In the wake of left-wing hysteria over Vice President Mike Pence avoiding going out to eat alone with a woman who is not his wife, NBC’s Today seized on the story during Friday's show and devoted a nearly two-minute-long discussion to the topic, debating whether or not such marital fidelity was a “wise policy.”
Leading off the show’s 8 a.m. Eastern hour “Trending” segment, co-host Savannah Guthrie announced: “...the Washington Post did a profile piece on Karen Pence, the Vice President’s wife, and it really started a great discussion in our newsroom. In the article, we learned that Mike Pence has a policy....he says he doesn't dine alone with a woman unless his wife is there.” She noted that “it got a lot of us talking” and wondered: “...what do you think of that policy? Do you think that's a wise policy?”
Fellow co-host Carson Daly chimed in: “Sounds like an old-school policy that Mike Pence would be on board with.”
Guthrie defended the rule: “I think it makes some sense....I don't think I would ask my husband to have that policy, but I think it's, like, probably wise.”
Daly was skeptical: “But why? Why wouldn't you have dinner with – ?” Fill-in co-host Craig Melvin offered an explanation: “Well, I mean, I think from his point of view, the easiest way to resist temptation is to avoid it. Not to say that the Vice President – you know, I’m not assuming anything.” Daly scoffed: “That’s just because they say men and women can't just be friends, it goes back to that whole thing.”
Special correspondent Maria Shriver joined in the discussion, pointing to both Daly and Melvin and jokingly telling them: “Alright, so we're not going to have dinner. We’re not going to have dinner.”
Like Guthrie, weather person Dylan Dreyer saw benefit in the idea: “I could see it making a wife uncomfortable....if he's out to eat with another woman, I don't know.” Daly insisted: “What if the wife knows the woman? That’s no big deal.”
Guthrie shared an anecdote backing up Pence’s policy: “I don't come down either side of it, but I do think it's interesting. I had a friend whose father told him when he got married, “You know, I’m going to give you a piece of advice, don’t get yourself in that situation. Don't let yourself even get in a situation where you’re tempted and you’ll be in good shape.” I think that's what's behind that idea.”
Melvin wrapped up the segment by touting mockery of the Vice President: “The satirical newspaper, The Onion, had a bit of fun with this story....The headline here, ‘Mike Pence Asks Waiter To Remove Mrs. Butterworth From Table Until Wife Arrives.’” Daly remarked: “Just remove the situation....No temptation.” Guthrie gushed: “Yeah, love The Onion.”
Here is a full transcript of the March 31 segment:
8:14 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Well, here we are, everybody. It's 8:13, it’s Trending. But it isn’t just any Trending because we’ve got Craig [Melvin], we’ve got Dylan Dreyer, and Maria Shriver!
CRAIG MELVIN: This is going to be fun.
MARIA SHRIVER: I'm back!
GUTHRIE: Lots to talk about. We’ve got a good talker at the top here. The Post recently – the Washington Post did a profile piece on Karen Pence, the Vice President’s wife, and it really started a great discussion in our newsroom. In the article, we learned that Mike Pence has a policy, you know he and his wife have been married for years now. Here’s his own personal policy, he says he doesn't dine alone with a woman unless his wife is there. And that really got –
MELVIN: Never alone with another woman?
GUTHRIE: Yeah. And it got a lot of us talking in the newsroom, you know, is that – what do you think of that policy? Do you think that's a wise policy?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Dinner “Reservations”; VP Pence’s “Rule” Starts Conversation]
CARSON DALY: Sounds like an old-school policy that Mike Pence would be on board with.
GUTHRIE: I think it makes some sense. It’s like, I don't know if I would – I don't think I would ask my husband to have that policy, but I think it's, like, probably wise.
SHRIVER: Does she have that policy?
GUTHRIE: I don't know.
SHRIVER: Mrs. Pence, yeah.
GUTHRIE: I’m not sure.
MELVIN: That’s a good question.
DALY: But why? Why wouldn't you have dinner with – ?
MELVIN: Well, I mean, I think from his point of view, the easiest way to resist temptation is to avoid it. Not to say that the Vice President – you know, I’m not assuming anything.
DALY: That’s just because they say men and women can't just be friends, it goes back to that whole thing.
SHRIVER [POINTING TO DALY AND MELVIN]: Alright, so we're not going to have dinner. We’re not going to have dinner.
[LAUGHTER]
GUTHRIE: Yes, exactly.
SHRIVER: That’s it, we're done.
GUTHRIE [POINTING TO SHRIVER]: You and me, we’re out at dinner.
SHRIVER: I’d like them to come.
DYLAN DREYER: I could see it making a wife uncomfortable.
MELVIN: You can see it making a wife uncomfortable?
DREYER: Yeah, if he's out to eat with another woman, I don't know.
DALY: What if the wife knows the woman? That’s no big deal.
MELVIN: Then it’s okay, no?
GUTHRIE: I don't know. I’m not – I don't come down either side of it, but I do think it's interesting. I had a friend whose father told him when he got married, “You know, I’m going to give you a piece of advice, don’t get yourself in that situation. Don't let yourself even get in a situation where you’re tempted and you’ll be in good shape.” I think that's what's behind that idea.
MELVIN: The satirical newspaper, The Onion, had a bit of fun with this story.
GUTHRIE: I know, you’ve gotta love The Onion.
MELVIN: The headline here, “Mike Pence Asks Waiter To Remove Mrs. Butterworth From Table Until Wife Arrives.”
[LAUGHTER]
DALY: Just remove the situation.
GUTHRIE: Yeah, love The Onion.
DALY: No temptation.
