Vice President Mike Pence speaks at Casadei Steel in Sterling Heights, Michigan, on Thursday, June 18. Paul Sancya / AP
Vice President Mike Pence refused to say the words “Black lives matter” during an interview with an ABC affiliate in Pennsylvania, instead of saying that “all life matters.”
“Let me say that what happened to George Floyd was a tragedy,” Pence told ABC6 in Philadelphia, when asked directly whether he would say that Black’s life was important. “And in this country, especially in Juneteenth, we celebrate the fact that since the founding of this nation we respect the ideal that we are all created equal, and endowed by our creators with certain rights that cannot be revoked. So, all life is important in a very real sense. “
“I’m sorry for urging you to do this, sir,” ABC6 reporter Brian Taff told Pence. “But I will note that you did not say those words, ‘Black life is important,’ and there are important differences. People say, of course all lives are important, but to say those words is an acknowledgment that Black lives also matters to sometime in this country when it seems that there are segments of our society who don’t agree. So why don’t you say those words? “
“Well, I don’t accept the fact that there are segments of American society that don’t agree, in terms of the value and importance of every human life,” Pence answered. “And that is one of the reasons why when we advance important reforms in law enforcement, because we are looking for ways to strengthen and improve our deepest cities, that we will not stop there.”
Pence heralded a pre-pandemic black unemployment rate and the development of an economic “zone of opportunity”, adding that the government “was truly determined to improve” the lives of African-Americans.
“However, for the last time, you won’t say it and we understand your explanation,” Taff replied.
“When you watch a lot of national news media,” Pence answered, “it seems like they are more focused every day on what divides us in this country. And I think the President saw an opportunity with a good sense of humor to once again challenge the media narrative. ”
Earlier today, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a briefing at the White House that Trump was making “a satirical point that was quite funny” when he tweeted the video.
