Mike Pence’s stunt

With the exception of House Speaker Paul Ryan, there is no GOP politician who has debased himself more for the sake of accommodation with President Donald Trump than Vice President Mike Pence, who once enjoyed respect as a decent, consistent conservative. His ploy on Sunday shows he has permitted himself to be reduced to the status of the Washington Generals, the hapless stiffs the Harlem Globetrotters humiliate again and again.

The first rule of blatant political stunts is not to let on that they are blatant political stunts. At Indianapolis’ NFL game, Pence was acting not out of spontaneous patriotism but out of blind loyalty to a president who reduces everyone around him to a sleazy character on a reality TV show.

At least Trump supporters can no longer accuse protesting players of “politicizing” football. Trump has done more than anyone to turn the protest against police violence into yet another battlefront in his populist war designed to stoke white grievance. This shameful, unprovoked attempt to fan racial tensions is beneath the dignity of the office of vice president and should make clear that Pence is as morally unfit as Trump to hold high office.

Former director of the Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub denounced the charade. He wisecracked on Twitter: “Price of flight: $30,000 per hour. Security: $1 bazillion. Ticket: $93. Hotdog: $17. Choreographed denigration of 1st Amendment: Priceless!”

To recap: Pence wasted taxpayer money, participated in a Trumpian divisive gambit to stoke racial animosity and made himself look like a spineless errand boy. Those who cheer him— including his legion of evangelical conservative supporters—should reflect upon the extent to which Trump has corrupted (morally, politically, intellectually) Pence—and them.