Because once Trump leaves and Pence steps into the Presidency, the conservative critics of Trump will be gushing over the Great Statesman Mike Pence who will be the Savior of the Nation.
Not that the Republicans are eager to give up the Orange Clown. Here's the chronically pompous Michael Gerson on the PBS Newshour last Friday (Gerson and Capehart on the government shutdown outlook, politics in 2019 12/29/2018):
But if it [a Mueller report on the Trump scandals] were to happen in that [mid-February] time frame, then there would be an assessment of how strong the case is here. I think there would be tremendous pressure within the Democratic constituency to support impeachment if there's a strong case made by Mueller.Smarminess aside, that's a rehersal for the clean-shaven version of opposing impeachment. It's a big distraction from the Real Issues! And, you know, some friendly advice to Democrats from their nice Republican friends, impeachment might be bad politics for you, we're just telling you for your own benefit, because we Republicans always want the Democrats to be politically popular.
And I think that may not be good politics. I have talked to some Democrats who aren't sure that that's good politics, given the Clinton example. But I think there's going to be huge pressure. And then that will be the centerpiece argument of American politics at that point. There will be no other topic as far as, you know, under the radar screen.
I talked with a member of McConnell's staff, who said — and I asked the question, what can you get done while you're debating impeachment? And the question was just enough to keep things going.
And I think that's the likely outcome here. And then you have the drama of the House, but then the drama of the Senate, where I think he can only lose a few Republicans. It's not a huge gap that has to be made up.
And that, I think, is going to be the central drama of American politics. [my emphasis]
But Gerson is still a bit wobbly with this pitch. Immediately after warning the Dems impeachment wouldn't be good politics for them, he immediately says, "But I think there's going to be huge pressure." Pressure from whom? From the Democratic base? (Yep.) From the public more generally? (Also, yep.)
So, uh, just how is that bad politics for the Democrats if their base demands it and the public generally wants it? Gerson's argument needs a bit of polishing, I think.
But he keeps at it, with visiting liberal spokesman Jonathan Capehart representing the Other Side. Cautiously, of course.
Michael Gerson:I think that's the main point Gerson was trying to make. Oh, the Mean Libruls might impeach Trump knowing that the Senate Republicans would never vote to convict. And that would be divisive, and polarizing, and stuff.
And it will put tremendous strain on American institutions, central American institutions, the FBI, the way the Congress reacts, whether it's responsible or not responsible.
William Brangham:
How the courts respond.
Michael Gerson:
Right, exactly.
And so it will be a fascinating historical moment, when American institutions are in distress.
William Brangham:
But let's just say that the — you both have put forward the example that it's conclusive evidence, where it's clearly black or white.
But if it were more on the margins, and it wasn't as crystal-clear, and there wasn't a smoking gun, doesn't that put that whole impeachment push in much more jeopardy? It just becomes a much more riskier calculation.
Michael Gerson:
I think it's a very possible outcome that you will have a report that is strong enough for every Democrat to support impeachment in the House of Representatives and not strong enough to bring any Republican senators in the Senate.
That's quite possible. All this…
Jonathan Capehart:
For a conviction.
Michael Gerson:
Right, for conviction.
And then you have what? A polarization machine. I mean, you're just — you're dividing the country in fundamental ways, without a clear argument either way. That's going to put huge strains on American political life.
Jonathan Capehart:
But I do — I do think, though, that, even though there would be that strain on our political institutions, that shouldn't be an argument for doing nothing.
I mean, we have these processes in place, and they are written in the Constitution, to safeguard against someone doing something untoward that is in violation of their oath of office and in violation of the trust of the American people.
And I think, at a minimum, we have to let the process run its course. Whatever that means for our institutions and our politics, that's what they're there for. [my emphasis in italics]
Instead of saying: Of course it will be "divisive" and "polarizing"! Because the Republicans' entire political pitch right now is division and polarization! Against blacks, Latinos, immigrants, women who report sexual assaults, liberals, workers, poor people, unions. To mention a few examples. But it's the duty of the Congress to defend the Constitution against the mobster in the White House, even if it were politicall unpopular. But in what alternative dimension would that be unpopular for the Democrats to do?!
Instead, he makes a hand-ringing, stereotypically wobbly liberal disclaimer of, oh, gee, yeah, impeaching a very unpopular, crassly criminal and blatantly incompetent, mentally unstable Republican President might be unpopular. But, golly, maybe the Democrats should think about doing it anyway.
And this is on PBS Quality TV!
But here in the real world, voters need to be thinking about what the soon-to-be Great Statesman and Savior of the Republic Mike Pence will do as President.
Politifact has an All False statements involving Mike Pence webpage. At this writing, These are the top four items:
And the Savior of the Republic isn't adverse to promoting Trumpist fear- and hate-mongering against immigrants, also with lies (Aaron Blake, Pence’s eye-poppingly bogus claim about terrorists at the border Washington Post 10/23/2018):
Vice President Pence vouched Tuesday for President Trump’s dubious, unfounded claim that Middle Easterners are headed to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of the caravan that started in Honduras.Looking on the bright side, Great Statesman Pence isn't known for tweeting mysterious things like this, from our President at 2:00AM New Year's Day:
But to do so, he had to use a previously debunked statistic that directly contradicts his own administration.
Answering a question about Trump’s claim at a Washington Post Live event, Pence said it was “inconceivable that there are not people of Middle Eastern descent” in the caravan. He then expounded:
In the last fiscal year, we apprehended more than 10 terrorists or suspected terrorists per day at our Southern border from countries that are referred to in the lexicon as “other than Mexico” — that means from the Middle East region. The idea that they would not be in this large throng ...
...Remember this. Throughout the ages some things NEVER get better and NEVER change. You have Walls and you have Wheels. It was ALWAYS that way and it will ALWAYS be that way! Please explain to the Democrats that there can NEVER be a replacement for a good old fashioned WALL!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019
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