Trying to seize headlines and continuing Donald Trump’s fight against the National Football League, Trump and Vice President Mike Pence staged an expensive PR “stunt” on Sunday over the “Take the Knee” demonstrations by NFL players.
Yesterday’s episode tried to revive the furor started by Trump on September 22 when — ignoring the devastation in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria and trying to find a topic for political gain — he told an Alabama crowd that players should be fired if they knelt during the playing of the National Anthem.
Pence flew to Indiana for the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers, but left before it started after some players knelt for the anthem.
He then put out a series of tweets:
I left today's Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I don't think it's too much to ask NFL players to respect the Flag and our National Anthem
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
He continued, “I stand with @POTUS Trump, I stand with our soldiers, and I will always stand for our Flag and our National Anthem.”
Trump’s son Donald Jr. immediately jumped in:
Amen. After almost a decade it's great to have leaders who have pride in our country again. https://t.co/qw0ZEqv0ar
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 8, 2017
Trump’s Revelation
But Donald Trump soon gave away the game. Far from Pence spontaneously showing his discontent and patriotism, the walkout was planned.
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
Journalists accompanying Pence, told to stay in their vans outside the stadium, were told by a staffer that “there may be an early departure from the game”. And observers noted that Pence’s tweet priming readers for his stadium appearance was actually from 2014, not Sunday’s game.
Daniel Dale of the Toronto Star pointed to the bill to the taxpayers of flying Pence and his wife Karen to Indianapolis:
Pence's stunt likely cost more than $250,000 at minimum. https://t.co/Y9E9LqvhPG
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 8, 2017
San Francisco 49ers’ defensive back Eric Reid — expressing regret that Pence had never bothered to hear the social and political messages of the “Take the Knee” campaign — summarized after the game, “This is PR”:
#49ers Eric Reid on VP Pence leaving after anthem protest: pic.twitter.com/6p3uVW5tBl
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) October 8, 2017