Two very divergent views of the Pence walkout - at the same website

Red State is the kind of opinion website that, while it hosts a number of writers, is pretty consistent in most editorial positions. To a person, its writers cannot stand Donald Trump. They all understand that it was a horrible move for the Republican Party to nominate him last  year, and that he has only demonstrated that his worst character traits still largely drive his behavior since he's been in office. It's a site where one finds full-throated defense of the three pillars of conservatism, with an emphasis on the value of morality, decency and dignity.

But this business of the Vice President Mike Pence and his wife leaving the Indianapolis Colts game at Lucas Oil Stadium yesterday upon the visiting San Francisco 49ers taking a knee during the national anthem has led to two conclusions between which there is a chasm.

Josh Kimbrell is behind the VP all the way:

. . . the very same defenders of the NFL knee-taking are trashing the Veep for standing-up for America. San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid said of Pence’s departure that “this is what systemic oppression looks like. A man with power comes to the game, tweets a couple things out and leaves the game, with an attempt to thwart our efforts.” What an unbelievably terrible thing to say about a man as honorable as Mike Pence. The liberal elites may now trash the Vice President for taking a stand, but most Americans are cheering Pence with chants of USA, USA!!God bless America and our great Vice President.

Patterico says that if you understand the backstory, you have to come to a very different perspective:

This was nothing more than a stunt. A premeditated and incredibly cynical stunt. I was going to call it a “cheap stunt” — but that would be wildly inaccurate, because it actually cost the taxpayers quite a lot of money. Consider: Pence had just been in Las Vegas, and his next stop was Los Angeles, a short plane flight west — but he instead flew all the back to Indianapolis for this photo op, taking his entourage and his security detail with him. The streets doubtless had to be blocked off for his motorcade. I’m quite sure special security precautions were taken for the Vice President of the United States. And all along, he planned to engage in a tawdry, pre-planned sham performance — with all the expense that entails — just to get people embroiled in a cynical culture war.

I agree with Ed Krayewski at Reason:

Pence certainly knew the history of the 49ers in the protests, or should have. . . . But had he simply chosen not to attend, he couldn’t have put on this show. That required giving money to the organization he claims he’s boycotting.

But Pence’s move isn’t about a genuinely-held belief. It’s a rank political stunt at the expense of taxpayers, and reveals the self-masturbatory nature of much of what government officials do.

Pence dragged Secret Service out to Lucas Stadium, only to throw a hissy fit and walk out.

I would add only: that was the plan all along.

Look: I personally disagree with the concept “taking a knee” during the national anthem. I always — always — stand up tall, put my hand on my heart, and sing. Not because some politician tells me to, but because I love my country. I set that example for my children. I don’t like these protests.

But I’m not going to sit for lectures about respecting our soldiers from Donald “I like people who weren’t captured” Trump or his pathetic toady Mike Pence. And I’m not going to let myself be hoodwinked by their horsesh*t antics. They planned this, they knew it would happen, and it is a manipulative, self-absorbed con job.

Just how stupid do you think we are?

If they want to pull something like this as a sort of campaign stunt, let them pay for it with campaign money. Don’t bill the taxpayers for this. This is why people hate government.

I know yesterday, when I linked to a basic news account right after it happened, I said, "Good on ya, Mike," but now that the surrounding context is clear, I incline toward Patterico's view. It's just another case where the Republican Party in the Trump era demonstrates its abysmal ineffectiveness at making valid points.

I've always regarded Mike Pence as a man of impeccable integrity, and I say that on the basis of having met him (having had a one-on-one lunch with him years ago, when he ran a state-wide think tank) and knowing some of his family, as well as following his career. But it increasingly looks like he sold his soul to the devil in order to give a fresh boost to his political aspirations.