11-18-2018, 10:12 PM
Pence is even more reactionary, abrasive, and ideological than Donald Trump. Think of Senator Mike Lee, except as a lapsed Catholic who became a fundamentalist Protestant. I have no idea of whether Robert Mueller has anything on him yet.
With no idea of what is going on in the mind of Robert Mueller -- he releases no hints unless they can help him in his investigation or a prosecution, like spurring someone to do something that might incriminate him... there could be the time of the Offer That He Cannot Refuse (yes, an allusion to Godfather, but this President is knee-deep in organized crime, Sicilian and Russian) -- seemingly anything is possible, including a resignation.
I have no idea of how many hooks are in Mike Pence, a very secretive man. It is hard to imagine him as a VP nominee without have some very damning knowledge. Practically all of the Mueller investigation has been about the Trump campaign, and not the presidency itself. It's not that I would expect Mike Pence to have been taking bribes and failing to report such income to the IRS as was the case with Spiro Agnew; history rarely quite repeats.
I have mixed feelings about the timing. Should Trump and Pence both resign before January 3, then Paul Ryan becomes President. Does he remain as such? He had chosen to retire from his House seat, so we have a can of worms. On or after January 3, Nancy Pelosi becomes President. Does the President who has been Speaker of the House then call for the nomination of a Vice-President? What would be a good bipartisan choice? I can imagine such people as Colin Powell, not obviously associated with a political party. But he is old -- really old. Someone respected by both Parties, like (by then) former Governor Jerry Brown or former Senator Richard Lugar?
It is hard to imagine anyone who could do worse than Donald Trump. We certainly want someone who will undo some huge unforced errors of Donald Trump. We need someone who knows his limitations and defers to experts as needed. We need respect for legal formalities and diplomatic protocol -- and certainly not a headstrong know-it-all.
This would not be the time to give someone a head-up on a Presidential bid.
With no idea of what is going on in the mind of Robert Mueller -- he releases no hints unless they can help him in his investigation or a prosecution, like spurring someone to do something that might incriminate him... there could be the time of the Offer That He Cannot Refuse (yes, an allusion to Godfather, but this President is knee-deep in organized crime, Sicilian and Russian) -- seemingly anything is possible, including a resignation.
I have no idea of how many hooks are in Mike Pence, a very secretive man. It is hard to imagine him as a VP nominee without have some very damning knowledge. Practically all of the Mueller investigation has been about the Trump campaign, and not the presidency itself. It's not that I would expect Mike Pence to have been taking bribes and failing to report such income to the IRS as was the case with Spiro Agnew; history rarely quite repeats.
I have mixed feelings about the timing. Should Trump and Pence both resign before January 3, then Paul Ryan becomes President. Does he remain as such? He had chosen to retire from his House seat, so we have a can of worms. On or after January 3, Nancy Pelosi becomes President. Does the President who has been Speaker of the House then call for the nomination of a Vice-President? What would be a good bipartisan choice? I can imagine such people as Colin Powell, not obviously associated with a political party. But he is old -- really old. Someone respected by both Parties, like (by then) former Governor Jerry Brown or former Senator Richard Lugar?
It is hard to imagine anyone who could do worse than Donald Trump. We certainly want someone who will undo some huge unforced errors of Donald Trump. We need someone who knows his limitations and defers to experts as needed. We need respect for legal formalities and diplomatic protocol -- and certainly not a headstrong know-it-all.
This would not be the time to give someone a head-up on a Presidential bid.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.