Vice President Mike Pence decided to make himself a national news story on Sunday (Oct. 8). With the San Francisco 49ers in town to play the Indianapolis Colts, Pence decided to attend the game and shine a spotlight on himself. Knowing that at least a few 49ers players were going to take a knee during the National Anthem, Pence attended the game with the intent to get up and walk out on “his” Colts in order to make a political statement.
As reported by the Washington Post, 23 players for the San Francisco 49ers took a knee during the playing of the national anthem.
Players for the Indianapolis Colts stood with linked arms while the anthem was sung. Following the national anthem, Pence made his choreographed exit, which President Donald Trump would later claim was his plan.
President Trump and Vice President Pence wanted some attention
It appears very clear that this was a stunt by Trump and Pence to make a political statement and garner further support from their base for a completely staged event. Will people see through the acting that was being done here and that the entire intent of Pence’s actions, at the direction of Trump, was to serve as a distraction to what they are doing in the White House?
Even the prewritten statement from Pence rang empty as he gave it to the press (as planned) once he left the stadium.
“I left today’s Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem. At a time when so many Americans are inspiring our nation with their courage, resolve, and resilience, now, more than ever, we should rally around our Flag and everything that unites us.
[sic]”
The Trump crusade against the NFL
President Donald Trump has been on a crusade against the NFL for a while now and he has now convinced Vice President Mike Pence to join him on that road. Trump’s disdain goes back to when he tried to run a competing football league against the NFL, only to lead it straight into bankruptcy.
Esquire wrote, in 2016, how Trump single-handedly destroyed a football league by pitting it against the NFL. Trump still appears to hold residual animosity that comes out during moments like when players peacefully protest.
The worst part about these protests that Trump and Pence are making is that it has given more ammunition to the racist contingent of this country. In a blog by online writer Kate Johns, she took that lead from President Trump, as she called all NFL players “thugs” and didn’t stop at just the ones kneeling during the anthem. Trump, Pence, Johns and many of their followers have also complained about players being in the locker room during the national anthem. Even though that’s what they did in Trump’s league. Where is the logic in any of these protests that Trump and Pence are carrying out?
