Pence cops flak for ‘political stunt’
AN NFL insider has slammed the US Vice-President as a “political disgrace” after he flew across the country at taxpayers’ expense for an attention-grabbing stunt during the national anthem.
Popular writer Peter King wrote in Sports Illustrated that Mike Pence had “hogged a spotlight he had no business even sharing, never mind owning” – taking all the attention away from Peyton Manning’s jersey retirement ceremony.
The Vice-President left the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers when about 23 players from the latter team knelt during the anthem.
It later emerged Mr Pence had a plane ready to go and media knew he might leave early. His schedule showed he was only dropping in.
Mr King attacked the cost of the stunt, noting it would have involved a media pool of about 20, a Secret Service detail of 10 – plus 20 more doing advance work to sweep the stadium and hotel – an ambulance in front of his motorcade and a trauma team on alert at a local hospital.
“There certainly would be other manpower needs associated with a vice-presidential trip at a significant cost to US taxpayers,” he wrote.
Mr Pence tweeted about why he left, saying he stood with Donald Trump and would “not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our flag, or our national anthem.”
He said citizens should rally around everything that united them “at a time when so many Americans are inspiring our nation with their courage, resolve, and resilience”.
Mr Trump weighed in to take credit for it, tweeting: “I asked (Mr Pence) to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country.”
Many players have started kneeling during the national anthem in recent weeks as a form of peaceful protest.
Ex-49er Colin Kaepernick started the practice last year by sitting out the anthem in protest at police brutality against black people.
Mr Trump inspired more players to protest last month in response to his tweeting about his opposition.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired’,” the President said at a rally.