Perhaps the free-for-all Tuesday between Trump and Congress' two leading Democrats — presumptive House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — could have been predicted. The lawmakers had gone to the Oval Office to discuss Trump's threatened government shutdown over the legislature's failure to fund the proposed border wall with Mexico, the president's pet project since the 2016 campaign trail.
"If we don't get what we want, one way or the other, whether it's through you, through military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government," Trump said Tuesday. "I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down."
"This Trump shutdown, this temper tantrum that he seems to throw, will not get him his wall and will hurt a lot of people," Schumer fired back.
"This has spiraled downwards," Pelosi lamented.
However, whether Pence knew a fight was brewing or not, when the cats started hissing and scratching, he kept out of it. Pence's stoic expression and seeming aloofness didn't go unnoticed by Twitter, which had lots of fun at his expense — and a bit of empathy for being a fly on the wall in such a cringe-worthy spat on national TV.
1000 words pic.twitter.com/ik3anzmMXt
— Robert Costa (@costareports) December 11, 2018
Folks noticed that Pence sat so still he hardly seemed real, compared to the animated Schumer, Pelosi and Trump.
I think it's a cardboard cut-out. The real Pence is out with the pool boy.
— Cheers (@Brandykody) December 11, 2018
Others attributed his reserved demeanor to his noted "good boy" personality, for which the internet has ripped him before.
The look of shame. What will Mother think? https://t.co/sc96EhFzyI
— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) December 11, 2018
Some took a more neutral position, noting Pence was clearly trying not to get sucked into the conflagration around him.
Live footage of Pence… pic.twitter.com/bfg82YY6F4
— AL Bo Parker (@boparker1) December 11, 2018
And good ol "Tight Lips Pence"
— Hall Niemer (@RealPaulNeemer) December 11, 2018
Some took a more neutral position, noting Pence was clearly trying not to get sucked into the conflagration around him.
*record scratch*
— Morgan Artyukhina (@LavenderNRed) December 11, 2018
Pence: "Yeah that's me. I'll bet you're wondering how I got into this situation…" pic.twitter.com/6VIupFwPTt
Some thought maybe the Veep was concealing an inner anger at his boss, whose job seems to be constantly threatened by congressional Democrats.
Pence: Oh lord help me take this idiot down pic.twitter.com/WzzGosW56V
— Audi (@aury91) December 11, 2018
Others suggested perhaps he was concealing something else inside…
Pence looks like he's in a pepto bismol commercial https://t.co/EcwXYYHqIq
— philbeer (@philbeer) December 11, 2018
Pelosi and Schumer, on the other hand, walked out of there with all the style of professional party crashers:
Me leaving your Holiday Party after starting major drama pic.twitter.com/BRf98b9R2g
— phil (@PrettyGoodPhil) December 11, 2018
Looks like Congress will have to sort out its differences with the president by December 21 without Pence's help. If they can't by then, the government will run out of money, and the majority of its operations will temporarily shut down until a new spending bill authorizing funding can be cobbled together.
