Speaker 1: a former vice president. Mike Pence has officially launched
his 2024 presidential campaign. We're going to look at two events that he did yesterday,
the announcement speech, as well as a CNN town hall. I don't know which went worse.
They both went very poorly. Let's start with the speech in Iowa at which Mike Pence announced he
is indeed running for president. He is now trying to frame himself as the patriot when
it comes to the January 6th Trump riots. Will the Republican electorate go for this? I don't know.
Speaker 3: January six was a tragic day in the life of our nation.
Wow. But thanks to the courage of law enforcement,
the violence was quelled. And we reconvened the Congress the very same day.
To complete the work of the American people under the Constitution of the United States. Okay.
As I've said many times. On that fateful day. President Trump's words were reckless.
Endanger my family and everyone at the Capitol. But the American people deserve to know.
But on that day, President Trump also demanded. That I choose
between him. And the Constitution. Mm hmm. Speaker 1: And he chose the Constitution.
Speaker 3: Now voters will be faced with the same choice.
I chose the Constitution, and I. Speaker 1: Always will.
All right. So not exactly riveting stuff from Mike Pence, but he has very little. It's sort of like,
why are you running again? If people want a pro-Trump, Trump affiliated voice,
they'll go with Trump. And if they want something else, they'll go with someone who wasn't Trump's
VP. The idea that anyone is going to go for Pence is completely and totally laughable. We'll get to
the polling in a moment. Here is Mike Pence comparing President Biden and Donald Trump,
which was an interesting moment for sure. Speaker 3: Most Americans treat each other
with kindness and respect even when we disagree. We know how to be good neighbors.
That's not too much to ask our leaders to do the same. Hmm. But sadly, it's clear that neither Joe
Biden or Donald Trump share this belief. Speaker 1: I don't think that's true even
remotely. In fact, if there's a stronger criticism of Biden is he's treating to respectfully a
Republican opposition that operates exclusively in bad faith and he shouldn't even bother with
them. That's the real criticism of Biden. Speaker 3: And neither of them intend to
even try. To bring our country together. But I believe it's not just about civility.
To craft real solutions. Speaker 1: To the marrow. You get it anyway,
saying neither Biden nor Trump have the respect that Pence would bring to the race, although it's
hard to really believe that Mike Pence, like other Republicans have tried, including Trump
taking credit for the end of Roe v Wade, which I don't know if is a great strategy, given that Roe
v Wade was quite popular with the American people. Speaker 3: And maybe. Maybe most important of all,
it was our administration that appointed three of the justices that sent Roe versus Wade to the ash
heap of history where it belongs. Unidentified: Right?
We gave America a new beginning for life. Speaker 3: You know, when Donald Trump ran
for president in 2016, he promised to govern as a conservative. Together. We did just that.
Speaker 1: So then why not vote for Trump? So anyway, I don't know how popular. Bragging about
being responsible for the elimination of Roe v Wade. I don't know how good of a strategy that
is. It's not clear how popular that even is among Republican primary voters, never mind Republican
voters overall. But this is the approach Pence is taking and understand that he has very little else
to go on or to run on. He was later interviewed on Fox News after his big announcement speech
and just almost 2 minutes of complete and total nonsense. Just it's hard to imagine how this would
inspire even a single Republican voter today. Speaker 2: Sandra here, most people want to know
if they're considering voting, voting for you in the primary, if they think that you can win and
you've jumped into a field with your former boss, Donald Trump, and they are likely wondering how
you plan to run against Donald Trump. Speaker 1: Not well.
Speaker 3: Well, you know, we really laid out that choice today. But but honestly, by the.
Speaker 1: Way, who's this? Speaker 3: We the reason we started
here in Iowa is because Karen and I are going to spend an awful lot of time in Iowa this fall and
in New Hampshire and in South Carolina. You know, one of the things that I've come to realize the
last few years is that I'm I'm I'm I'm well known, but I'm not known. Well, I think people know me
more as a as a as a quiet vice president standing off the president's shoulder, loyally supporting
him all the way until the day when my oath to the Constitution required me to do otherwise. But now
we have an opportunity with all the great people in this state to travel to the cities and the
farms and and the byways and the highways and let people really get to know the pences, not just me.
Speaker 1: So the question was, how are you going to defeat Trump? I'm not hearing an answer.
Speaker 3: As vice president, but when I led the state of Indiana through tax cuts, expanded
educational choice stood for the right to life. And of course, as you all know me from years ago,
when I was a leader of House conservatives, I bucked the big spenders in in my own party.
Speaker 1: Imagine thinking that lines like I bucked the big spenders are going to get you
ahead of Donald Trump in a completely delusional Republican primary. So a quick look at the polls
where they stand right now. Mike Pence currently polling 3.8%. And you've got to give him credit.
He's already ahead of Vivek Ramaswamy. He's more than doubling the polling support of Tim Scott.
He's well ahead of Chris Christie polling, 1% at last check. But I do not see any path towards
the nomination for Pence. After the break, we'll look at Pence's CNN town hall. If you thought his
speech lacked energy, just wait until you see this delusional CNN town hall after this short break.