There Are So Many Weird Things About Mike Pence's Marriage

Married in 1985, Mike and Karen Pence have been husband and wife for four decades, so it's fairly safe to say the two have a solid thing going. Even so, every couple has its quirks — and the Pences are no exception.

We'll start with the most bizarre detail of them all: Mike refers to Karen as "Mother." Yes, we're now picturing Karen replacing Kris Jenner in Meghan Trainor's "Mother" music video. Mike's interesting choice of pet name became public knowledge back in 2017 when Rolling Stone ran a feature on the then-Vice President. An insider told the outlet that they'd been to a dinner at Pence's home while he was still Governor of Indiana when, at one point, Mike began shouting questions to Karen across the table, asking, "Mother, mother, who prepared our meal this evening?" Mike was said to have repeated the name again while inquiring about the tableware. 

Understandably, Mike's detractors had a field day with the story, and to this day, Googling "Mike Pence mother" brings up tons of search results (and even bumper stickers) linked to the awkward nickname. As for what he and Karen have had to say about it, neither has ever addressed it themselves. However, Alyssa Farah Griffin — who worked as Mike's press secretary prior to joining "The View" — told the "One Decision" podcast that it wasn't true. Kinda. "This is when he has kids who were ... probably 14, 15 years old. And he steps up and he says, 'Mom,' and he calls her mom. But my parents did that too. In front of kids, you say, 'Dad,' 'Mom,'" she said. That might be the case. Then again, Rolling Stone's source mentioned that the dinner had been for legislators, with no mention of the Pence kids being present.

Other than the "Mother" debacle, another detail about Mike and Karen Pence's marriage that has prompted a lot of eyebrow-raising is Mike's no-women-other-than-Karen-policy. 

In a nutshell, Mike Pence has long made it known that he won't dine socially or professionally with another woman unless his wife is present. Speaking to NewsNation in 2023, he explained that that was a decision he and Karen had come to together once he was elected to Congress and that it was simply something that was important to them. Granted, he did clarify that he didn't believe it was a necessity for everyone, or even something he'd suggest other couples try. "I respect the way anybody manages their marriage, and I never want to feel like I'm imposing my values on anybody," he said. Members of the LGBTQ+ community may disagree, but we digress. 

In fairness to the Pences, if not dining with women other than Karen is an important boundary to them, that's their prerogative. The fact that they've remained together sans scandal (unlike many other political figures who've been caught cheating) may just be the evidence they need to prove it's been for the best. Having said that, it's also understandable that there was some criticism over it. For one, as was pointed out in Mike's NewsNation interview, if he'd been elected president and had a woman as his running mate, that may have been a difficult workaround — something he admitted as he chuckled at what he deemed "a clever question." Sure was. Of course, Pence ultimately didn't win his presidential bid, so the question has been put on ice for the time being. 

Many years before Mike Pence promised his wife he'd never dine solo with another woman, he and Karen Pence were just dating — but let's just say Karen was long looking forward to being her beau's missus — and to say she put it out into the universe in a very big way. 

Speaking to IndyStar in 2013, Karen shared that a few months into her relationship with Mike, she got a cross and had it engraved. The word she got inscribed? "Yes" — the answer she'd give if he went down on one knee. In the meantime, she kept it in her purse so she'd have it on her when the time came. Evidently, Karen's efforts paid off because Mike proposed just one month later. Talk about setting an intention!

Admittedly, we're not sure if this one should be filed under "Strange" or "Adorable." Perhaps if the couple's feelings for one another weren't quite so mutual, it could have come across as a little too eager. However, considering Mike had already gone to great lengths to secure Karen's phone number (as she told IndyStar, he'd called the registrar at his law school to get her sister's number to ask in turn for her contact details), it's pretty clear both were smitten. Adorable it is. 

Another detail that we may just say is a sign of the Pences being super close? While Karen Pence has told IndyStar she doesn't get involved in politics and doesn't plan to either, there have been some occasions when she's made a point of making her feelings known. 

Obvi, there was the time she snubbed Donald Trump after he so publicly fell out with her husband. ICYMI, when the Trumps arrived at Jimmy Carter's funeral, Mike Pence stood to shake his hand and exchange a few words. Karen, on the other hand, did not — and she also looked in the opposite direction as he walked past in a gesture that suggested she had zero plans on acknowledging his presence, president-elect or not. Karen also notably did not attend Donald's inauguration just over a week later — but based on what she'd said while Mike was still in the running for the Republican nominee, we aren't shocked. In a subtle yet undeniably shady response to Gayle King asking on "CBS Mornings" if she would support Donald if he became the nominee, Karen had responded, "I don't think anybody who puts himself above the constitution should ever be president." 

Given Karen's previous assertions that she won't talk about policy or politics, her very clear disdain for Donald certainly got a lot of people's attention. So much so, in fact, that Mike was asked about it in an interview with Christianity Today. "You'd have to ask my wife about her posture, but we've been married 44 years, and she loves her husband, and her husband respects her deeply," he said. Third-person references may be a little cringe, but in this case, we're here for the spice. TBH, even without the shadiness, third person still beats "Mother."