Feature photo by Rusty Miller
Story by Jenene Grover
Students, faculty and visitors filled Tucker Theater for former Vice President Mike Pence’s discussion titled “Defining Democracy” for Sept. 17 Constitution Day, ending with guests asking controversial questions.
Various statements by Pence elicited cheers, claps and boos from the audience. During the discussion, Mary Evins, interviewer and American Democracy Project advisor, asked Pence about his views on the LGBTQ+ community. MT Lambda, one of MTSU’s LGBTQ+ organizations, previously posted on Instagram its fears and discomfort for Pence coming to campus because of his public beliefs about the community.
“I will say to anyone in that community, it was the greatest honor of my life to be your vice president,” said Pence.
Pence then said he believes marriage is between one man and one woman, stressing “woman.” This statement resulted in both claps and boos from the audience.
“That’s what freedom sounds like,” said Pence.
A student asked Pence what his experience was like on Jan. 6 and how he felt being in the U.S. Capitol building during the riots.
Pence said he originally thought the situation would be resolved quickly, but soon Secret Service told him to leave the building. He refused. Despite not having access to televisions, he said his staff could see what was happening outside the building with news updates on their phones. He was not afraid, but angry.
“Not this. Not here. Not in America,” said Pence.
He believes he had no right to overturn the election because the presidency belongs only to the American people.
“He keeps his oath, even when it hurts,” Pence said, referencing Psalm 15 “I know something about that.”
A student later brought up the Israel-Gaza war, asking Pence why a “war criminal” can come to Congress, referring to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Washington, D.C., visit in July. The audience loudly clapped in response.
Pence mentioned his visit to Israel in January. There, he spoke to people who attended the festival on Oct. 7 during Hamas’s attack. He said Hamas’s goal was to “kill as many Jews as possible,” and how that day was one of “unspeakable horror and terror.”
Pence said he wants the world to know America stands with Israel, causing both applause and boos from the audience. One audience member shouted, “free Palestine.”
When Evins asked about the most pressing issues and if Pence believed they were on the ballot, he said candidates walking away from fiscal challenges disappointed him. He said he believes it to be a moral issue, not a fiscal issue.
“The American people deserve better,” said Pence, receiving claps from the audience.
Evins asked about the Russia-Ukraine war and Pence’s reaction to Trump’s comments during last week’s presidential debate. He said he did not watch the debate but that the U.S. should continue to support Ukraine to “defeat the Russian invasion.”
Pence spoke about the history of World War II, mentioning that Europe did not take a dictator seriously until it was too late, and the world cannot risk that with Vladimir Putin. He said the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s purpose is for situations like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A student asked Pence about polarization in the U.S. today, and he responded that he believes it is not polarization among the American people but just polarization in politics. He said he is confidence about the future of politics because of the character of Americans.
“The American people are going to set this right,” said Pence.
In response to a question about whether Pence had sat down with Sen. J.D. Vance to give him vice presidential advice, he said he had but did not go into it further. Though, Pence said he and his wife prayed for Vance and his family’s safety.
Evins asked about the recent Supreme Court decision about presidential immunity for official acts. Pence said he respects SCOTUS’s decision and that there is a case for executive immunity on official acts but that no one is above the law.
“On January 6, President Trump was wrong,” said Pence.
Following his answer, Evins asked if Pence believes the impeachment process is a “moot point” after two impeachments against Trump. Pence thought the first impeachment was founded in partisanship.
“We had broken the boundary lines of what our Founders had in mind,” said Pence.
He said he believes both parties are moving away from the framework of the Constitution and that the country needs to move back to the original message.
Sidelines live tweeted this event, covering more student questions, reactions and discussion.
Jenene Grover is the news editor for MTSU Sidelines.
To contact the News Editor, email [email protected].
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