Mike Pence, previous United States vice president, was honored with the John F. Kennedy Courage Award.
Mike Pence, the ex-vice president of the U.S., copped a valiant award over the weekend for his actions on January 6, 2021.
Pence nabbed the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award on Sunday, getting recognition for thwarting President Donald Trump's desperate attempts to cling onto power beyond the 2020 election.
In a 10-minute speech, Pence expressed his undying loyalty to the U.S. constitution, stating it binds us all together. He admonished Americans to seek common ground.
The award praises Pence for risking his life and career, proclaiming he stood tall against adversity.
Several references to the divided times and anxious days permeated Pence's speech, where he acknowledged his differences with both the Democrats and his own Republican Party on various issues.
Controversial topics such as spending, tariffs, and America's role as the leader of the free world—specifically backing Ukraine against Russian invasions—drove the drawn-out feuds within the political landscape.
On January 6, 2021, Trump hounded Pence to reject votes from swing states Trump dishonestly claimed had been stolen. Pence resisted, narrowly avoiding a chaotic confrontation with Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol. Some of these rioters chanted their intentions to "hang Mike Pence."
Trump took to Twitter at the time, slamming Pence as cowardly for failing to shield our country and the constitution. Disregarding Secret Service advice, Pence stayed on to continue certifying Joe Biden's election victory.
In his Sunday address, Pence regarded the tragedy of that day as both sorrowful and transformative.
Caroline Kennedy, JFK's daughter, presented the award, alongside Jack Schlossberg, the former president's grandson. Kennedy commended Pence's "act of courage, which saved our government and underscored the dangerous consequences of unelected individuals disregarding established constitutional protocols."
Previous recipients of the award comprise ex-presidents like Barack Obama, George H.W. Bush, and Gerald Ford.
- Mike Pence, despite the controversial politics surrounding the general-news of January 6, 2021, was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his actions that day.
- In his speech accepting the award, Pence emphasized his loyalty to the U.S. constitution and urged Americans to seek common ground, even though he acknowledged his differences with both the Democrats and the Republicans.
- The award recognized Pence for risking his life and career, as he resisted President Donald Trump's desperate attempts to cling onto power beyond the 2020 election, an act that suspended the chaos that Trump's supporters intended to unleash.
- Pence's actions were also commended for thwarting war-like intentions, as some of Trump's supporters chanted about hanging him on that day.
