There appears to be only one major area of agreement between the Democrats and the Republicans as the first tentative toes are placed in the 2024 presidential water, and that is that both parties agree that the GOP has no platform. Nor, do the Republicans intend to cobble one together, from the looks of it.
Trumpism still carries the day, whether you’re talking about Trump the candidate or not. Trumpism is about hating the same people MAGAs hate, and vowing to destroy them under autocratic rule. Trumpism is about democracy be damned and destruction is the watchword of the day, not building.
Mike Pence has been making noises about entering the 2024 race. For a while, Pence was hinting at being Trump without the crazy, as has Ron DeSantis. No way. Pence is merely doing Trump, albeit it with scads of sanctimony, because that is what “Christian, conservative, Republican, in that order” Mike Pence knows how to do. Here’s what a hate on white with mayo, slathered in sanctimony sandwich sounds like.
.@Mike_Pence says America needs to “return to common sense” and “common good.” Says many more stand with us and stand for parental rights and right of the parents to raise their children consistent with their values. Says “we don’t co-parent with government.” pic.twitter.com/3XCBqWsmQy
— Tom Barton (@tjbarton83) February 15, 2023
Fascism 101, as articulated by Mike Pence. You have been “invaded” your “rights are being trampled.” And just who are these jackbooted thugs? Oh, less than one percent of the population, for openers. The transgenders are The Other. CRT is barely taught anywhere and that’s always been the case, but make it into a blown up bogey man as well. Fear. Plenty of fear, you can’t run a fascist campaign without it.
And of course Pence is going to fight the special counsel’s subpoena. So much for Pence as cathartic hero, telling the truth about Donald Trump and January 6. It was fun to imagine for a few days, right?
And lord knows we’re not unaccustomed to wild plot twists these days, so Pence as whistleblower had a teensy bit of plausibility.
Pence is skating on thin ice with those last comments. Now he’s offering Trump without the biggest piece of crazy, which is the stolen election fable, but with all of the elements of excoriating vulnerable and blameless people and obscure elements of culture in the forefront. That is vintage Trump. Make it sound like there’s a major conflict going on, when in fact there’s none, only a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing. That worked for Trump and the rest of the GOPers will never forget it.
So that makes Pence what now, vintage Trump except for the piece de resistance, election denialism? Which is a bit like Beef Wellington without the beef? Who knows? Pence is flying blind, shooting in the dark and he’s hoping that something hits the wall and sticks.
This is going to be quite the show, Donald Trump and his Trump-lite Trumpettes, all kicking up a storm, saying, “Vote For Me! I’m different.” How? Except like most knock off efforts, to be shoddier and more unreliable than the original?
Maybe they all have taken a straw poll amongst themselves, and the top contenders for the GOP top spot believe that Trump’s going to be too busy with legal turmoil to actually run and so one of them will get the spot, by default.
Hell of a way to run a presidential campaign(s), with direction and purpose like that.
I wonder if Ted Cruz is planning to run again. That could interject some much needed comic relief, especially Cruz-Pence interchanges, don’t you think? They can out-holy one another.
I don’t know if it’s a long long way to Tipperary, but it is absolutely a long long way to November, 2024. I’m exhausted already.
The whole media falsehood about the heroic Mike pence standing for democracy was always horseshit. He was all aboard with trump until checking the legal advice which he was TOLD no way. He just did his goddamn job. Some hero. Plus he was surrounded by armed secret service next to a bullet proof vehicle. A black person on the street faces more danger every time they go out. He’s always been a self important lying hypocrite. I wonder how many gay people died in his state given his response to the aids epidemic? Or his standing with Trump in destroying nato? Or the covid crisis? I find myself weirdly agreeing with the insurrectionists on one point, maybe hanging him would be justice for that child killing nazi. I’m always in favor of less nazis in the world. Blame my five uncles who served in WW2.
That’s what most people overlook: Pence talked to lawyers, lawyers who actually knew shit and tried, hell begged them to come up with a legal/Constitutional justification that would hold enough water that he wouldn’t wind up in legal trouble and spend the rest of his life trying (and possibly failing) to stay out of prison. They couldn’t come up with anything close to passing the smell test so he used that as his shield with Team Trump. But he WANTED to find a way to do what Trump wanted. He just wasn’t willing to risk jail to do so. (“Mother” probably forbade him!)
Someone needs to tell Mikey about Dick Cheney, who got a subpoena *while VP*, and went and answered questions. And also ask Mikey if he wrote about that day in his book, because if he did that, he’s not going to win his challenge.
OMG, can you imagine a Cruz/Pence exchange? That much smarm, all in one place would be lethal. At the least, very nauseating. Can’t stand either of those unctuous hypocrites.
So freaking hilarious if Pence weren’t so completely hypocritical.
On the “stand for parental rights” bit, maybe he could explain then why GOP governors and legislators across the country are actually interfering with “parental rights” when it comes to trans teens and trans kids? You know, the states that have been passing BANS on ANYONE who dares to help a teen with their transition, whether medical treatment or just simple parental love and support.
We all know his “stand for parental rights” is not-so-subtle code for “far-right-wing white straight Christian” beliefs and to (literal) Hell with anyone who doesn’t fit that narrow minority point of view (I don’t think I need to mention “extremist,” do I?).
Interesting that this video shows Pence in some unimpressive (staff?) room speaking in front of about 30 people at most. Not exactly a big-deal rally with relevant caps and t-shirts. I suspect they lured folks in with a promise of coffee and cookies. Pence hasn’t figured out yet that he’s toast, no matter what he says or does. He should just go home to Mother and watch the big boys on TV.