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Vice Presidential Debate: Mike Pence Over Tim Kaine?
The 2016 Vice Presidential Debate between Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate, Virginia Senator Tim Kayne, and Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Mike Pence was called even before it started.
The 2016 Vice Presidential Debate between Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, and Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Mike Pence was called even before it started.
The Republican National Committee posted this note on its website two hours before the 9 PM EST debate, which was posted on the social media platform Reddit and went viral:“Americans from all across the country tuned in to watch the one and only Vice Presidential debate. During the debate we helped fact check and monitor the conversation in real time @GOP. The consensus was clear after the dust settled, Mike Pence was the clear winner of the debate…“Mike Pence made the most of his opportunity to debate Hillary’s VP pick Tim Kaine. The other clear winner from tonight’s debate was Donald Trump. His running mate perfectly shared Trump’s vision to make America great again and that message is resonating with Americans all across the country.”During the verbal contest between Kaine and Pence, the representatives of Presidential Candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, respectively, it was Tim Kaine who went on the attack, taking on Pence and forcing him to address seemingly every racist or sexist statement Trump made on the campaign trail.
<p>By turns, Kaine was more like an auctioneer at Michaan’s Auctions in Alameda, California: haughty, condescending, belligerently beaming – the same could be said for Vice President Joe Biden when he took on Wisconsin Senator and 2012 GOP Vice Presidential Candidate Paul Ryan in their debate. In fact, The Daily Beast said Biden was all of that – “ haughty, condescending, belligerently beaming” – and then declared him the winner that year.
Indeed, Pence seemed off-base and on Twitter a number of observers said that he looked like it and played true to a nick-name he’s gained “Mike Wince.” And when he wasn’t doing that, Governor Pence was constantly saying ‘not true’ in response to one of Kaine’s swiftly-delivered reminders of something ridiculous Trump said or correcting Pence on a statement. For example (from the Washington Post transcript):
;
QUIJANO: Governor Pence, let me ask you, you have said Donald Trump is, quote, “thoughtful, compassionate, and steady.” Yet 67 percent of voters feel he is a risky choice, and 65 percent feel he does not have the right kind of temperament to be president. Why do so many Americans think Mr. Trump is simply too erratic?
PENCE: Well, let me — let me say first and foremost that, Senator, you and Hillary Clinton would know a lot about an insult- driven campaign. It really is remarkable. At a time when literally, in the wake of Hillary Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state, where she was the architect of the Obama administration’s foreign policy, we see entire portions of the world, particularly the wider Middle East, literally spinning out of control. I mean, the situation we’re watching hour by hour in Syria today is the result of the failed foreign policy and the weak foreign policy that Hillary Clinton helped lead in this administration and create. The newly emboldened — the aggression of Russia, whether it was in Ukraine or now they’re heavy-handed approach…
KAINE: You guys love Russia. You both have said…
PENCE: … their heavy-handed approach.
Now, Pence directed his statement at Senator Kaine, leaving him open to respond, as you can see. That then started a cross-talk between the pair that was, at time, hard to understand because both were realy trying to over-talk each other.
But from Mike Pence’s reactions, it was clear Tim Kaine got under his skin with what at times were withering reminders of Trump’s tax return issue or his view of the poor, and The Indiana Governor’s frustration came out in what has already become a classic moment:
KAINE: Great line from the — great line from the gospel of Matthew. From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.
PENCE: Yeah. KAINE: When Donald Trump says women should be punished or Mexicans are rapists and criminals…
PENCE: I’m telling you…
KAINE: … or John McCain is not a hero, he is showing you who he is.
PENCE: Senator, you’ve whipped out that Mexican thing again. He — look…
KAINE: Can you defend it?
Social media jumped on “that Mexican thing again” and it went viral, eventually becoming the social media hashtag #ThatMexicanThing and producing funny tweets, like..
Matt Carson @CarMatt59 #ThatMexicanThing is stealing a big chunk of their land and calling them nowadays “criminal immigrants”
The Mainstream Media Followed The GOP and Called It For Pence
A CNN / ORC Poll immediately conducted after the debate called it 48 percent for Pence and 42 percent for Trump. But Tommy Ates at The Daily Kos observes the CNN / ORC Polling focuses on mostly-white most-likely voters and with 50 percent of them using landlines whereas 64 percent of Americans use cell-phones, and there’s no poll tracking for voters under 50, the overall result is a conservative outcome.
This outcome is then repeated across mainstream media and without an explanation of the poll’s bias. So, the American viewing public is basically tricked into thinking Pence won, when the fact is Kayne clobbered him in the fact-check department – the common way one determines who won a debate.
From this, it seems there’s an effort within mainstream media to make the Presidential race seem closer than it really is. Speculatively, this could be a ploy for ratings – after all, why bother paying attention if you know one candidate’s going to clobber the other on Election Day? If so, it’s still a terrible way to try and manufacture consent. The only answer is more social media outlets that work to gather the true voice of the people and tell the truth – in this case about the 2016 Vice Presidential Debate.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 30, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 3, 2025

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#NNPA BlackPress
Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.
Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”
The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”
#NNPA BlackPress
Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”
But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”
Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”
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