VP Pence defends Trump for saying America 'isn't so innocent' and refuses to say the US is superior to Russia

  • Vice President Mike Pence wouldn't say on Face the Nation if he believed the U.S. was morally superior to Russia
  • Instead, Pence praised the President's willingness to engage with the world and with Russia 
  • Two members of well known GOP families - Liz Cheney and Jack McCain - spoke out against comments President Donald Trump said to Bill O'Reilly 
  • Trump had questioned whether the U.S. was so 'innocent' after expressing 'respect' for Vladimir Putin, who O'Reilly then labeled a 'killer' 
  • The president pointed to the war in Iraq, which he says he was against, as evidence that the country's hands aren't so clean 
  • Cheney and McCain were joined by Sens. Mitch McConnell and Marco Rubio, who also pushed back on Trump's comments 

By Nikki Schwab, U.s. Political Reporter For Dailymail.com

Published: 19:17 EST, 5 February 2017 | Updated: 20:24 EST, 5 February 2017

Members of the Republican Party took issue with comments President Donald Trump said about Vladimir Putin in a new interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, but the Vice President was willing to let it slide.  

Appearing on Face the Nation, Pence wouldn't directly answer host John Dickerson's query of whether the United States is 'morally superior' to Russia.

'What you have in this new president is someone who is willing to and is in fact engaging the world, including Russia, and saying, 'Where can we find common interests that will advance the security of the American people, the peace and prosperity of the world?'' Pence first answered. 

Dickerson tried again.

Scroll down for video 

Vice President Mike Pence was more willing to let the president's comments slide, as he wouldn't say to John Dickerson if America is morally superior to Russia 

Appearing on Face the Nation, Pence wouldn't directly answer host John Dickerson's query of whether the United States is 'morally superior' to Russia

'But America morally superior to Russia? Yes or no?' the CBS newsman asked.

Pence began talking about American ideals and a recent visit to Philadelphia's Independence Hall.

'Shouldn't this just a yes answer?' Dickerson asked.

Pence continued to talk about the country having the 'highest ideals in the world.'

'Shouldn't we be able to just say 'yes' to that question though?' Dickerson probed.

Pence then answered, 'I think it's without question, John.'

The host tried finishing his sentence, 'That America is morally superior to Russia.'

But Pence wouldn't get specific.

'That American ideals are superior to countries all across the world,' the vice president answered. He then pivoted and spoke of Trump trying to have a 'new relationship with Russia.'

Dickerson said 'I understand' and answered 'all right,' and left it there.

President Donald trump was asked by Fox News' Bill O'Reilly if he had 'respect' for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the new American president said he did 

The interview was in reference to President Trump's pre-Super Bowl taped interview with Bill O'Reilly when he said he indeed had 'respect' for Putin.

'I do respect him. Well, I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'll get along with them,' Trump said. 

O'Reilly then pointed out that 'Putin is a killer.' 

Trump noted that, 'there are a lot of killers. We have a lot of killers,' seemingly putting Russia and the U.S. on equal footing. 

'What do you think? Our country's so innocent?' he added

The president justified his comments by pointing to the Iraq War, which he considers a major foreign policy blunder. 

'A lot of mistakes. A lot of people were killed,' Trump said.  

THE YOUNGER GENERATION: Rep. Liz Cheney (left) and Jack McCain both spoke out against President Donald Trump saying 'you think our country is so innocent?' when showing support for Russian President Vladimir Putin 

Jack McCain, son of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Liz Cheney, former Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter who is a congresswoman from Wyoming, both pushed back when Trump answered, 'Well, you think our country is so innocent?' when O'Reilly labeled the Russian president a 'killer.'

'My nation of laws just got compared to one that murders journalists that don't fall in line and kills political opposition,' McCain, a Navy helicopter pilot, tweeted. 'Awesome ..........' 

Cheney, who was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives last month, sang a similar tune.  

'POTUS statement suggesting moral equivalence between Putin's Russia and the United States of America is deeply troubling and wrong,' she wrote on Twitter. 

Sen. John McCain's son Jack initially commented on what President Donald Trump said about Vladimir Putin. He later deleted this tweet 

Rep. Liz Cheney dashed off a tweet after President Donald Trump made the remarks to a taped interview with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly 

 While the young McCain initially stepped into the debate, he soon deleted his tweet.

'I just need to go back to tweeting about why I love Air Tractors,' the pilot wrote.   

 'For the record no one 'got to me,'' McCain added. 'I just don't want to cause a fuss.' 

But the younger generation had some big Republicans voices backing their stance.  

Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper this morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed any sort of comparison of the U.S. to Putin. 

'Well, Putin is a former KGB ... agent, he's a thug,' McConnell said on CNN. 'He was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election.' 

Jack McCain took down his tweet and joked that he should go back to tweeting about 'Air Tractors' and just didn't 'want to cause a fuss' 

'The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine, and messed around in our elections,' the GOP's leader in the Senate continued.

'No, I don't think there is any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does,' McConnell said. 

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who ran against Trump in the Republican primary, used Twitter to broadcast his thoughts.

'When has a Democratic political activists been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa?' Rubio wrote. 'We are not the same as Putin.'   

Sen. Marco Rubio also bashed Donald Trump's comments saying there shouldn't be an equivalency between the United States and the actions of Vladimir Putin

 

Comments (5)

Share what you think

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now