You remember Mike Pence. He was Donald Trump’s Vice-President during the first Trump administration, always supportive and loyal to his boss . . . until that fateful day on January 6, 2021, when right-wing extremists attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overthrow the government.

Pence was in the Capitol that day, along with his wife and daughter, and came very close to losing his life at the hands of that mob. He knew it wasn’t a peaceful demonstration, as Trump alleged . . . and still does.

Even before that day, Trump had been pressuring Pence to use his constitutional authority over the counting of electoral college votes to attempt to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election . . . you know, the one that Trump still claims he won. Delusion is a terrible thing.

But Pence knew that his first loyalty was not to an individual who just happened to occupy the Oval Office, but to the Constitution and the people of the United States. And so he refused to obey that order. For that, he has just received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, and deservedly so.

In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins the day after receiving the award, Pence lauded the bravery of the U.S. Capitol Police officers who fought off the attackers and secured the building on January 6th. He recalled hearing some of the rioters chanting, “Hang Mike Pence,” and says that “None of [the officers] flinched. Their courage, their bravery, should be heralded for generations to come, because they secured the Capitol and allowed us to reconvene the veery same day and complete our work under the Constitution.” [Eric Bradner, CNN, May 5, 2025.]

He went on to say:

“I was deeply disappointed to see President Trump pardon people that engaged in violence against law enforcement officers that day. The president has every right under the Constitution to grant pardons, but in that moment, I thought it sent the wrong message.” [Id.]

And he made some tactful, but clearly critical, remarks about policies of Trump’s second administration with which he strongly disagrees, including onerous tariffs, the selection of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as Health and Human Services Secretary, and Trump’s “wavering support for Ukraine.” [Id.]

And then he added this:

“Whatever the future holds for me, I’m going to try and be a consistent voice for those conservative values that I think are not only the right policy for the Republican Party, but I think they’re the best way forward for a boundless future for the American people.” [Id.]

“Whatever the future holds for me . . .”

Maybe I’m wrong, but those sound to me like the words of a man considering a run for office. In light of the other options presently out there, the Republican party could do worse . . . though a lot can change in a couple of years. We shall see.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/7/25