We’ve known for some time now that Donald Trump’s relationship with his own former right-hand man and Vice President Mike Pence was effectively and permanently destroyed the very moment that Pence refused to go along with Trump’s concerted and unlawful plan to quite literally overthrow a United States presidential election — which, of course, crescendoed in the violent, deadly attack on the Capitol building that quite literally put Mike Pence’s own life in grave danger.
But, for quite some time following Trump’s election loss, Pence appeared to stew rather quietly, seemingly avoiding speaking out against his old boss in a public manner, despite the fact that the public already had a pretty good idea as to how the ex-VP felt about the former president.
However, in recent months, Pence has made it resoundingly clear that he is no longer taking that tactic when it comes to his public remarks regarding Donald Trump.
Pence was one of the first to speak out against Trump’s official 2024 presidential campaign launch, openly stating that he feels there are “better” options for the 2024 Republican nominee. But Pence’s bitter feelings about Donald Trump go beyond a political vantage point.
As part of his book-hawking promotional tour, Pence recently sat for an interview with NPR host Steve Inskeep, where he was flat-out asked whether or not he still believes that Donald J. Trump is a “good man.”
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Pence’s answer to that question was one that undeniably will not sit well with the ex-president.
“I want people to know that you included some of your past speeches in an appendix in the end,” Inskeep said during the interview, “including your 2016 convention speech in Cleveland accepting the vice presidential nomination. I was in Cleveland at the time, watching the convention. It’s a good speech.”
Pence thanked the interview host as Inskeep went on to add, “In that speech, you say Donald Trump is a ‘good man.’ Not just that he was the man for the moment or the right man or a strong candidate, but a ‘good man.’ Do you still believe he’s a good man?”
The former vice president refused to give a straightforward response to that question and instead fell back on invoking his religious beliefs and “God” himself.
Pence nearly visibly shrugged and harked back to some of his recent past remarks while clearly trying to circle around the simple, direct question.
“President Trump was wrong,” Pence said as he danced around the question, took a pause, and then went on to add, “on January 6, in arguing that I had the authority to overturn the election.”
“But I’ll always be proud of the record that we created for the American people, Steve,” the former VP added, which of course, has nothing to do with Donald Trump’s moral compass or whether he is a “good” man.
Inskeep made note of Pence’s non-answer, saying, “You didn’t just call him a ‘good man,’ again.”
With what sounded like an exasperated sigh, Pence responded, “Well look, I truly do believe that only God knows our hearts. And I’ll leave it to others to make their own judgments.”
Multiple reports have come out this year claiming that Donald Trump openly expressed his support for the mob of MAGA supporters who were openly shouting “Hang Mike Pence!” during the Capitol insurrection.
Back in May, The Guardian released a report, citing a New York Times article, that read, “Two witnesses, the paper said, have confirmed to the House committee investigating the events of 6 January 2021 that Mark Meadows, then Trump’s chief of staff, described Trump ‘saying something to the effect of, maybe Mr. Pence should be hung’.”
Watch a clip of Pence’s interview here:
Q. Is Trump a good man?
A. “Only God knows.”Former Vice President Mike Pence recounts the January 6 attack, when then-president Trump’s words sparked a mob to seek out Pence. From the @NPR interview coming Tuesday: pic.twitter.com/cGLUZyVHpo
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) November 22, 2022
Featured image via screen capture
