Speaker 1: Mike Pence appears to be refusing to say Donald Trump's name at this point in
time. I noticed this in an interview we played yesterday where DeSantis I'm sorry,
Pence referred to Trump as my former running mate. And I thought, I don't know if there
is something to that. I don't know if something's going on. We now have another example of this, and
I think it's quite an interesting strategy move to the extent that it is that. So as a reminder,
here's a clip we played yesterday, Dana Bash and Mike Pence talking about Trump's rhetoric. And
Pence refers to Trump as my former running mate. Speaker 4: Talking about the potential for
violence. Donald Trump said this week, talked about how his supporters might react if he is
charged and faces potential jail time. I think it's a very dangerous thing to even talk about
because we do have a tremendously passionate group of voters, much more passion than they
had in 2020 and much more passion than they had in 2016. I think it would be very dangerous.
Does that kind of rhetoric worry you?
Well, it doesn't worry me because I have I have more confidence in the American people
and in the people in our movement. Look, it was one of the things that infuriated me on January
six with with what I saw people ransacking the Capitol and engaging in violence against law
enforcement officers down. I just I think the I would say not not just the majority, but the
virtually everyone in our movement are the kind of Americans who love this country, are patriotic
or law and order, people who would never have done anything like that there or anywhere else.
So I don't know. I have more confidence in the American people than that. I hear I hear my former
running mates frustration in his. All right. Speaker 1: So I hear my former running mates
frustration. So was that a one time thing or is this the new way that
Pence is referring to Trump? It appears to be the way that Pence is now referring
to Trump. Here's another clip from an interview that Mike Pence did this week
with Hugh Hewitt, the right wing radio host. Speaker 3: I heard my former running mate
announced over the weekend that he's willing to promise that Ukraine will never be in there. Look,
in my opinion, the only thing Putin. All right. Speaker 1: My former running mate, what is the
point of doing this? Why does Mike Pence seem unwilling to utter the name? Keep my name out
of your mouth. Why won't he say Trump's name? You know? Could be just like a subtle thing of
distance himself from Trump and Trump's actions on January six, etc.. The reason that it's hard to
believe that that's the point is that he's kind of been defending Trump about January 6th and saying,
I don't think his actions were criminal. Sure, he was reckless, but I don't think he was criminal.
And I'm not worried about him again, fomenting violence in this way. And so that doesn't seem
to be the reason. Maybe Pence is trying to appeal to a broader base of Republicans who are divided
on Trump, but they're not yet against Trump. And Pence is making the calculation that I'm just not
even going to mention the guy by name. And maybe that'll help. Maybe. But it also doesn't really
seem that logical. So I don't know that that's the reason maybe someone is simply giving Pence
this advice. Maybe someone came to Pence tears in their eyes and said, Sir, don't say Trump anymore.
We just want to take the word Trump out of this. Refer to him as your former running mate. Maybe
some consultant or strategist or adviser went to Pence and said, That's what you should say.
Maybe that's it. Whether it's a good idea or not, whether they know what they're talking about or
not, I just don't know. Only Mike Pence really knows. Maybe it's a goof that Pence finds it
funny. Sort of. Like I say, Tulsi Gabbard. And Pence is finding it entertaining during these
interviews. Just to say, my former running mate, I don't really know. But what I can tell you is that
it doesn't really seem to be helping Mike Pence make any headway in this primary. Just a reminder
of where Pence is right now. He is tied for third with Vivek Ramaswamy Ramaswamy surging and Pence
declining slightly. So if the current trend lines continue, I would expect Mike Pence to be back in
fourth place by next week. In terms of individual polling, Pence is polling as high as seven and as
low as three during the month of July and does not exactly have winner written all over him.