Before I swallowed my pride and came around to Trump I used to go to some Never Trump websites to commiserate with fellow tortured soul conservatives. I still check them out, because I sympathize with them, but their line of thinking is getting stale. They’re making assumptions, which is never a good idea in politics.
They assume he can’t win, won’t learn and would be a failure if elected. To which I counter: Pence, Conway & Bannon – – aside from his family, his inner circle. With them he’s learning, he could win, and he could govern. They are his political brain trust, and Mike Pence is foremost among them. We’ve heard stories about one of Trump’s sons asking Kasich to be the V.P., with responsibility for both domestic and foreign policy, while their father made America great again. These are from Kasich, who hates Trump, so take them with a grain of salt. But they sound right to me. Trump’s a delegater, who remains in charge, but allows his subordinates a free hand. Vice President Pence would be the Grand Vizier, while Trump plays the Sultan. This arrangement has worked in other countries for extended periods of time. I think it suits Trump’s personal desires and his own capabilities. The Vice Presidency of Mike Pence would be like something we’ve never seen in this country.
Think about the possibilities. As de facto President, Pence could sit down with McConnell and Ryan and actually get some things done. Big things, which the times demand. It’s a hope, and about the only one available. What else have you got?
What these Never Trumpers have to admit is that he knows more about politics than they do, a lot more. It’s not even close. I don’t think any of these people have ever run for office, or managed a campaign, or served in elected office. They don’t know what they’re talking about when it comes to actual, on the ground politics. They’re faculty lounge political experts, who need to understand that lack of knowledge does not equal stupidity. Trump’s ignorant as hell because he doesn’t read books. But not everybody that’s smart reads books. It’s a fact. Google it.
Trump is a public relations genius, and he just demonstrated that’s all you need to be to win the nomination of a party, and perhaps the Presidency. It’s never been done before, and is only possible in today’s world. Trump is a avid follower of all media, including social media. This is what he does. He’s P.R. guy, pure and simple. He knows just enough about policy to get by, and the whole subject doesn’t interest him. Let Pence handle that stuff.
Some Christian woman at one of these web sites said she can’t vote for either Clinton or Hillary, so she’ll leave it up to God. Lady, I hate to tell you, God’s not going to decide this election, and will bear no responsibility for it. When the wildebeest come to the crocodile infested river, they have a binary choice, jump in and maybe get eaten, or turn back and starve. No good choice there. Jumping in the river is like voting for Trump. It could get ugly. But voting for Clinton you know what you get – – it’s over.
These guys at NRO imagine themselves as the heirs of William F. Buckley, but I’m not buying it. I know as much about Buckley as they do, and he actually understood a thing or two about politics. He was one of the main guys behind Goldwater.
At the 1964 Republican Convention I sat directly behind Buckley at some event in a hall somewhere. His leg was in a cast, which people said he broke kicking a TV set, but that wasn’t true. He broke it skiing or something. But he didn’t discourage the story about kicking the TV. He had the air of a bon vivant about him, and it was very appealing.
So I can talk for Buckley as much as these NRO guys. And I say, man up, admit you were wrong, and make the best of a bad situation.
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