While attending the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence stood up for the national anthem. After protest took place on the field, the two left stadium and lashed out at the league, much to the delight of President Donald Trump.
Trump and the NFL
The feud between Donald Trump and the National Football League (NFL) started last month when the president ripped into players who took a knee and protested the national anthem. While campaigning for Luther Stranger in Alabama, the former host of "The Apprentice" referred to the players who protest as a "son of bitch," while publicly wishing for team owners to fire those who take a knee.
The back and forth between both sides has only continued, with the expected partisan political response taking place. On Sunday, Mike Pence attended an NFL game but decided to leave after witnessing players protesting. The vice president explained his reasoning during a statement and multiple tweets on the issue, claiming the players were disrespecting the flag and the country with their actions. As seen on his Twitter feed on October, Trump was happy with his right-hand man.
I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
Taking to Twitter on Sunday afternoon was Donald Trump as the president praised Mike Pence for leaving the NFL game, while admitting that it was his idea in the first place.
"I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players knelled, disrespecting our country," Trump tweeted out, before adding, "I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen." As the topic continues to be a hot button issue for many Americans, it didn't take long for the opposition to fire back.
Vice President Mike Pence leaves football game after players kneel during national anthemhttps://t.co/rsI9aINnsD
— TIME (@TIME) October 8, 2017
Twitter reacts
In response to Mike Pence leaving the NFL game and Donald Trump's follow-up comments, critics of the administration fired back in return.
"Mike Pence deeply offended by protests against police brutality. And perhaps at some point he'll criticize the police brutality, too," comedian John Fugelsang tweeted out.
You were supposed to be bigger than this. You were stooping to the same level as those who you criticize. Grow up.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) October 8, 2017
The whole "Mike Pence walked out of an NFL game over kneeling" ruse was just a publicity stunt to galvanize Trump's anti-Black support base
— Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence disrespects Vets and our military by attacking the same freedoms that we served to protect. #TakeAKnee is free speech.
— Jacob Gil (@jacob4kids) October 8, 2017
"Brave of Mike Pence to walk out of the Indy/San Fran game with tickets he didn’t pay for and no one knows the name of either starting QB," Tony Posnanski posted.
"Mike Pence is more outraged over the black football players kneeling for a song than he is over a white man going on a killing spree," another tweet added.
Mike Pence is a fraud, a coward, a traitor, and a bloodsucking leech on the millions of Americans who have served our country. Period.
— Charles Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) October 8, 2017
Brave of Mike Pence to walk out of the Indy/San Fran game with tickets he didn’t pay for and no one knows the name of either starting QB.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence deeply offended by protests against police brutality.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) October 8, 2017
And perhaps at some point he'll criticize the police brutality, too.
"I, and countless other military veterans, refuse to allow Mike Pence to cynically propagandize our service to silence Black Americans," Charles Clymer wrote.
"They are your administration goes again. You continue to divide the nation. Great work," yet another tweet stated with sarcasm. As the backlash continued to pour in, the divide among the American people showed no signs of slowing down.
