Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Today has us thinking about Leo Varadkar, the first openly gay prime minister of Ireland and youngest person ever to hold the position.
Around this time of year in 2019, Varadkar managed to humiliate then-Vice President Mike Pence in the most charming way possible: by being himself.
Varadkar was Pence’s guest of honor at a breakfast meeting held at the U.S. Naval Observatory. Nothing out of the ordinary there–each year, Ireland’s Taoiseach presents a shamrock to the U.S. president around St. Patrick’s Day.
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The big difference: Varadkar brought his partner, Mike Barrett, to the breakfast with Pence and his mother wife Karen, who was just in the news for her school’s anti-LGBTQ policies.
During the awkward meetup, Varadkar made a point of shading the Pences–politely, of course!
“I stand here this morning as leader of my country,” he said during his speech, “flawed and human, but judged by my political actions and not by my sexual orientation or my skin tone or my gender or religious beliefs.”
He continued, “And I don’t believe my country is the only one in the world where this story is possible. It is found in every country where freedom and liberty are cherished. We are, after all, all God’s children.”
Pence congratulated Varadkar–no doubt through gritted teeth–for his “inspiring words.”
Watch.
Afterward, Varadkar said his comments were meant to challenge the homophobic VP and send a message to youth everywhere.
“Part of leadership is really speaking to people in a respectful way and setting an example,” he said. “I hope that any actions I do around equality for any LGBT members of society, and for women as well, gives encouragement to young gay people and young women to believe that anything in life is possible.”
Thanks to the Vice President and his sister for a lovely morning at his home. What a great way to start this St Patrick’s weekend pic.twitter.com/2tzLEOTTpt
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 14, 2019
Cam
Republicans are the party of bigotry, hate, and stealing from working Americans to line their pockets. Pence regularly spews hated towards others and deserves worse than he got here.
BGreen1963
Pence was about to be the first Republican Governor to lose reelection in 60 years, because he was so hateful and a crook. He stole I believe $15,000,000 from the people of Indiana for environmental cleanup after his family business went bust.Indiana is not very progressive, but Pence’s hate was just too much even for them. Did you know Pence’s older brother was given his old IS Congressional seat when he became Indiana Governor ? So we still have a hate filled fascist named Pence in the house.
johncp56
yes he and his mommy shame hate-spewing christains
white-queer-african
Oh, how I love the Irish. The speak to truth. They expose bigotry.
Now I am sure I will be slated by SamB et al, quoting homo-phobia in Ireland.
Bring it on Bitches.
The Accidental Polemicist
What!!?!!
Mike Pence went to a luncheon with gay people!?! With boyfriends!?! Egads!
You can see from all the handshakes and smiles it was an excruciatingly painful experience for him. 🙂
Cam
Oh no!! The right wing troll and it’s screenames normally rush in to be the first poster on articles about Republican bigots to try to minimize their hatred and their goal of harming LGBTQ people.
You’re slipping sweetie.
Fahd
Seems like quaint old times when Republicans were polite enough to grin and bear it when a guest confronted them with their bigotry.
Over just a few years, Pence has become a traitor, and the gun-toting, know-nothings have taken over the Republican party. In similar circumstances, current Republicans would run amok and be very, very rude.
Jim
Varadkar is sooo right ” speaking to people in a respectful way and setting an example,” is the way to go, but let’s all admit that sometimes calling an asshole and asshole feels sooooo good
The Accidental Polemicist
That didn’t happen.
woodroad34
I sincerely don’t think Pence got the diss. Republicans tend to exist in a dissociative bubble.