Owen stated that her wedding is soon, which was the reason for her wearing a mask. Stein responded, “Oh, that’s great! I wonder how many vaccines he has!”
“See, Vice is a liar! She’s a liar. And then when you call her out, she walks away. She’s scared! She’s the only one in a mask here,” Stein said as he continued to follow Owen. After Owen stopped walking, Stein asked her, “So, do you feel uncomfortable being here?”
Owen expressed that she was there to do her job. Stein continued to pepper her with questions about COVID-19 vaccines, President Joe Biden, and inflation, stepping in front of her as she attempted to walk away.
After Owen again expressed that she had press credentials for the event, Stein mocked her, saying, “Oh, I’m a credentialed reporter! I’m Vice! I’m a liar!” After finally walking away from Owen, Stein said, “These guys are cowards and liars!”
Reactions to Stein’s Video
While a number of conservatives expressed amusement at the video and cheered Stein on, others expressed disgust.
“Following around a woman you’ve never met and laughing as you acknowledge ‘she’s scared’ is real psycho scumbag behavior. You’re the lowest of the low,” one person said.
A number of Christian leaders also reacted to Stein’s actions, expressing outrage.
Christian writer and speaker Ameen Hudson said, “If you’re a Christian and support and love things like CPAC, you need to ask yourself how you square this type of disgusting childish harassment with your faith and how is this in line with Jesus’ ethics and teachings?”
“Imagine being a ‘man,’ watching that harassment happen, and then standing there laughing, much less following and gleefully filming,” said legal expert and political commentator David French.
“This is awful. Reminds me of a little 6th grade bully – and of course, most 6th graders behave far better,” said sexual abuse survivor advocate Christa Brown. “And look at all those others standing around watching this harassment, following along & smiling. Sickening.”
North Carolina pastor Ben Marsh retweeted the video, saying, “At some point the Nationalist Conservatives are going to have to decide if they will continue to align themselves with the Daytona Beach variety of Conservativism. Or is moral character dead as a conservative value?”
When asked about his actions and the criticism surrounding them, Stein told ChurchLeaders, “Tess Owen literally makes fun of Christians and Jesus constantly in her writing about Christian Nationalism so maybe do some research before you defend someone like her.”
Stein also sent ChurchLeaders a photograph of himself with Owen, which he said was taken after the now viral recording in which he harassed her. In the photo, Stein is smiling, and Owen is flashing a peace sign.
Owen declined to comment.
An Eventful Conference
Stein’s video wasn’t the only bit of controversy that arose at CPAC, as a number of other occurrences drew the attention of conservatives and liberals alike.
For example, the convention floor played host to an elaborate piece of performance art, which featured a cage holding a man in an orange jumpsuit and MAGA hat. Attendees were invited to take a headset and listen to the testimonies of people who had been jailed for their involvement in the January 6 capitol riot.
