The idea of Trump exercising the Moses Option is based on a couple factoids. I saw Donnie Deutsch on WADR back in July, and he swore Donald Trump had no interest in serving as President. He claims to know Trump personally, and finds it inconceivable that Trump would exchange his fabulous lifestyle for the grind of the Presidency. Later, on Morning Joe, he restated his case, predicting that Trump wants to start a new Trump TV Network, or something. This makes sense to me. The idea of running for an office, winning, but not actually serving, appeals to certain people. I’m one of them. I ran in four elections, won them all, and, as a result, was forced to serve eight difficult years in the State Legislature, where I mainly wasted my time, and put a strain on my family. If I could have won the election, and then had someone else actually go to Juneau for four months or more, I might have done it.
The other clue is Trump’s refusal to confirm that he would serve if elected. Just three months ago he told the NYT they’d have to wait and see if he would actually serve. He said the same thing back in 2015. So if he pulls a Moses, it ‘s not like we weren’t warned.
But he doesn’t have to wait until after the election to do a Moses. He could do it tomorrow, or he could do it at the end of the third debate on Oct. 19th, or any time between. He could do it the last week of the election, for that matter. He just announces he’s withdrawing from the race, and asks Reince Priebus and the RNC to name Mike Pence as the replacement GOP Presidential nominee, with the Vice President to be selected jointly with Pence. Trump’s name would appear on the ballot, but that wouldn’t matter. Pence would be the Presidential nominee of the Republican Party. You’re not voting for Trump, even though his name is listed. You’d be voting for Pence.
I think Pence would win in a landslide. He’s got Trump’s positives without his negatives. He’d unite the Party, and win the independents easily. Republicans would keep the Senate, and President Pence can do what Trump would have done if he were elected.
Does this make Trump a quitter, or a genius?
His name wouldn’t go down in the history books as President. He’d have a special category, all to himself. He will have transformed the Republican Party in his own image, changed the direction of American trade, immigration and foreign policy, and gone a long way to fulfill his promise to Make America Great Again. Does that sound like a loser to you? Or political genius – – winning by losing.
The Trump brand, and the Trump family, would be American icons. He could have an appointment as a roving Ambassador without portfolio, flying around the world in his Trump plane, making deals. And, yes, Donnie, he could have his own TV network, if he wanted one. He’d go back to living the high life, and no one would begrudge him a thing. Even the people who loathe him, personally, would have to tip their hats. What a guy.
Having gotten to know a little about how Trump operates, I can only imagine the way he’d orchestrate the whole thing. It would be dramatic, that’s for sure. Trump has confounded the chattering class this whole campaign. With this move, he’d leave them speechless.
Because of his pride, Yahweh did not allow Moses to enter the Promised Land, and Joshua went in his stead. But Moses is the man we all remember from the Exodus, and honor to this day. Let Pence be Joshua. Trump can be Moses.
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