Vice President Mike Pence is on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania. He came on host Bret Baier’s Special Report, shot outside in Exeter, behind them a mixture of people with and without masks. Bret and Mike sat about four feet from each other on pop-up chairs. No masks. The gawkers held signs that read “Make American Great Again,” and “JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!” Holding those signs for the cameras is likely the closest thing to a job created by this administration.
After running through how great Trump’s presidency has been, COVID-19 and all, Baier did his job, tossing up softball questions, allowing Pence to run through the Trump administration’s talking points. However, the elephant in the room, ironically led into the room by the Trump administration’s insistence on continuously attacking Joe Biden’s physical and mental stamina, is whether or not Donald Trump’s physical and mental stamina is up to speed. Specifically, whether or not any or all or none of the allegations made that Pence was put on notice while Trump underwent some sort of procedure during a November 2019 medical visit to Walter Reed Hospital, a claim by New York Times journalist Michael Schmidt in his forthcoming book.
Baier asked Pence whether or not he had been put on “alert” that he might have to take control if Trump ended up being put under anesthesia. Baier literally ended his question by asking “Is that true?” Pence oiled the sides of his frozen mouth, attempted what might be called a smile, and then had quite the amazing exchange.
“President Donald Trump is in excellent health.”
Huh. That wasn’t the question. Pence began again. “I’m always informed of the president’s movements … but there was nothing out of the ordinary about that moment or that day.”
Well, I’m sure you are, Mike. You’re the vice president. You’re an important person too, buddy! You didn’t just sell your soul to the devil for a chance at kissing the ring of power! But, like most people nervous about telling a fib, Pence continues to add layer upon layer of not-answering the question truths, hoping to cover up the lie.
"I don't, I don't recall being told to be on 'standby.'" Here Pence made sure to emphasize the word “standby,” probably because he can sort of honestly say in his Bible mind that he doesn’t remember if the exact words were “standby.” Of course, Baier’s question was whether or not Pence was on “alert,” and Pence is taking the headline wording of “standby,” as his truth loophole.
”I was informed that the president had a doctor’s appointment, and uh—“ Baier realizes that this softball question has gone terribly wrong. Oh no! This is Baier’s big chance of moving up that slimy ladder to the top of Fox News. Baier semi-interrupts to say he doesn’t “want to spend too much time on it,” giving the vice president a chance to come up with this truthy-sidestep: “I’ve got to tell you, part of this job is you are always on standby if you’re vice president of the United States.”
Many of Baier’s question were set up to give Pence a chance to spin the unhinged answers his Lord liege Donald gave in his bizarre interview with Laura Ingraham, Monday night. And while those answers are still lies and misleading, they’re not so pointedly deceitful as this dodge. For a man of God, Mike Pence has a truly fuzzy relationship to truth.
