Fact-Check: Pence Did Not Say Vladimir Putin Was ‘Inarguably a Better Leader Than Barack Obama’

During Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine claimed that Indiana Governor Mike Pence said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “inarguably a better leader than Barack Obama.”

In truth, Pence said Putin was a “stronger leader” than Obama, which is very different from Kaine’s characterization of his remarks.

“I think it’s inarguable that Vladimir Putin has been a stronger leader in his country than Barack Obama has been in this country. And that’s going to change the day that Donald Trump becomes president,” Pence said during an interview with Dana Bash of CNN, responding to a question about Donald Trump making a similar comment the previous evening at the Commander-in-Chief forum.

Pence also noted Trump “said last night he doesn’t particularly like the system” in Russia.