Trump Confirms Pence’s NFL Walkout Staged, Twitter Blasts Them for Costing American Taxpayers
“Be The Kind of Person Who Makes Mike Pence Leaveâ€
Following Mike Pence’s departure from Sunday’s NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts, Donald Trump confirmed the walkout was pre-meditated—a political stunt at the American taxpayers’ expense.
“I asked [Vice President] Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country,†Trump tweeted not long after Pence’s clearly-planned infographic tweet on the matter. “I am proud of him and [Second Lady] Karen.â€
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
Prior to his walkout, Pence had tweeted a photo of he and Karen Pence “at the game.†Following his walkout, however, Twitter noted that the photo was actually from November 2014. Though he did, some suggested, change the filter:
This guy can’t even fake things well pic.twitter.com/fuMI54yJj7
— Sung Min Kim (@sung_minkim) October 8, 2017
They say the Vice Presidency can change a man. Not with Mike Pence! 2014 Colts game tweet on the left; 2017 Colts game tweet on the right. pic.twitter.com/R9QuMQ7GBj
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) October 8, 2017
At least there’s a… um… slightly different filter? pic.twitter.com/hPmBW89gco
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) October 8, 2017
Others on Twitter took issue with paying for the vice president’s political stunt, or for encouraging division in America:
Pence2
So @VP took a taxpayer-funded airplane knowing he’d be walking out right after the anthem to protest. Swell use of our tax dollars.— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) October 8, 2017
Trump: You’re really hurting our budget, Puerto Rico!
also Trump: Mike, fly to Indiana for 2 seconds to show how much you hate black people
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) October 8, 2017
Nothing conservative about he VP’s political stunt. It cost taxpayers a lot of money, inconvenienced fans, and burdened the Secret Service.
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) October 8, 2017
Fixed it for you
“I left today’s Colts game, as planned, at the request of POTUS, a draft dodger who makes fun of veterans & their parents” https://t.co/YiABRC3FmQ
— dick costolo (@dickc) October 8, 2017
#GOP: Protesting is stupid!#AlsoGOP: Let’s go to a game where we know for a fact they’ll be kneeling, then stomp out in an indignant huff! pic.twitter.com/MA0cJ9p2Xd
— Tennesseine (@Tennesseine) October 8, 2017
Bold of the man who worked tirelessly to kick trans people out of the military/deny benefits, to talk about “disrespect[ing] our soldiers†pic.twitter.com/Epvz6pZ5PE
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) October 8, 2017
I’ve never seen a political publicity stunt turn into a PR disaster this swiftly. The incompetence remains staggering. https://t.co/JvztxaDsaJ
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) October 8, 2017
To recap: Pence spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer money and faked a photo on a stunt to deliberately stoke divisions among Americans.
— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence is a pretty expensive drama queen. Can America afford him? https://t.co/8gaGT4YR79
— Derek Cressman (@DerekCressman) October 8, 2017
Nobody tells people not to politicize things more than people who politicize things.
— andy lassner (@andylassner) October 8, 2017
To be clear: @VP flew from NV to IN last night. Went to football game for a few minutes then left in protest. Soon flying back west to CA. https://t.co/cxFf6Hh9eD
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence was so mad that some players kneeled that he left & went back to DC to send gays to conversion therapy and also regulate vaginas.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence says he won’t have dinner with a woman alone because he obviously doesn’t see them as anything but an object for sex- so pardon if I don’t care what he finds disrespectful #NFL
— Alt Fed Employee (@Alt_FedEmployee) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence wasted taxpayer dollars just for a political stunt that furthers a culture war premised in white supremacy.
— America Resurgent (@ProgressOutlook) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence spent tax payer money to fly to a game with the plan of leaving before it started to enflame a culture war our government wants
— Scoe Jarborough (@scoejarborough) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence: “At the sportball competition, some playing men took a knee and I departed as instructed oops I mean of my own free will.â€
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence went to a football game, dragged security to a football game, messed up traffic, messed with fans, so he could leave on purpose.
— BadgerBoo!-nan (@BadgerNoonan) October 8, 2017
This would be a better event for Mike Pence to condemn.https://t.co/X6tyw105pI
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 8, 2017
Is Mike Pence’s official job now being sent around the country by Trump to stage walkouts on things? Do Kimmel’s show next!
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) October 8, 2017
Mike Pence has run away from a Hamilton showing and an NFL game, and once said he was victimized by watching Mulan. Maybe try PBS, big guy
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) October 8, 2017
Activist Nick Jack Pappas may have said it best:
If your protest angers a misogynist homophobe, you’re doing something right.
Be the kind of person who makes Mike Pence leave.
— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) October 8, 2017
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