By Mark Weyermuller, Contributor
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served alongside President Donald Trump, was on a whirlwind tour around the country last week. He is promoting his new book titled, “So Help Me God.”
Last Monday, Pence spoke in front of 400 people at a $70 per person lunch at the Union League of Chicago that also included a copy of his book. The event was co-sponsored by the Lincoln Forum.
Rick Pearson, a political writer from the Chicago Tribune moderated the discussion. The event was taped but remains unavailable to view online.
During the interview, Pearson focused his questions on President Trump and January 6 – referring to it as “the insurrection.” The discussion avoided obvious topics like Joe Biden; record inflation; high gas prices; Lori Lightfoot; J.B. Pritzker; Hunter Biden; or crime in Chicago.
All Pearson wanted to focus on was Trump – a strategy that appeared to annoy Pence.
During the discussion, Pearson was given a stack of about 20 audience questions – and of those questions, he asked only three. In one of the submitted questions, Pence was asked if he would run for president, and he indicated that he will decide after the holidays after discussing with his family.
In an informal poll conducted by the author, zero attendees supported Pence running for president.
While the room was full, there were no Illinois Republican elected officials, former candidates or GOP leaders at the event.
On Tuesday, the Institute of Politics Forum at the University of Chicago hosted Pence. The discussion in front of over 400 people was moderated by former Obama senior advisor David Axelrod.
The discussion with Pence featured a variety of subjects. The Vice President was very clear on his support of the Second Amendment, at which point Axelrod asked, “do you say we need more guns?”
Although Pence didn’t respond directly to the question, he did tell a story of a legal conceal carry person who stopped a possible mass shooting.
In addition to his own questions, Axelrod did take a few audience questions. One question was from the editor at the Chicago Thinker, a university conservative newspaper, who asked Pence if he felt that Trump’s response to Covid-19 was proper or if he had any other comments.
Pence gave a long answer, but said that the Trump administration did a good job during the pandemic.
Pence also spoke to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs while in town. The event was held at the old Prudential Building in downtown Chicago.
