In a long interview with Fox News Channel’s Chris Wallace on Sunday, Vice President Mike Pence blasted BuzzFeed and the rest of the mainstream media for harboring a dark “obsessions” with taking down President Trump using even the flimsiest, fakest allegations they can pull out of their you-know-whats. Pence, who is known for being a measured and deliberate counterpoint to Trump’s wild and undisciplined straight talking style, could not hide his frustration with the Democrat operatives in the news media when the subject turned to BuzzFeed’s fake news story.
Pence said that it is the “obsession of many in the national media to attack this president for any reason, for any allegation.” But he said that while the BuzzFeed report – later contradicted by a statement from Special Counsel Robert Mueller – was a prime example of media bias, it was hardly the only such example. He said that the problem extended to the whole of the mainstream press, which has made it is special mission to turn Trump into an ex-president as soon as humanly possible.
“It was remarkable what we saw happening for 24 hours in the media, on the basis of the report that appeared in BuzzFeed,” Pence said. “It’s one of the reasons why people are so frustrated with many in the national media.”
Pence also addressed the ongoing government shutdown, accusing Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats of playing political games with the negotiations process rather than seriously considering the proposals on the table. He assured Wallace that Republicans were still willing to compromise, but expressed disappointment in Pelosi’s strategy, which seems to be based less on finding common ground and more on fundraising off the shutdown.
“It was disappointing to see Speaker Pelosi reject the offer before the president gave his speech on Saturday,” Pence said. “The president is offering a solution. And what we have from Democrats’ leadership is just soundbites.”
On Saturday, President Trump offered Democrats protected status for Dreamers and extended protections for immigrants in the Temporary Protected Status program. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell intends to put that version of the bill – which would include $5.7 billion for Trump’s wall – to a floor vote this week. It remains to be seen if Republicans can get the 60 votes they need to overcome a Democratic filibuster, however.
“I was sitting right next to the president when Speaker Pelosi said, if we re-open the government and took 30 days to negotiate, that she would not give the president funding for border security or a wall,” Pence said. “The most important thing is for the American people to let their voice be heard.”
For now, Democrats are more interested in pushing fake news and profiting off the shutdown. We’ll see if that turns out for them the way they are hoping it will.
