Golf Carts, Cows and Milkshakes: Mike Pence Kicks Off Indiana State Fair

INDIANAPOLIS -- It’s a summer tradition in the Midwest and across the country: state fairs in August.

Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence and his wife Karen kicked off the festivities today at the Indiana State Fair.

Indiana is celebrating its 200th birthday this year, and Pence said in his remarks that it was important to look back at one’s progress before looking ahead to the future.

"You should remember the ditch from which you were dug," he said.

He vowed to get a lemon shake-up and a corn dog before leaving (spoiler alert: he didn't).

The Pences, their staff, and reporters all proceeded to race around the fairgrounds in a motorcade of golf carts.

“It’s just like Turnberry!” observed one reporter, referring to Donald Trump’s recent trip to Scotland, where golf carts were similarly used.

The Pences admired hand-painted bison sculptures. The governor also shook hands with passersby, took photos, and joked that Indiana was celebrating its "bison-tennial."

Pence's third stop was the office of tourism. There, he spoke about he and his wife's first date at the fair (earlier, Pence revealed the two first met at church).

"I said, 'Do you want to go out on Friday night?' She said, 'I'm taking my niece and nephew ice skating on Friday.' I said, 'I'm totally into ice skating, that's totally my thing.' So I went along with them. It was here at the Coliseum at the Indiana State Fair. So this is where it all began for us," he said.

Karen Pence, who is an artist, had some of her paintings on display. Mike Pence said his favorite was the one Karen painted of a bench in their garden.

"It's a bench that's been in our backyard since our kids were born. And one of my favorite pictures is of my kids all dressed up sitting on that bench," he said.

Of course, no state fair would be complete without politicians petting livestock and chatting with farmers.

The last stop was at the dairy bar, where the Pences served children (and members of the media) some chocolate, vanilla and strawberry milkshakes. The Pences indulged in some grilled cheeses.

"Whole wheat! Highly recommend it, guys," Mike Pence told reporters with his mouth full, waving his sandwich into the cameras.