Pence blames the media for denigrating the attack on Capitol Hill 2:01
(CNN) --
This was an actual exchange between former Vice President Mike Pence and Fox Business Network host Larry Kudlow on Monday:
Kudlow:
"Have you ever seen a president who refuses to accept blame, and I want to add that he commits so many falsehoods? I'm being very polite here, calling it falsehoods... falsehoods, you know, on any given day. He goes out to saying things that just aren't true. Have you ever seen anything like that?"
Pence:
"Never in my life. I said today that there has never been a time in my life when a president was more out of touch with the American people than what we see today."
I repeat: this conversation really happened.
On planet Earth.
And, as far as I can tell, it wasn't an attempted parody.
ANALYSIS |
The surprising evolution of William Barr, from loyalist to Trump nemesis
Let's go over some facts, shall we?
1. According to The Washington Post's Fact Checker, former President Donald Trump said 30,573 things that were false or misleading during his four years in office.
That's an average of 21 a day.
Every day.
For four years.
And by his last year in office, Trump was making more than 39 false or misleading statements a day.
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2. Trump has lied and continues to lie about the 2020 presidential election. His election lies played a central role in motivating those who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
3. Trump himself, decades ago, acknowledged the role hype has played in his life.
I quote Trump here in his book "The Art of the Deal":
"I play into people's fantasies. People may not always think big for themselves, but they can still get very excited about those who do. That's why a little hyperbole never hurts. People want to believe that something It's the biggest, the coolest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. It's an innocent form of exaggeration, and a very effective form of promotion."
In August 2020, Trump was asked bluntly by a reporter, "Do you have any regrets about all the lies you've told the American people?"
Trump ignored the question.
January 6 commission chairman praises Pence's 'courage' in standing up to Trump
Pence is not a stupid man.
He is also not someone who is completely unaware of the circumstances of the past four years.
He is a politician desperately trying to find a way to rebuild his relationship with the Trump base, a relationship badly damaged by his refusal to go ahead with attempts to nullify the 2020 election.
Given this, it is a setup for Pence to hit President Joe Biden on Fox Business.
And let him do so while totally ignoring the gigantic elephant in the room: Trump's remarkable record of untruths both in office and, now, out of it.
Donald TrumpJoe BidenLiesMike Pence