Here’s the state of play within the Republican Party six months after the Capitol siege. On January 6th, Mike Pence was running for his life, one step ahead of an angry mob. But last night, Pence is making it clear that he is still aligned with Donald Trump. During a speech in New Hampshire Thursday night he said the two may not see “eye-to-eye” on what happened January 6th, but he added, “I will not allow Democrats or their allies in the media to use one tragic day to discredit the aspirations of millions of Americans.” The Washington Post writes:
Pence’s remarks were a rare public acknowledgment that he and Trump have continued to speak about the Capitol siege and that Pence has apparently been able to set aside his initial anger and apparent continued disagreements with Trump over the events of Jan. 6 to continue publicly supporting the former president.
The speech was also a tacit signal to other Republicans who may feel conflicted about supporting Trump after Jan. 6 that it could be okay to do so. Pence, at least, seemed comfortable straddling that line as he spent nearly 40 minutes Thursday lauding Trump and their administration’s accomplishments and criticizing President Biden’s first several months in office.
While Pence continues to praise Trump, the admiration hasn’t been reciprocal.
Trump has continued to trash Pence to various people, and to RNC donors, for not exceeding his legal authority that day, growing louder after Pence’s book deal was announced. https://t.co/9vVAqe9BDZ
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 4, 2021
Self-respect, qu'est-ce que c'est?
Trump, January 6: "Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution."
Pence, June 3: "The privilege of serving alongside President Donald Trump, it’s the greatest honor of my life.”— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 4, 2021
If my coworker had people trying to hang me because he was talking shit about me, and then did nothing about it, I wouldn't be calling it the "greatest honor of my life" to serve with him.
Mike Pence is a spineless buzzard.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) June 4, 2021
If Donald Trump had his way in January, Mike Pence wouldn't be alive right now.
That's how little self-respect Mike Pence has.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) June 4, 2021
The team at MSNBC’s Morning Joe breaks down the speech above.