Anyone paying attention to Mike Pence in Korea?

[tallguy]

Is he trying to make the U.S. look worse internationally?

Pence spent the days leading up to Friday's opening ceremonies warning that the North was trying to "hijack the message and imagery of the Olympic Games" with its "propaganda."

But the North was still welcomed with open arms to what South Korean President Moon Jae-in called "Olympic games of peace" and the U.S. appeared to be the one left out in the cold.

Pence sat stone-faced in his seat as Moon and North Koreans officials stood together with much of the stadium to applaud their joint team of athletes. White House officials stressed that Pence had applauded only for the American team, but Asia experts said the vice president's refusal to stand could be seen as disrespectful to the hosts.
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At an earlier VIP reception for delegation leaders, Pence arrived late and stayed for just 5 minutes — and did not interact with the delegation from the North.

"The Koreans will think it's a mood kill," said Frank Jannuzi, an expert on East Asia at the Mansfield Foundation in Washington. He criticized the Trump administration for straining too hard to signal disgust of Kim Jong Un's government.

"The grievances that the world has about North Korea are very legitimate. But the Olympic moment that President Moon is trying to generate here is not a time to nurse those grievances," Jannuzi said. "It's a time to focus on messages of reconciliation and peace."       link

I don't think Pence has ever been accused of being a big thinker, and his boss certainly is not, but do they really think that trying to throw cold water on perhaps the most significant political endeavor in recent decades in that region is a positive step either for America and its interests or Asia and world peace?  Add in that he is reportedly engaged in some kind of spat with a couple of our own athletes....   

I would suggest that it is at least better than having Trump there, but I really wish there were someone in this administration that we could be proud to have represent us on the world stage.  Anyone. 

[Tennesseer]

Opportunities to reach out are few and far between even under the best of conditions.  Do so when you can.  Pence didn't.

[chiver78]

I haven't been paying much attention yet, but I was trying to watch the ceremonies via stream from work earlier. yah.  wasn't Kim Jong Un's sister standing in the same box of seating as Pence and his wife? I thought that's what I caught in a fly-by shot. I could be wrong, though. 

and there's no "reportedly" about the spat. given the publicity this current national team has afforded some openly gay athletes, Pence has been asked about his track record on gay rights and such....and it's not been pretty. 

[weltschmerz]

Feb 10, 2018 0:37:01 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

I haven't been paying much attention yet, but I was trying to watch the ceremonies via stream from work earlier. yah.  wasn't Kim Jong Un's sister standing in the same box of seating as Pence and his wife? I thought that's what I caught in a fly-by shot. I could be wrong, though. 

and there's no "reportedly" about the spat. given the publicity this current national team has afforded some openly gay athletes, Pence has been asked about his track record on gay rights and such....and it's not been pretty. 

You're not wrong.

[weltschmerz]

It was an opportunity to build some global bridges, but Pence had to be an ass about  it.

[kadee79]

The N.Korean 'sister' was seated behind Pence and over one seat.  He looked like a sour puss up there.  He is not doing the US any favors for sure, in the international community!

[ken a.k.a OMK]

Pence sat when the host country came in. Disrespect. Doesn't matter that it was both North and South. He brought the parents of the guy killed by the North to sit with him. Keep politics out of it Pence. 

[Tennesseer]

Feb 10, 2018 11:23:12 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Pence sat when the host country came in. Disrespect. Doesn't matter that it was both North and South. He brought the parents of the guy killed by the North to sit with him. Keep politics out of it Pence. 

Reminds me of the trump/Hillary Clinton debate where trump had Bill Clinton's accusers sit front and center to rattle Clinton.

[dezii]

Feb 10, 2018 0:36:57 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Opportunities to reach out are few and far between even under the best of conditions.  Do so when you can.  Pence didn't.

A smile...a handshake...a word...say for example.." love the scarf " or some other nonsense wouldn't have killed him...even say..."give my best to your brother when u see him.."...Now that would have shook her and her delegates up...doubt it would have led to a attack....

Where is Kissinger when we need him, as old as he is...wasted moment...again...[sigh]

[dezii]

Feb 10, 2018 10:01:51 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

The N.Korean 'sister' was seated behind Pence and over one seat.  He looked like a sour puss up there.  He is not doing the US any favors for sure, in the international community!

Neither is our Donald either...

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

No one is better than Pence.  

[Deleted]

Feb 10, 2018 12:29:37 GMT -5 dezii said:

Feb 10, 2018 0:36:57 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Opportunities to reach out are few and far between even under the best of conditions.  Do so when you can.  Pence didn't.

A smile...a handshake...a word...say for example.." love the scarf " or some other nonsense wouldn't have killed him...even say..."give my best to your brother when u see him.."...Now that would have shook her and her delegates up...doubt it would have led to a attack....

Where is Kissinger when we need him, as old as he is...wasted moment...again...[sigh]

Exactly this, but instead let’s be Mike, homophobic, can’t have dinner with a female without my wife being a chaperone, web browser filled with dude on dude action pornhub Pence. Works every time.

[Gardening Grandma]

Pence (like the rest of this mis-administration) is out of his league.  He needs to just stay home with "Mother"

[bean29]

Is his wife with him, I thought I saw her in a box with him? This spat with the athlete Adam Rippon seems like he was trying to use them for attention, they want nothing to do with him.

[NastyWoman]

Feb 10, 2018 11:33:47 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Feb 10, 2018 11:23:12 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

Pence sat when the host country came in. Disrespect. Doesn't matter that it was both North and South. He brought the parents of the guy killed by the North to sit with him. Keep politics out of it Pence. 

Reminds me of the trump/Hillary Clinton debate where trump had Bill Clinton's accusers sit front and center to rattle Clinton.

Yeah but at least he (Pence) is not like those football player kneeling during the anthem to bring attention to racial inequality and politicizing sporting ev.. oh wait, never mind. 

At least he is not getting paid for watching the games right? He is not on the job... my, my my.
Channeling my best Gomer Pyle USMS "Surprise, surprise, surprise"