As key Republicans and even members of his own (now defunct) Manufacturing Council turn on Donald Trump following his various responses to the Charlottesville tragedy, many were waiting on bated breath to see what the president’s right-hand man, Vice President Mike Pence, would have to say about the fact that his boss is now claiming that some of the white nationalists protesting were simply good people being attacked by club-wielding “alt-left” counter-protesters.
He … can’t possibly find a way to justify those remarks. Can he?
Well, never underestimate a man’s ability to bide his time ’til 46, because he can and he did, during a press conference in Chile on Wednesday afternoon. Granted, when asked by a reporter, whether or not he agreed with the president that there were good people among the white supremacist protesters and that there was blame on both sides — as well as his overall thoughts on confederate statues — Pence deflected with a broad message of support. However, he certainly did not condemn Trump’s remarks:
What happened in Charlottesville was a tragedy, and the president has been clear on this tragedy and so have I. I spoke at length about this heartbreaking situation on Sunday night in Colombia, and I stand with the president and I stand by those words.
But today, well I’m here in Chile, our hearts are in Charlottesville. Because just a few short hours ago, family and friends gathered to say farewell to a remarkable woman, Heather Heyer. And we’ve been praying, we’ve been praying for god’s peace and comfort for her family and her friends, and her loved ones. And we’re also praying, that in American we will not allow the few to divide the many.
The United States of America is always strongest, as the president has said so eloquently, when we are united around our shared values, and so it will always be.
As well as essentially dodging the question, Pence also did not elaborate his thoughts on whether Trump or not does indeed own one of the largest wineries in the United States in Charlottesville. We’ll just have to take the president’s word for that, as well.
(Via WhiteHouse.gov)