MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Former Vice President Mike Pence will admit that the principles of democracy were tested during one of his final acts of power in 2021.
While protesters attempted to overtake the Capitol on Jan. 6, Pence started the proceedings in the U.S. Senate to go through the electoral college votes and start the transition of power from former President Donald Trump to current President Joe Biden. In the early morning hours on Jan. 7, Pence declared his ticket lost.
He relived that memory at MTSU on Tuesday as the keynote speaker for the university's Constitution Day.
"When that day came three years ago, I think of the oath I took to the American people and almighty God," Pence said. "I will leave the judgment to others and history. It was by God's grace I did my duty that day, and it was a great honor to do so. On. Jan. 6, President Trump was wrong. I had no right to reject votes."
He said that to a room full of applause. Only a handful of students protested on campus. Pence spoke inside Tucker Theatre, full of students and faculty on the topic of American democracy.
Pence said that those who were violent on Jan. 6 need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. He discussed Jan. 6 among other topics including executive immunity and impeachment.
"I have to be honest when I witnessed President Trump impeached over a phone call to a foreign leader, I feel like we broke the boundaries that the founders had in mind," Pence said. "There's been on both sides of the aisle there's been too much politics played on the Constitution. We should return to a commitment as Americans. If you're entertaining the illusion that sets us apart from the rest of the world, we are from the rest of the world. But it's our principles, our ideals, our form of government — the key. To solve the challenges America faces today, we should go back to the framework of the United States."
Sen. JD Vance also became a topic of conversation as the moderator asked if Pence had any advice for him or if he would sit down with Vance, who is running on Trump's presidential ticket in November.
Pence said the purpose of the vice presidency was to assume the duties on a moment's notice in the event of tragedy.
"Of course, I would sit down with Sen. Vance," he said. "We have prayed more than once for him. I would tell him what I tried to tell myself every day as vice president. In the morning when I got dressed, I always wanted to think about three things I wanted to do every day. Full disclosure, I got out a magic marker and wrote on the mirror. Be informed, be prepared and be of service. I wanted to make sure my heart was in the right place if history called."
The moderator did speak up about students' fears about Pence coming to campus, especially the LGBTQ community at MTSU. He told students that his belief was marriage was to be between one man and one woman, which was met by many in the audience booing.
"That's what freedom sounds like," Pence said. "But the Supreme Court of the United States recognized same-sex marriage as the law of the land. Here's the great thing about the Constitution. You can disagree with the SCOTUS but you can't disobey it. It was the greatest honor of my life to be your vice president. I think as I said when I was governor. No one should ever be mistreated or abused because of who they are, who they love or what they believe. I don't support discrimination."
MTSU celebrates Constitution Day every year as part of a week-long programming. Constitution Day is celebrated every Sept. 17.
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-Rebecca Schleicher
