Of all the Republican contenders challenging former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for president in 2024, one of the least likely is Mike Pence. Pence, who is the former governor of Indiana and who was also Trump’s vice president, famously did not support the president on January 6 and tried to straddle the fence, forever casting himself as a man of non-action.
Pence’s failure to use the power of the office of the VP to address the voting irregularities in many states by not certifying the votes has caused him to be labeled a traitor by conservatives. Yet Pence has cast his hat in the 2024 ring, presumably to stay in the game.
But perhaps he needs a new campaign manager or at least a new video editor.
On Tuesday, with the release of an energy plan in response to the steep rise in gas prices and increasing energy dependence that has occurred on President Joe Biden’s watch, Pence made a video statement that backfired on him.
“In order to win the future, America must have the energy capacity to independently power our economy and lead the world’s energy future,” read the energy plan page on Pence’s campaign website.
“By lifting artificial government restrictions, ending preferences, and encouraging private production of every variety of American energy, President Pence will make certain America leads the world again,” it also read.
The website proclamation was accompanied by a 60-second ad Pence cut in which he reminded voters about what the average price of gas was when he and Trump left office in January 2020 compared to how it has skyrocketed under Joe Biden, with average gas prices hovering as of Tuesday at $3.84/gallon according to the AAA gas price checker.
“In order to win the future, America must have the energy capacity to independently power our economy and lead the world’s energy future,” read the energy plan page on Pence’s campaign website.
“By lifting artificial government restrictions, ending preferences, and encouraging private production of every variety of American energy, President Pence will make certain America leads the world again,” it added. Pence then reminded voters about the average gas price in 2020 compared to how it is under Biden.
The ad seems normal at first; it appears Pence is pumping gas in his truck like any normal person:
But to those paying attention, it is easily seen that there was no continuity expert keeping track of the factors in the video. First thing, Pence never selects a fuel grade. Second, his finger isn’t clutching the lever used to pump the gas. Third, Pence also fails to pay for the gas; there is no credit or debit card.
In a culture of constant video-watching, these mistakes are immediately noticed and commented on via social media.
Political commentator, Pat Gray noted the beeping sound, alerting Pence to what he forgot to do.
“Hey, Pence, that sound you are hearing is the sound to select the fuel grade,” Gray helpfully pointed out.
Another Twitter user said Pence was a “psycho” who “can’t be trusted” for not having a bed liner in his truck.
Pence achieved becoming a laughingstock with his non-professional video. And then this meme was born:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F3CtTh8WIAA-JZ9?format=webp&name=small
Just as no one was fooled on Jan 6 when Pence distanced himself from the Oval Office instead of being part of the team, no one is fooled by this ad
which appears heavily staged and does not connect with average Americans, especially in the age of social media video discernment.
Red State Comments:
In all seriousness, though, was this ad a disqualifying moment for Mike Pence’s presidential campaign? Of course not. But it does provide a timely reminder for politicos of all stripes that perhaps the best way to at least give off the appearance of being an average American is to not release heavily staged campaign videos showing you looking anything but.
As the New York Times notes, Pence is coming to “a fork in the road” regarding his campaign, as the latest Trump indictment, this time for the events of Jan 6, put Pence in the witness chair.
Recently in New Hampshire, Pence was booed by Trump supporters as they yelled, There’s the sellout! There’s the traitor! Why’d you sell out the people?” NBC News reports.
Pence’s statements about Trump’s actions on Jan 6, most notably that he was not following the U.S. Constitution in regard to his objection to the voting irregularities of that election, has been refuted by President Trump himself as well as a number of commentators.
American First hosted Dr. Sebastian Gorka, who served Trump in the last 7 months of his presidency as the Deputy Assistant to the President. Gorka maintains that Pence not only failed in his vice-presidential job of certifying electors correctly but aided the Republican faction that did not look into the irregularities and allowed Biden to “win” the election.
