HORIST: Will Trump replace Pence with a woman on the ticket?
Vice President Pence has carried out his role with near perfection. That is because his role is to support the President and the administration policies … period. Most certainly a Vice President can disagree with his boss, but only in private.
The most important duty of the Vice President is to stand by in case the President should croak. The only constitutionally prescribed duty is to preside over the Senate – and you know how seldom that happens.
Although a Vice President has no official duties, the President can assign projects – as President Trump did in making Pence the point person on the Coronavirus epidemic.
Some Presidents form a close relationship with their Vice President – as did President Clinton and Vice President Gore. But that is not necessary and not always the case. That is because they are often picked for pragmatic reasons – not on political kinship. President Kennedy and his Vice President Johnson practically hated each other – but Kennedy needed to carry Texas.
To consider Pence’s future in the second-banana office, we need to look at the previous Vice President – Joe Biden. He was also a perfect Vice President – never disagreeing with President Obama in public. He carried out any and all assignments given to him by the President – including managing America’s relationship with Ukraine.
Now that he is running for President, himself, Biden is taking credit for all the things that Obama did that would be popular with Democrat voters. Whenever he speaks of an accomplishment, he starts with “I did (fill in the blank)” – with great emphasis on the “I.”
Since he is no longer the cheerleader for Obama, we are to believe that Biden did not always agree with everything Obama did. Biden now claims that he “fought against” Obama’s high number of deportations – and there were rumors that Biden opposed taking out Osama Bin Laden.
While most modern Presidents stuck with their Vice Presidents when seeking re-election, that was not always the case. President Franklin Roosevelt had three Vice Presidents. Texas racist John Nance Gardner served in the post for FDR’s first two terms but broke with Roosevelt when he went for the unprecedented third term.
Roosevelt selected socialist Henry Wallace for his third term. He was forced out in favor of Senator Harry Truman because FDR was too ill to live much longer, and the party leaders believed a socialist in the Oval Office would not be well received by the American people. (Apparently, things have not changed much.)
So far, Trump has not given any indication that he wants a different Vice President but there are good reasons to make a switch. Of course, it is all very hypothetical, but so what. Let’s play the game.
The first consideration is that Trump is likely to face a tough re-election. Though the odds-makers think he will win, it could be close. That raises the question of Pence’s actual value to the ticket.
While Pence has a significant following in the conservative wing of the Republican Party, he is not the most liked Vice President in history. Also, he does not bring a significant political base to the ticket. In 2016, Pence was perceived as a counterbalance to Trump’s lack of ideology. Today, Trump has a lock on principled conservatives who see issues as more important than personality.
Pence comes from Indiana – a state that Trump is likely to carry in 2020 with or without Pence.
If Pence has presidential ambitions, he must certainly know that a Vice President immediately succeeding a President is an extremely rare occurrence. President George H. Bush was the first since Martin Van Buren – and there has been none since.
For the record, Vice President Nixon was out of office for eight years before he became President. Nixon used that time to travel the rubber chicken circuit to win political friends and allies. Pence could do the same.
If Trump were to ponder a change, who would do him the most good? Conventional wisdom would suggest a woman. There are a number of good options – but the most appealing might be former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley – not only a woman but a minority. Or as the Democrats say, a woman of color. You would never guess.
Trump could look to the Senate for a Joni Ernst, of Iowa, or Martha McSally, of Arizona. That would likely put those two states in Trump’s column. There are also several good choices on the male side. Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rick Scott of Florida, Marco Rubio of Florida, or Robert Portman of Ohio would all help in battleground states.
One of the more interesting choices could be Tim Scott of South Carolina. As a black conservative he bridges critical constituencies. It would be a counterbalance to the person I suspect will be the most likely Democrat pick – California Senator Kamala Harris.
Well … enough of the political parlor game of speculation. As Trump oft say, “We’ll just have to wait and see.”
So, there ‘tis.
First of all, it wont happen.
Second, if he did, he would be picked apart by libtards for naming a woman as VP just to get votes. Then say… “See, he will throw anyone under the bus to win”.
I seen the stories on CNN and other so called “news” networks. All they are doing is shoving the stick in a crap pile and giving it a stir……as usual.
There were reports out a couple of months ago that Trump may replace Pence with Nikki Haley not only because she is a woman but because she practices the Sikh ideology which I assume can only mean she is Indian, how disgusting when you panhandle and kowtow to women and minorities for votes.
All I have to say is Pence had better recommend hardcore tactics to prevent any further people in the United States from getting infected with the Covid 19 virus or any future outbreaks as some alleged experts say it may become a yearly epidemic just as the flu is, sorry!, but with having to vaccinated for Influenza on a yearly basis I have no desire to have to be vaccinated against Covid 19 on a yearly basis as well.
Quarantine off China and all nations where these terminal diseases originate from and any and all nations who refuse to do the same which means conducting absolutely no business with them, oh boo hoo you sinfully greedy and self wealthy people your days of profiting off the suffering of others not only should but must come to an end.
Really? Boo hoo to the people who work to make America the wonderful place it is? You ignorant ass – why don’t you go live in Venezuela where their days have already come to an end and see how you people who live off the government fat really like it.
Pat Toomey (PA) is a turncoat. A lot of us in PA, many who voted for him, would be severely disappointed in that choice.
No way will that ever happen. i’m planning on Vice President Pence being the president in 2024 to continue MAGA. WE have a good thing going. No reason to break it up.
There is only one way that the election will be that close or worse a Democrat wins is if they cheat, the 2018 Midterm election results should have been thoroughly investigated.
If Trump panhandles for votes from women as some have speculated then I hope a person who abides by and follows the letter of the law by knowing the meaning of those laws and is a true patriot runs and replaces him, alas so far no one possesses those vituistic qualities.
Please!, Mr. Trump do not forsake moral integrity for votes.
Really – scheming to get elected is ‘panhandling for votes’ in your book? What do you think politics is? Have you completely lost your mind? We are judged by our actions, not our words – and Trump’s actions have proven time and again that his integrity is far better than those that oppose him for their own power grab, underhanded politics. He’s done nothing wrong, been convicted of nothing, only helped to serve the American people – by the way – both those that did and those that didn’t vote for him. Turn CNN off and come up for air.
Trump should leave those Republican incumbent Senators alone – we NEED that majority in the Senate regardless of which party wins the Presidency.
Go with Nikki Haley. Well recognized name, international experience, executive branch experience (Governor, not legislator), Strong oratory skills.
Pence is a good VP, stalwart, loyal, dependable, but OLD SCHOOL. The ticket needs a boost of energy and trust.
Trump/Haley 2020!!
Oh, so you are saying he should panhandle for votes and in Haley’s case from both women and minorities, that makes Trump a traitor, apparently you are of the impression he cannot win without Haley as his running mate which means the policies of his administration are not that awesome, if he pulls his head out of his Digestive tract and demands a thorough investigation if he loses which he and the Republicans failed to do in the Midterm elections true patriots have nothing to worry about.
I will try to unwind that run-on sentence of yours…
Since when does any candidate fail to make changes to get more votes?
If this would make Trump a traitor in your mind, whom did he betray? Pence? The GOP? His voters? The USA? Traitor is a strong word.
I have the impression that either party can win the presidency in 2020, and I would like to see Trump do whatever is desired by the voters, so that he does win. I feel confident that the DNC will run a ticket with at least one woman, maybe two if you count Biden. Running two old white guys looks like going into a gunfight with a knife. You can still win, but he odds are not in your favor.
Policies are a great advantage for Trump. But this only works for the minority of voters that actually pay attention. Unfortunately our modern electorate gets their political news and analysis from a wildly partisan news industry. Voters will notice if Trump runs in 2020 with a female VP.
Opinion: Mike Pence is the last guy on Earth that would take it the wrong way. He is all about avoiding a Socialist President – no matter the personal cost.
Trump shouldn’t change VPs in the middle of a CRITICAL election that may define the USA (or USSA) for a generation or so. Pence is reliable, conservative, and a strong believer.
But if he has to as a last resort for some unforeseen reason, I’d like to see a minority person such as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a black Hispanic woman. There’s also the like of former Rep. J. P. Watts.