Vice President Mike Pence and Donald Trump's staged PR stunt in which Pence left an Indianapolis Colts game after the 49ers kneeled during the National Anthem cost taxpayers $242,000 according to an analysis by CNN.
If he had flown just from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, a trip lasting about 90 minutes, the cost would have been about $45,000.
A Pence aide said the Indianapolis trip was planned for weeks because former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was being honored at the game; the Las Vegas leg, however, was put on the schedule in recent days, adding to the total expenditures.
“The Vice President was not going to miss the Las Vegas memorial prayer walk on Saturday, which he was honored to attend on behalf of President Trump,” another aide said in a statement to CNN. “If the Vice President did not go to Indiana for the Colts game, he would have flown back to D.C. for the evening — which means flying directly over Indiana. Instead, he made a shorter trip to Indiana for a game that was on his schedule for several weeks.”
Pence left the game after some players knelt during the National Anthem, saying he did not want to “dignify” the demonstration.
“I left today's Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem,” Pence wrote on Twitter.
At the game, Pence tweeted out a photo of himself and his wife.
Looking forward to cheering for our @Colts & honoring the great career of #18 Peyton Manning at @LucasOilStadium today. Go Colts! pic.twitter.com/C3aCYUNpqG
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) October 8, 2017
But the internet quickly figured out it was the same photo that he tweeted in 2014:
Cheering on our @colts w/@FirstLadyIN as they kick off the 2nd half! Go #Colts, beat Jaguars! #JAXvsIND pic.twitter.com/V42n392s1O
— Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) November 23, 2014
Pence quickly left the game after his staged PR stunt.
I left today's Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) October 8, 2017
Trump backed him up immediately, saying he asked Pence to leave if players kneeled, knowing full well that the 49ers kneel before every game:
I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
Pence defended the stunt in a statement later:
I stand with @POTUS Trump, I stand with our soldiers, and I will always stand for our Flag and our National Anthem. pic.twitter.com/B0zP5M41MQ
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) October 8, 2017
Trump defended Pence in a tweet Monday morning: “The trip by @VP Pence was long planned. He is receiving great praise for leaving game after the players showed such disrespect for country!”
The trip by @VP Pence was long planned. He is receiving great praise for leaving game after the players showed such disrespect for country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2017
