Trump-Pence ’60 Minutes’ Interview With Lesley Stahl Described As ‘Great,’ ‘Roadside Accident’ [Video]
Going into the Republican National Convention, which gets underway today in Cleveland, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Donald Trump, and his vice presidential selection, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, gave their first and only interview together with veteran journalist Lesley Stahl. The Trump/Pence 60 Minutes interview was hotly anticipated as soon as word spread that it was going to be conducted on Saturday, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel. The Trump/Pence 60 Minutes interview was broadcast last night at 7 p.m. ET on CBS.
Twitter user Brent Piaskoski joined others on social media in criticizing Trump and Pence. He described the interview as a “roadside accident” and predicted that in the future a terrible tragedy may come to be known as a “Trumppence.” Linda Suhler described the Trump/Pence team as “doing so great” but was seemingly unimpressed with Lesley Stahl, referring to the 60 Minutes host as a “hack” and of emulating “perpetual faux surprise.”
Years from now, society will call a horrible roadside accident a "Trumppence" and nobody will even know why. #60Minutes
— Brent Piaskoski (@BrentPiaskoski) July 18, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB0Avky3slY
“The Republican leadership has praised Pence as a good choice to unite the party,” Lesley Stahl stated, introducing the Trump/Pence 60 Minutes interview.
Stahl described Pence as a “reliable conservative” with strong Christian ties. The 60 Minutes host spoke of Pence’s six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and good relations with Republican house members.
Stahl then noted that there are key areas where Donald Trump and Mike Pence differ: “values and policy.”
I will keep watching Trump/Pence on 60 Minutes–to see my candidates–but I am SO sick of liberal nonsense.
Lesley Stahl is a hack.— Linda Suhler, PhD (@LindaSuhler) July 18, 2016
“Thank you. It’s very humbling and I couldn’t be more honored to have the opportunity to run with, and serve with, the next president of the United States,” Governor Pence stated when congratulated by Lesley Stahl on being selected by Trump as his VP running mate.
Stahl made light of recent world events seeming to include the spate of shootings, both of police and civilians, terrorist attacks, and coups taking place and asked the Trump/Pence team, “Are you ready for this world we’re facing today?”
“We’re both ready,” Donald Trump responded. “I have no doubt. We need toughness. We need strength.”
Trump and Pence are doing so great on 60 Minutes that it's worth putting up with Lesley Stahl's perpetual faux 'surprise…'#TrumpPence16
— Linda Suhler, PhD (@LindaSuhler) July 18, 2016
The 60 Minutes host then stated that the U.S. reaction to recent world events was not “muscular.” Stahl cited the current Turkish situation, a failed coup, as previously featured by the Inquisitr, taking place in a democracy that is also a key U.S. ally. Lesley Stahl asked Trump and Pence how they would have reacted to the Turkish coup if they had been in office.
Trump responded that Turkey was an important ally of the United States and that under his presidency, the country would continue to “stay with our allies.” The presidential candidate described the coup as being “quick” and praised the Turkish people, placing responsibility with them for the coup running its course so quickly.
Mike Pence then interjected that he feels that the real problem, as related to the Turkish coup, is “declining American power” globally. Pence asserted “history teaches that weakness arouses evil.”
Pence explained that, in his view, the current foreign policy of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has “lead from behind” and sent an “unclear message” to enemies of the United States. Pence stated Donald Trump possesses the type of “broad shouldered” American strength needed to successfully rejuvenate U.S. foreign policy and send a clear message to U.S. enemies.
“Do you want to send American troops in there? Is that what you mean?” Lesley Stahl questioned the Republican.
“We have people that hate us,” Trump said gravely. “We have people that want to wipe us out. We’re going to declare war against ISIS.”
Stahl then pressed Trump as to whether his plan included “troops on the ground,” presumably in Syria and Iraq.
Trump responded that his plan included “very few” ground troops and included “unbelievable” intelligence gathering, something that the presidential candidate agrees that the United States does not currently possess. Trump also stated that NATO needed to become more actively involved in the fight against ISIS.
Stahl persisted that Trump still hadn’t answered her question as to whether many U.S. troops would be sent to the Middle East under the Trump/Pence plan.
“Very little,” Donald Trump answered. The reported billionaire stressed that he was going to get “neighboring states” and NATO and that he was “going to declare war.”
“This is the kind of leadership that America needs,” Governor Pence interjected.
He explained that the first step was simply deciding to “destroy” the enemies of the United States.
“How?” Lesley Stahl asked.
“How?” Mike Pence answered her question.
He cited his experience with the Foreign Affairs Committee and stated that he had “every confidence” that “when” Donald Trump is elected as president of the United States, he will send forth a “directive” to the leadership of the U.S. armed forces to rally allies and neighbors to destroy ISIS.
Donald Trump then reiterated that he was going to “get rid of ISIS, big league.” He explained that the Trump/Pence plan was to leverage U.S. NATO allies and neighbors of Syria to aid in bringing the terrorist threat to an end. Trump then explained to Stahl that as a result of September 11, 2001, the United States needed to go to war with ISIS.
Stahl pointed out that the United States has already fought wars, both in Afghanistan and in Iraq
Trump countered that Iraq “was handled so badly.” He then stated that the United States should not have gone to war with Iraq because Iraq wasn’t responsible for September 11.
“Your running mate voted for it,” Lesley Stahl stated, making light of the fact that Mike Pence voted for the United States to invade Iraq.
“I don’t care,” Trump answered with regard to Stahl’s Pence assertion.
Stahl demanded an explanation from Trump, asking how he could not care.
Trump returned that it happened a “long time ago.”
Lesley Stahl questioned how Trump could hold up Hillary Clinton’s vote for the United States to invade Iraq as an example of her bad judgment and then choose Mike Pence as his running mate when he voted for the same thing.
The real estate mogul opined that he was one of the “few” people who got the question of whether the United States should invade Iraq correct.
Trump stated that Pence was “entitled” to make errors from time to time, while Stahl interjected, “But she’s not?”
“She’s not,” Trump said with finality, to laughs from Stahl.
Lesley Stahl then asked Donald Trump why he decided on Mike Pence as his pick for vice president and noted that there must have been many people who were interested in the position. Trump said that he approached Pence for the position; he stated that through the Indiana primaries he got to know Mike Pence “very well” and that he had “gained a great respect for him.” The Republican presidential candidate professed admiration for the job Pence has done as governor of Indiana.
Stahl noted that the Trump/Pence team was made up of a political outsider and a career politician. Donald Trump agreed that selecting Pence as his running mate pleased certain conservative sections and would help bring unity to his campaign.
The 60 Minutes host questioned the two candidates about their personal tastes and how they seemed to be in contrast. Trump being “brash” and Pence being quiet and “religious.”
“I’m religious,” Donald Trump said to Lesley Stahl. “I won the evangelicals… I don’t think they think I’m perfect.”
“They point to the divorces,” Lesley Stahl started.
“I won states with evangelicals that no one thought that I’d even come close to,” Trump continued.
“So you don’t need him to win the evangelicals,” Stahl summarized.
Stahl then asked Pence about statements he had made with regard to “negative” campaigning and “decency.” Trump, Pence, and Stahl discussed Trump’s “name calling” and his use of the term “crooked Hillary.” It was noted that Governor Pence is not known for any history of calling his political opponents names. With regard to Trump’s demeanor, Pence stated that he appreciated his “candor.”
“Do you think John McCain is not a hero because he was captured?” Lesley Stahl asked Mike Pence, referring to Donald Trump’s seeming disregard for the former presidential candidate and Vietnam prisoner of war.
The governor appeared reluctant to answer.
“You can answer,” Donald Trump said to Mike Pence.
The governor chose not to voice an opinion on John McCain’s war record.
Mike Pence was clear that he would have no hesitancy in approaching Donald Trump with any difference of opinion on either “policy” or “presentation.” Pence was also confident that Trump would “listen” to any recommendations he gave him.
The Trump/Pence 60 Minutes interview also discussed the candidates’ views on immigration, trade, employment, waterboarding, and the Republican National Convention in Cleveland and the fact that Ohio is an open carry state.
“Do you really want to be president?” Lesley Stahl asked Donald Trump in closing.
“I want to make America great again,” the Republican billionaire replied.
[Photo by Bryan Thomas/Getty Images]
