbit
Actually it is not pseudo-psychology. Credible peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown alphanautica is dead right. And here is the proof.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120406234458.htm
@alphanautica: the old ‘the lady doth protest too much’ approach, was waiting for it.
@Jason Maguire:
It has now been proven as a scientific fact.
How much will leo sell the country for? Now that the UK special relationship is gone.
@Kevin Slater:
You can’t sell what is not yours. The EU owns Ireland.
@Joseph Rooney: no they don’t
@Joseph Rooney: Angela and her Fourth Reich run the country
@Gus Sheridan: ___ Only truly gullible people believe that nonsense.
@Gus Sheridan: Their propaganda machine is already here
FG really on the defensive today. Are they worried what Leo will say next?
These are the meeting Politicians strive for closed and secret to a selective few,, information worth a fortune to the 1%
@Johnny Mason: eh no, Pence has no power and Leo has no balls. Its behind closed doors in case Leo asks Pence if he likes sausage in the morning
Hush hush the FG way..
@Willy Malone: Oh yeah, totally. Why would Leo want it to behind closed doors? Be realistic. Anti government trolls are actually getting pretty funny at this point.
I see two sides to this coin. On one side I was happy to see Leo speaking frankly/ affably.
On the other side I wonder would the media be using kid gloves on a Fianna Fail Tioseach if he/she had said the same thing.
@Joe Caulfield: FF sorted things out,in the Galway tent
@Robert Harris: Do you think a FF taoiseach would be excused so quickly if they had said same?
@Joe Caulfield: are we really assuming that he’s stupid enough to incriminate himself in public? He’s bad but he’s not that bad.
Frank discussion. Ha ha ha, yes Leo your massive political clout and buying power as a leader of a nation of 4.7 million people, you’ll make Vice President Pence (also known as the guy with no political power as well) buckle under the weight you wield of shamrock.
@Daniel Doran:
There are six million people in the Irish nation. As an Irish person from Pomeroy Co Tyrone I would urge you to get the facts into your thick head.
@Joseph Rooney: er. …
@Joseph Rooney: yet Leo is not the Head of government where you’re from, weird that isn’t it?
@Joseph Rooney: the comments here are about Leo Varadkar the fake Taoiseach of the Irish Republic. Theresa May is your woman up there. Live with it
@Tony Kennedy: how is he the fake Taoiseach? Genuinely curious, do you mean he as a person is not real or that he’s not really Taoiseach?
More bull from the king of spin. Lies lies lies. A spineless individual. Stay there Leo.
@Tony Murphy: how did your own election campaign go, or were you afraid to knock on a door in case someone answered?
@alphanautica: The childishness from the FGers is always something to behold. A normal adult would be embarrassed by such behaviour. A sad bunch of people.
I hope Pence got an opportunity to show Leo what the Bible says on these matters.
@Ireland Needs God: Enlighten us, what does your magic book say about these matters
@Larissa Caroline Nikolaus: As we now live in a very extremist nation, I am not allowed to say anything remotely negative (“homophobic”) about homosexuals without risk of being banned, so I must encourage you to research the Scriptural position online.
@Ireland Needs God: have you finally realised that a broad, sweeping, negative statement tarring all homosexuals with the same brush is in fact homophobic?
@Ireland Needs God:
Here is what the bible says about homosexuality.
John 13:23-25
23 One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
John 19:26-27
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
John 20:1-2
The Resurrection of Jesus
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
John 21 2.7
Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”
John 21:20-23
Jesus and the Beloved Disciple
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved you ar following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” 23 So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
John 21:24
24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.
It is blatantly obvious to anybody who is an honest and true Christian that the disciple John and Christ were in same-sex romantic loving monogamous committed relationship. In other words Christ lived on this earth as a Gay man. When you choose to condemn gay people you also choose to condemn Christ.
Pence is not a true Christian are you????
The White House are afraid of their sh*** of Varadkar embarrassing Pence and bringing up LGBT rights. Thank god Leo isn’t a woman because Pence wouldn’t be able to have breakfast with him if that were the case.
@Lisa Saputo: What rights do other citizens have in the US that LGBT citizens do not have?
@JimmyMc: there is no employment protection for LGBT. Some States don’t recognise same sex couples for pension rights. Gay-phobia is a recognised defence for murder.
@JimmyMc: The right to walk down the street holding your partner’s hand without some gobdaw yelling abuse at you springs to mind? Granted huge strides have been made, but people like Pence want to reverse these gains.
@Paul:
Really stupid post. Even if what you said were true–and it isn’t–these are matters over which the Federal Government has no control. i.e Trump has no control. Gayphobia is a recognized defence for murder? In what state? In federal law???? You are a hate-filled nut.
You are really ignorant of a country about which you have so many dumb opinions. Why not read and study before throwing your nonsense on line?
@Joseph Rooney: Mike Pence fuels an anti gay sentiment by supporting gay conversion therapy. How can you not see that and how stupid is your post now ?
@Joseph Rooney: “ignorant of a country” and you tell someone to read and study. How ironic
@Joseph Rooney: “even if what you said were true-and it isn’t – hahaha..can you prove it ?
@Michael farrelly:
The poster said that gayphobia was accepted as a defense in murder cases in the United States.. . Surprise surprise, he has squirmed away now rather than give a whit of evidence for his disgusting lie.
And then clowns like you come in to try to get him off the hook. You’re an Ignoramus,
@Michael farrelly:
Try doing an English literacy course. I’m sure you have lots of time on your hands.
@Joseph Rooney: haha you’re the one that obviously needs it
@Joseph Rooney: on what grounds are you calling me an ignoramus. At least I can use English properly unlike yourself. You still haven’t said if you support gay conversion therapy ??
@Lisa Saputo: im mistified why he wants to discuss gay rights with this guy. Hes got god. a very wise Franciscan priest once said to me “don’t waste time debating with them if they’ve got God, leave them to it. You won’t change their minds” and indeed all your doing is feeding into them and providing them with yet another platform.
It is interesting to note the furore generated by Pence and Varadkar meeting in private . This in contrast bt the silence surrounding the unanimous ruling by 47 judges of the Human rights Court of Strasbourg in 2014 declaring that “there is no right to homosexual marriage. ” which was based on a myriad of philosophical , anthropological considerations based on natural order, common sense, scientific reports and positive law. It ruled “the traditional concept of marriage is the union of man and woman.
The so called traditional concept of marriage being only the union of man and woman has only been in existence for 1600 years (the age of Homophobia) Marriage been contracted between two people irrespective of their sex have been in existence outside of this relatively speaking short period of time as long as mankind has existed. By virtue of the fact that sexual orientation is innate It is fair to say a myriad of philosophical, anthropological considerations based on a natural order, common sense, scientific reports and positive law. A more accurate ruling on the definition of marriage would have being the traditional concept of marriage to be contracted by two persons without distinction as to their sex.
@Pat Mullin: Catholics say it is the SACRAMENTAL union between a man and woman for Jesus gets involved and unifies them. This does not happen with what the Church calls unsacramental marriages and it even permits divorce then! “Real” marriage for Catholics is relatively recent. If you believe in the Mormon faith you hold that there are no real marriages at all outside the Mormon boundary for God does not recognise the weddings. That makes “real” marriage less than 200 years old!
The irony of Varadkar giving Pence a lecture about the “rights” of two guys to hold hands in the USA, when he himself is supporting the eradication of all “rights” of the unborn from our constitution.
@Ireland Needs God: you know he doesn’t control the Supreme Court right? You know the court that decided that the unborn does not have the same rights as a child. Last i checked Leo wasn’t on the SC
All meetings involving varadkar should be held behind closed doors.he is an embarrassment,after sending a message to white collar criminals ireland is open to their kind of business.
Wow, Pence even has his meetings in the closet!
@Dave O Keeffe: Hah. Good one.
Teaching the biased media some manners has been a long time coming. “Ireland please copy” you copy the fake news created by your buddies.
@Tom Molloy: fake news, fake news, fake news
@Tom Molloy: yes, you’re right, all politics should be conducted in private so the public can only find out what we’re meant to know.
@Dave O Keeffe: They could release recordings to the entertainment industry (fake media) at end of year.
I’d love to be a fly on the wall, the silence should be deafening, but of course it won’t. Leo will dribble with excitement, duck any awkwardness and of course slap pence on the back for bring such an open minded, Liberal, good too shoes and all round decent chap. Vomit Enducing stuff, what in the world is Leo up too
Why the closed meeting ? So typical of trumps regime
Hard luck Leo
He is a reprehensible bigot. Conversion therapy eejit
I’m not sure Leo’s partner should have been dragged into this at all. I’m also not sure why anyone would want to visit Pences house without some sort of political obligation and Leos partner doesn’t have that obligation thankfully.
@Catherine Sims: We are getting spin department standard issue. Unless Pence comes on TV to verify it.
Is there any other country with a gay prime minister?
@name cannot be blank:
FRANCE
It will be interesting . A man who has come out as gay with a man who is on record as saying all gays should be executed! Wow to be a fly on the wall .
@Mary Mc Carthy:
You’re a liar, Mary.
Pence never uttered such an outrageous and lunatic idea, such as YOU invented..
Don’t lie.
@Joseph Rooney: Tomorrow’s fake media can now say without fear “it has been said that he wants to execute gays” fake feeds fake
@Joseph Rooney: It’s on public record !
@Tom Molloy: this fake media stuff is becoming so tedious , fake media like a sheep
@Joseph Rooney: well he certainly supports conversion therapy, do you ?
@Michael farrelly: otherwise known as torture
@Michael farrelly:
You know something Veradkar doesn’t? I very much doubt it……..I suspect you know very little.
Veradkar said earlier this week that Pence doesn’t support that therapy.
I would support Conversion Therapy if it converted clowns like you into rational beings.
@Mary Mc Carthy:
Really? Give us the details.
O:r admit you’re a liar.
@Tom Molloy: Tom “fake” Molloy
@Joseph Rooney: haha you’re so hilarious
At a glance ,it looks like he has a bit of broccoli in pocket
So he likes the old three thing
They are welcome but must sleep in separate bedrooms.
Why would u put Matt through that
I wouldn’t trust pence an inch. He probably wants to discuss their aversion therapy with them both. Poor Matt is that the best his husbond can bring him to meet
Poor Matt, he must feel like some kind of lesser human
Pence wants a three some.
Ahh such a beautiful story
But two’s company Leo there’s a crowd
have your say