I am glad that Mike Pence did the right thing by certifying the vote, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that he was totally supportive of the Presidency of DJT & all the reprehensible actions that DJT took to bring down our government, & enrich himself & his family & cronies.
I think he wants to be President. If DJT got another four years (through illegal means), then Pence felt like he wouldn’t have a chance to be President. This was his motivation to do the right thing.
In the last five years I read somewhere that Mike Pence wants to be President. When I googled “Mike Pence wants to be president” it certainly turned up some fascinating articles, but not the precise information that he *wants* it, rather titles like “ ... a doomed presidential race” and “The sad, unconvincing case of Mike Pence for 2024.”
Mike Pence reminds me of Kevin McCarthy. Although Kevin is far more transparent in his desire to be Speaker, he is also destined to fail. No spine. If Pence is a rock, immovable and boring, then McCarthy is a jellyfish and a windsock. In both cases, there isn’t enough character, moral authority, or inspired leadership talent. In both cases, it’s a miracle they got as far as they did.
I agree with you that he would be unlikely to ever be nominated the Republican candidate for President. That doesn't mean he would agree with us. When Mike Pence looks in the mirror, he doesn't see the same thing that I see. Usually the Vice President is the next candidate to run for President, so Pence feels that he is entitled to be that next candidate.
Kevin McCarthy is pathetic. As you stated so well, he goes whichever way the wind blows, as he looks out for his own interests.
When you think about it, it is somewhat surprising that DJT became President, so Pence and McCarthy being elected into office should not be any more surprising. In fact, there are a lot of "surprises" in the House & Senate.
I mean, he was in charge of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and this nominally responsible for a million Americans dying, so...yeah. Probably not gonna make the cut.
I’m revolted by that man. Sure, let’s give him a golf clap for doing his job in certifying the electors and not getting involved in sedition on the day that gallows were built outside of the building he was hunkered down in, and shouts of “Hang Mike Pence” echoed through the halls. But there is nothing heroic about him. He’s a buffoon. An empty suit. A sanctimonious jerk.
I get why TFG was attracted to him. I remember a profile early in the T presidency (a/k/a “The Nightmare”) in which Pence walked into the room where T was talking to the reporter and he said something like “Look at this guy … straight out of central casting.”
Pence’s “brand” is to appear statesmanlike. He’s handsome, with that silver mane and “sincere” squint. And the affected cadence in his manner of speech seems designed to project confidence and competence.
I think he thinks he’s the second coming of Reagan. What a phony. Thinking of him while reading your post, the word “pusillanimous” popped into my head, and I had to look it up because I wasn’t even sure what it meant. But yeah, that holds up.
He might be "straight out of central casting" but he's a terrible actor. That frozen face, those ridiculously adoring looks at der leader, the way he speaks - all calculated and, as you said, phony. How ANYONE could find him remotely believable is beyond me. I'm not sure there's any "there" there with this man. I'm not sure he's anything BUT an empty suit. That he did ONE right thing in his entire life speaks volumes. ONE. Maybe that will be on his tombstone: here lies a person (not a man) who did one right thing in his life.
Pence didn't make the "right" decesion out of ethical reasoning. He made it because if he allowed Trump to stay in POWER, later Donald would have him beheaded when he didnt need him anymore.
I may have lost it in the fog of this past Era, but I don't think I had any idea that Newt Gingrich was in SERIOUS contention for VP until now. Christie, yes, but not Gingrich. How much MORE horrifying would Trump's administration have been with Newt Gingrich as VP? OMG!! I now want to curl up in a fetal position and sleep the rest of the day.
Pence lapses into double speak. He agrees with GOP language. "Legitimate political discourse." Thats what some say about the raging mob calling for the Crucifixion of Jesus.
'The July 15 deadline loomed without an announcement, and Pence was not going to take the mendacious Trump’s word for it. On Friday morning, his political operatives let the Trump campaign know that without an announcement before lunchtime, Pence was out. And so at around 11am—just in the nick of time—Trump tweeted that Mike Pence was the guy.' (article, Greg Olear, PREVAIL)
I am glad that Mike Pence did the right thing by certifying the vote, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that he was totally supportive of the Presidency of DJT & all the reprehensible actions that DJT took to bring down our government, & enrich himself & his family & cronies.
It most certainly does not. It just means he's slightly less awful than the others.
He did do the right thing that day which is nothing short of a miracle considering his record.
I think he wants to be President. If DJT got another four years (through illegal means), then Pence felt like he wouldn’t have a chance to be President. This was his motivation to do the right thing.
In the last five years I read somewhere that Mike Pence wants to be President. When I googled “Mike Pence wants to be president” it certainly turned up some fascinating articles, but not the precise information that he *wants* it, rather titles like “ ... a doomed presidential race” and “The sad, unconvincing case of Mike Pence for 2024.”
Mike Pence reminds me of Kevin McCarthy. Although Kevin is far more transparent in his desire to be Speaker, he is also destined to fail. No spine. If Pence is a rock, immovable and boring, then McCarthy is a jellyfish and a windsock. In both cases, there isn’t enough character, moral authority, or inspired leadership talent. In both cases, it’s a miracle they got as far as they did.
I agree with you that he would be unlikely to ever be nominated the Republican candidate for President. That doesn't mean he would agree with us. When Mike Pence looks in the mirror, he doesn't see the same thing that I see. Usually the Vice President is the next candidate to run for President, so Pence feels that he is entitled to be that next candidate.
Kevin McCarthy is pathetic. As you stated so well, he goes whichever way the wind blows, as he looks out for his own interests.
When you think about it, it is somewhat surprising that DJT became President, so Pence and McCarthy being elected into office should not be any more surprising. In fact, there are a lot of "surprises" in the House & Senate.
I mean, he was in charge of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and this nominally responsible for a million Americans dying, so...yeah. Probably not gonna make the cut.
😸😸😸 Good point!
There is no question his motives were completely self-serving. So lucky for him that what he did helped the country for once.
Mike would never be chump’s pick for Veep again. On his own with the cult, hahaha
I’m revolted by that man. Sure, let’s give him a golf clap for doing his job in certifying the electors and not getting involved in sedition on the day that gallows were built outside of the building he was hunkered down in, and shouts of “Hang Mike Pence” echoed through the halls. But there is nothing heroic about him. He’s a buffoon. An empty suit. A sanctimonious jerk.
I get why TFG was attracted to him. I remember a profile early in the T presidency (a/k/a “The Nightmare”) in which Pence walked into the room where T was talking to the reporter and he said something like “Look at this guy … straight out of central casting.”
Pence’s “brand” is to appear statesmanlike. He’s handsome, with that silver mane and “sincere” squint. And the affected cadence in his manner of speech seems designed to project confidence and competence.
I think he thinks he’s the second coming of Reagan. What a phony. Thinking of him while reading your post, the word “pusillanimous” popped into my head, and I had to look it up because I wasn’t even sure what it meant. But yeah, that holds up.
He might be "straight out of central casting" but he's a terrible actor. That frozen face, those ridiculously adoring looks at der leader, the way he speaks - all calculated and, as you said, phony. How ANYONE could find him remotely believable is beyond me. I'm not sure there's any "there" there with this man. I'm not sure he's anything BUT an empty suit. That he did ONE right thing in his entire life speaks volumes. ONE. Maybe that will be on his tombstone: here lies a person (not a man) who did one right thing in his life.
One, and only one.
But it was a doozy, thank you Mike. You are the real evangelical nightmare, chump was the phony. Sad
Don't forget the fly that sat on his head during the VP debate! That tells us everything we need to know about him.
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me....for me...for MEEEEEEEE.....
Ha ha! I just heard that song yesterday and was singing it at the top of my lungs!
He is a paragon of pusillanimousness!
Pence: Hero or Coward?
Pence didn't make the "right" decesion out of ethical reasoning. He made it because if he allowed Trump to stay in POWER, later Donald would have him beheaded when he didnt need him anymore.
Trumps psycho History supports such.
The act was heroic, given that it required him not to run off from people trying to kill him. He is in no way a hero.
I don't know Greg. Sounds Bi-Polar
I may have lost it in the fog of this past Era, but I don't think I had any idea that Newt Gingrich was in SERIOUS contention for VP until now. Christie, yes, but not Gingrich. How much MORE horrifying would Trump's administration have been with Newt Gingrich as VP? OMG!! I now want to curl up in a fetal position and sleep the rest of the day.
Well put, and you are right. One of the more underrated causes of the obstruction that ossifies DC and has set out nation on the road to collapse.
Same here, Newt the guy who knows better but prefers the gutter….
Excellent article, Greg. Very very interesting. I wonder how deep Pence is in actual crimes? What do you think? Will he be prosecuted?
For failing to invoke the 25th amendment?
And we seldom proscute VP's. Agnew !
And we don't prosecute presidents. If we did we could try Bush and Obama for Murder. Assassination of American citizens without trial.
Pence lapses into double speak. He agrees with GOP language. "Legitimate political discourse." Thats what some say about the raging mob calling for the Crucifixion of Jesus.
Your thoughts always make me think and rethink, we need more of that…
'The July 15 deadline loomed without an announcement, and Pence was not going to take the mendacious Trump’s word for it. On Friday morning, his political operatives let the Trump campaign know that without an announcement before lunchtime, Pence was out. And so at around 11am—just in the nick of time—Trump tweeted that Mike Pence was the guy.' (article, Greg Olear, PREVAIL)