Lead Me Not Into Temptation
Vice President Pence has said in the past that he does not attend events where alcohol is served without his wife being present because he does not want to face temptation. On Sunday, he attended an event with his wife and plenty of alcohol. He was present at the Indianapolis Colts home game against the San Francisco 49ers to witness the retirement of Colts’ great Peyton Manning’s Number 18. Vice President Pence left the event early when the opposing team (as expected) continued the practice of taking a knee during the National Anthem. Several NFL players have protested this season in an attempt to maintain attention on the issue of disproportionate police practices in poor and minority communities that was started by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. While some have questioned exactly which temptations Vice President fears his resolve will fail to resist, it is hard to ignore the his lack of resolve when pressured by his boss.
Vice President Pence is no fair-weather Indianapolis Colts fan. He routinely attended the team’s games as governor and in his five terms as a congressman from Indiana, even attending the Super Bowl to cheer them on twice.
For weeks, he had plans on the books to be at another big Colts game this past Sunday, where former quarterback Peyton Manning would have his number retired and be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.
Until President Trump intervened.
Pence and Trump spoke by phone over the weekend about the vice president’s plans to travel home for the game, according to a White House aide, and the decision was made that if players knelt, he would head for the exits.
As the national anthem played, Pence rose with his hand to his heart. On the field, players from the opposing team, the San Francisco 49ers, were kneeling as they had for virtually every game this season to protest racial injustice. When it was over, as he had been asked to do by the president, Pence turned and left the game.
It was a moment that pitted against each other some of what Pence has stated are his most deeply held convictions: his advocacy for the First Amendment against his fidelity to the flag. And his loyalty to Trump against his love for his hometown team.
But as Pence has done repeatedly since being thrust on the national stage, he chose Trump’s agenda.
“He’s a loyal person, and his relationship with the president is very important,” said a Pence ally, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly about the vice president’s relationship with Trump. “He is in the middle of everything, and that’s where you want to be when you are vice president.”
