Vice President-elect Mike Pence said on Sunday he was not offended by pointed comments made to him by a cast member of “Hamilton” after he attended the hit Broadway show.
“I wasn’t offended,” Pence said on “Fox New Sunday,” declining to ask for an apology as President Donald Trump had demanded. Pence acknowledged that many Americans were disappointed and anxious after Trump’s Nov. 8 election victory, but he sought to reassure Americans that Trump would be a president “for all Americans.” Pence attended the Broadway show Friday night with his daughter. Word spread that the former Indiana governor would be in the audience, and some people attending booed, while others cheered.
Pence told “Fox News Sunday” that he told his daughter that night, “That’s what freedom looks like.”
At curtain call Friday evening, Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays America’s third vice president, Aaron Burr, read a statement directed at Pence while standing in front of the cast in full costume. “We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights,” Dixon said. “But we truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us. All of us.” Pence sought to address Dixon’s concerns. “They are going to see President-elect Trump be a president for all of the people and we embrace that principle,” Pence said.
Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing.This should not happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2016
The Theater must always be a safe and special place.The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2016
The cast and producers of Hamilton, which I hear is highly overrated, should immediately apologize to Mike Pence for their terrible behavior
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 20, 2016
In the interview Sunday, Pence called “Hamilton” an “incredible production.”
On whether an apology was necessary: “I’ll leaveit to others whether that was the appropriate venue to say it.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
