Thursday, July 14, 2016

 

Political Mayhem Thursday: The Trump Veep Pick!

It's coming down to the end here-- Donald Trump has said that he will pick his running mate by Friday. Who do you think he should choose? The top contenders are described below:

1) Mike Pence, Governor of Indiana










Pence seems to be the front runner, given the amount of time he has spent with Trump of late.
Pros: Governmental experience, good campaigner
Cons: Pretty unpopular in Indiana right now, not well known

2) Drowzee

















Apparently, Trump and his family had dinner and drinks with Drowzee last week.
Pros: Well-recognized, popular with Pokemon Go voters
Con: Often mistaken for Newt Gingrich (see below), doesn't wear a shirt.

3) Newt Gingrich
















Gingrich has long been rumored to be a top candidate for VP.
Pros: Proven record of success in House, willing to play attack dog
Cons: His rap CD was terrible, doesn't wear a shirt in the summer.

4) Neil Young




















I think they are getting along again.
Pros: Well-known, delivers Crosby, Stills, and Nash's votes (3 more than Pence)
Con: Canadian, poor relations with Congress

5) Chris Christie













Christie was an early and fervent supporter of Trump once the nomination looked certain
Pros: Knows Bruce Springsteen
Con: Springsteen doesn't like him very much

So-- what am I missing?

Comments:
If he is going to pick a Pokemon, it will be Fearow.
 
Gingrich. For #CJreform he is my top pick.
 
I do not think that anyone other than Pence would help the Trump campaign, and even that may not help, because Pence is presently rather unpopular in his state. If the Ds can overcome the 25 year old R conspiracy to create the false sense that Hilary is dishonest, no single VP candidate could rescue Trump.

BTW, Trump lies about his wealth every time he mentions it.
 
Yikes. A tough field you've lined up. I pick Sarah Palin because she's a Pokeman/Christie love child. She is almost coherent sometimes, and the Republicans always buy her nice clothes for the circus. She has the superpower of incoherence in front of large groups, and she gave up on logic and reason years ago. Perfect!

 
Much as I hope Trump will lose, its quite possible that he won't. It's also possible that he could win ... and die... or be forced out of office... or just quit. So as Americans we need him to pick someone who could do the job if he cannot.

And it would be nice if it was someone who could at least get along with the Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Both of these caveats rule out Newt Gingrich. He is older than Trump and is NOT in touch with current GOP Leadership. Moreover, Newt is the exact antithesis of an executive. He was a terrible Speaker. He had no control over his party and wasted time on pet projects and random ideas. Fascinating guy with a wide, but shallow, set of interests. Fun at parties I'm sure. But he's just as undisciplined as Trump! If not more so.

Which is why I fear that Trump might choose him.

I guess my "favorite" choice is Pence. He's competent, capable and been reasonably successful as Governor. He's WAY too socially conservative for me, but it would make the GOP base reasonably happy and keep them on the reservation. Sure, I'd love to see the GOP implode, but again what if Trump picks an untested lightweight... and wins?!? That's bad for the country.

Christie just doesn't seem to have Veep qualities. The best VP's have been people like GHW Bush, Al Gore and Joe Biden, who could keep their own egos and agendas under control. Dick Cheney not so much.
 
IPLG-- Good points. Do we really know, though, about Spence's ego? He hasn't had much time in the public eye, it seems.

I was hoping Trump would consider John Kasich and press him to take the job. That, or Drowzee.
 
Kasich, like many other Republicans with Presidential ambitions undimmed, wouldn't touch this with a 10 foot pole. One theory on why Pence would is that he might have trouble getting re-elected. This is a way out.

Christie is term limited and I THINK Walker is too. Not sure though. Christie is all in on Trump anyway, so he has nothing to lose if he got the nod.

But my guess is that whomever takes the position as running mate is DOOMED in what's left of the GOP if Trump loses... or if he wins and creates the expected disaster.
 
If Trump takes Pence, that's a guaranteed win for Indiana. they want to get rid of him.
 
Funny. I logged in today to make what turns out to be IPLG's first point: although Trump is EXTREMELY unlikely to win (even as Nate Silver has his odds of winning gaining at an astonishingly, alarmingly rapid rate), because there is a remote chance that Trump could win, there has not been a veep decision more consequential since 1944. As IPLG says, Trump is much more likely than any presidential candidate in our lifetime (or maybe our entire history) to die, quit, or be the first POTUS to be impeached and actually removed. This veep nominee is important.

Having said that, I just can't make myself care. In the clever words of a fairly recent country song: "my give a damn's busted."
 
IPLG, given what you and WF have (correctly) set out-- that Trump might not be president for long-- it would seem like being the VP would be Kasich's best route to the presidency.
 
I think Mark is right that Kasich would be the best pick; I can't even remember if he said he'd support the Donald. But he'd give Trump help in a very important swing state. Maybe THE swing state.
 
Kasich said he would not support Trump. And he isn't.

Being Trump's VP choice is probably a good way to get a book contract or Talking head deal on some network. But it will not burnish one's legacy. And even if Trump's VP becomes President, that person will have to fight like demon to get the GOP nomination in 2020.
 
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