Mike Pence: A Profile of Courage and Cowardice
What will his legacy be?
Courage is found in unlikely places. J.R.R. Tolkien
As mandated by the Electoral Count Act of 1887, a joint session of Congress, presided over by the Vice President, counts the electoral votes from the preceding presidential election. Until January 6, 2021, this was a relatively routine procedure that set in motion the peaceful transfer of power, culminating in the inauguration of the president the following January 20th.
Four years ago, this routine activity was disrupted by a massive attack on the United States Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters intent on overturning the results of the 2020 election of Joe Biden. Despite the elaborate attempts of Trump, his collaborators, and the right-wing media to distort what happened, January 6th will remain one of the most infamous days in American history.
There is much to say about this fourth anniversary, and excellent commentary can be found here by Steven Beschloss and here by Robert Reich. Even President Biden wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post marking this anniversary and asking Americans not to forget what really happened that day. It is truly despicable how the purveyors of disinformation, including the incoming president, have exhorted us to deny the evidence of our senses and instead believe that January 6th, 2021, was a “day of love” and “legitimate political discourse.” Sadly, 77 million voters either believed the lies or didn’t care. They voted for Trump anyway in 2024.
For The Backbone Report, this fourth anniversary of the January 6th insurrection is an opportunity to reflect on the courage and cowardice of former Vice President Mike Pence. The saving grace of January 6, 2021, was Mike Pence’s courage. By fulfilling his constitutional duty and certifying the results of the 2020 election, he thwarted the desires of Trump and the mob who attacked the Capitol, and an almost unimaginable constitutional crisis was averted.
To appreciate the significance of Pence’s courage on January 6th, let’s place his singular, courageous action within the context of the cowardice he evidenced both before and since that day.
Before January 6, 2021, Pence was widely regarded as one of the most servile members of Trump’s administration. No matter what Trump did or said, Pence was by his side, encouraging and praising him. A good example of this is Pence’s remarks at a Cabinet meeting in December 2017, when he said:
“I am deeply humbled, as your Vice President, to be able to be here. Because of your leadership, Mr. President, and because of the strong support of the leadership in the Congress of the United States, you’re delivering on that middle-class miracle... I want to thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank you for speaking on behalf of and fighting every day for the forgotten men and women of America. Because of your determination and because of your leadership, the forgotten men and women of America are forgotten no more. And we are making America great again.”1
That quotation exemplifies the wholehearted loyalty and support Pence gave to Trump up until January 2021. Pence never raised his voice to object to the separation of children from their families, the Muslim ban, the chaotic and disastrous response to COVID-19 that resulted in thousands of unnecessary deaths, Trump’s incessant, childish, insulting tweets, and all the other disastrous policies and unremitting chaos of the four years leading up to January 6, 2021. While some might praise his loyalty to his boss, others condemn his cowardice in not standing up for his purported Christian values and beliefs.
Then he finally hit his red line. Despite weeks of pressure and threats by Trump to use his official capacity to overturn the election results,2 Pence did not capitulate. Throughout the horrific events of January 6th, as the mob threatened to hang him and as Trump continued to insult and berate him for not having the “courage” to do his bidding3, Pence was steadfast in his efforts to ensure that the electoral votes would be counted and the election would be certified. Pence’s courage that day allowed for the not peaceful transfer of power and the continuation of our democracy.
Given how Trump treated Pence during and after the January 6th insurrection, one might expect Pence to build upon his legacy of courage by speaking out against his former boss. Curiously, that did not happen. He reached his red line, did what was right on that critical day, and then retreated into equivocation and avoidance of confrontation. That is his right, albeit a lost opportunity for him to evolve into an admired statesman.
Liz Cheney hit the same red line as Pence and has made it her mission in life to stand up for democratic ideals and speak out against the dangers of Trump, despite the enormous political costs she has paid. Pence has paid significantly for his January 6th courage too. His 2024 presidential campaign was unsuccessful and short-lived. He mostly spends his time doing occasional speaking gigs and working on conservative issues like maintaining the tax cuts of 2017 to benefit the wealthy.4 Unlike Liz Cheney, who is unequivocal in her denunciation of Trump,5 Pence is more muted and cautious in his remarks about Trump and what transpired on January 6th. Again, that is his right. We can’t all be Liz Cheney.
What we can learn about courage from Mike Pence
One courageous act can make a profound, even historical, difference. We don’t know what might have happened on January 6th if Pence had abdicated his responsibilities. He preserved the rule of law and upheld the democratic process, possibly averting a constitutional crisis.
One courageous act can define a legacy. We can’t know how history will judge Mike Pence. It seems likely he will be remembered for his courage on January 6, 2021. Whether his legacy will include an asterisk, noting that he could have done more to confront the dangers of Trump before and after that day remains an open question.
There is a price to pay for acting courageously. Pence faced death threats and became somewhat of a pariah to large segments of the Republican party. Had he done what Trump told him to do, he might, somehow, still be Vice President.
It is possible to be both courageous and cowardly. We are complicated human beings. In an ideal world, it would be wonderful if our one act of courage would cause us to be consistently courageous thereafter. Sadly, it does not work that way.
There is a thin line between courage and doing your job. It is a sad commentary on our times that the fact that Mike Pence did his duty is lauded as courageous. It was his job to certify the election. The fact that he did it in defiance of powerful opposition was, in fact, profoundly courageous.
One courageous act does not a courageous leader make. Mike Pence was heroic on January 6, 2021. He was not heroic before that date, nor has he been since.
Courage is complicated. Reflecting on Mike Pence’s courageous action raises important questions about courage and cowardice. Most importantly, can one moment of extraordinary courage outweigh years of complicity or silence?
What can we do?
We can thank Mike Pence for what he did four years ago. As we thank him, we can stress how important that singular act of courage was that day and enCourage him to act courageously in the future as Trump takes office and begins dismantling fundamental democratic norms and ignoring the rule of law. While there may be no response, it is worth a try. Pence can be reached through the following social media channels:
Whenever, wherever, and however we hear, read, or see anyone minimizing or distorting the truth about the January 6th insurrection, we must correct the information and admonish those who disseminate it.
Conclusion
Mike Pence did his job on January 6, 2021, while his boss was inciting a mob to hang him. Pence decided that doing his job was more important than breaking the law, more important than his personal safety, and more important than keeping his job. He courageously chose country over party and democracy over tyranny. For that, he deserves tremendous gratitude.
At 2:24 p.m in the midst of the attack on the Capitol, Trump tweeted, “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.”
The bunny hole brought me here to your post. I think this is a decent assessment. Let’s remember that just as democrats watched Nancy Pelosi’s husband attacked by maga with hammer, so did republicans & their families. I am not a Pence fan, for one, I do not believe in religion, BUT, I do understand Pence’s calculations for certain things at certain times. A balance, if you will, to keep he & his family safe & alive.
That comment trump made about murdering someone on 5th ave & getting away with it? That has yet to be unproven, (or proven if one is maga). & let’s remember trump loves to mouth off & blame other people for what he himself has done or ordered to be done.
Anyway just some quick thoughts. I like how VP Harris handles herself, professionally, with detail & thoughtfulness. She literally glows from within IMO.
VP Harris exudes the very love & joy that can help heal the most hard core maga IMO, at least help lead to healing those that have not yet convinced themselves they need to murder their neighbors & the rest of us, of course.
I so wanted to share that joy & hope for years to come (& I still can with support her, with letters, petitions, etc) & I like to hope & think Pence & his family feel the same way about their mention of her.
When someone threatens your family, I think there is likely a 50/50 chance you are either going to retreat or continue to speak out.
The extremists are in our counties & cities. We often judge silent people so harshly because we know it is a reminder of the holocaust. The reason maga often deny the holocaust IMO, is because it gives them just another excuse for their extremism & then around & around the conspiracies go in their heads.
I personally watched them doing this very thing Jan 6, yesterday, while making complete fools of themselves. They were angry they won’t get their 2nd insurrection, so instead they harass all the non-maga folks in their neighborhoods. Just my opinion of course.