"One thing that seems certain is that Mike Pence will emerge as a political winner after his weeks-long flirtation with national prominence, regardless of whatever Trump announces in the next 48 hours."
Our initial reactions to this boneheaded statement are varied. Mostly we are wondering if Swarens is from Mars. Secondly, we hope the Star does not allow Timmy to handle any sharp objects! In what way is Pence going to emerge a winner?
Swarens goes onto say: "The fact that Pence is being pitched as the calm counterbalance to Trump--the adult in the room--also doesn't hurt his long-term prospects back home in Indiana and elsewhere."
With all due respect to Tim Swarens a charging rhino would appear more like an adult than Donald Trump! That is a very low hurdle to clear! Pence isn't exactly a saint for managing to act more mature than Donald Trump!
"I the governor is the pick and if Trump does win in November, then Pence naturally steps into the role of ambassador to Congress. Pence is only four years removed from 12 years on Capitol Hill, and he still has many friends in Congress, especially in the Republican caucuses."
So former US House Speaker Newt had more experience and connections in Congress then Pence did why not pick him instead?
Swarens predicts that if Mike Pence is picked to run with Trump and Trump loses that: "The governor still has a good chance to emerge as a winner, as long as Trump isn't trounced in a Walter Mondale-type landslide. In the wake of a Hillary Clinton victory, a bruised GOP establishment would be searching for ways to hold on to the new and disaffected voters that Trump has inspired. Pence could position himself, with Trump's blessing, as the bridge between the old Republican tribe and the new."
If Trump picks Pence and the ticket loses the Presidential Race this year. Both Trump and Pence's political careers are toast! The GOP after losing the White House to Hillary Clinton will run away from Trump. And if Pence is lucky he becomes an answer to a Trivial Pursuit question! Losing VP Candidates almost always fare worse than losing Presidential candidates do. Who remembers who Adlai Stevenson's running mates where in 1952 and 1956 when he ran against Eisenhower? Or how many people remember that Henry Cabot Lodge ran on the ticket with Nixon when he narrowly lost the White House in 1960? Yes it's true Mitt Romney's running mate Congressman Paul Ryan is the Speaker of the House but Ryan ran for both his House seat and VP at the same time and won his House race. If a Trump-Pence ticket loses Pence has no elected office to return to! His old congressional seat is held by another Republican, and he is not well placed to run for either the Senate in 2018 against Joe Donnelly or for Governor again!
"Finally," Swarens writes "if Trump ultimately says, "Sorry, Mike, but I love my Newt," then Pence is still a winner. He's likely helped himself in what's expected to be a close governor's race not only because of all the media attention but also because he was embraced by his party's popular in Indiana nominee before several thousand voters in Hamilton County."
If Trump does not pick Pence the Democrats will attack him relentlessly for trying to ditch his job as Governor to be Vice President!
"John Gregg, meanwhile, fades deeper into the shadows cast not only by Pence's dance in the spotlight but also Evan Bayh's sudden realization that he really does love serving in the U.S. Senate. (What does Poor John have to do to earn a bit of attention around here?)
"So no matter what thoughts about a running mate are ruminating in the mind of Donald Trump, Pence has likely helped himself considerably on the political front by agreeing to audition for a promotion."
"Count it as a rare win-win-win for Mike Pence. A sitting governor struggling to win re-election less than a month ago is on a political roll today."
John Gregg has been out campaigning endlessly for governor! He has been hitting the County Fairs and having frequent ads up. Yes he has received less coverage during the Pence and Bayh incidents this past week or so. But he has hardly been invisible!
For more salivating over Pence here is more mindless rubbish from Ass Kisser Matt Tully. Tully focuses more on Pence's potential as a VP candidate in contrast to Tim Swarens who just lavishes unwarranted praise on Mike Pence for being part of Trump's VP Audition.
Tully talks about Pence's Tuesday night speech in Westfield at a Donald Trump fundraiser. He quotes Pence as saying: "Donald Trump knows that we can make America great again," "Hillary Clinton must never become the president of the United States of America," "It would be extremely careless to elect Hillary Clinton."
What else did Tully think Pence was going to say about Hillary Clinton? It is not that different at all from what other Republicans like Newt Gingrich or Chris Christie have been saying about her! Why does this make Pence any more well suited to be VP than Gingrich or Christie?
Tully next quotes from Donald as saying "Who the hell knows?" Regarding Pence being his VP Choice. More from Tully's pen: "Pence certainly didn't hurt humself and he will be the guy if Trump is looking for a second banana who won't attempt to upstage him, who will seemingly do and say exactly as told, and whose calm demeanor will provide balance to a fiery ticket."
Who does Tully think could possibly be able to upstage Donald Trump at this time? If Houdini rose from the dead on national television tomorrow he wouldn't get as much attention as Trump has! It is highly doubtful that anybody thinks that whoever gets picked Donald's running mate is going to even come close to upstaging him!
"Can Pence perform in the role of running mate? It appears he can. Can he play the attack role of so many running mates past? Well, not as well as some for whom that comes naturally, but he can do it. Does he help the ticket? I'm not sure."
Earth to Tully: After Pence totally bungled the RFRA and Just In issues what is there to show that he would handle the national spotlight better? Especially since he will have reporters prodding him and poking him, and looking into his background unlike anything he has went through before!
" Pence is a key member of the religious and socially conservative political right."
True he was in the past. But Tully obviously has been in a coma for the last decade and has failed to notice religious and social conservatives irritation at Pence over his back tracking on RFRA, his support of Common Core Lite, etc. These issues will come out in a national campaign! The Democratic Party no doubt already has reams of opposition research they are willing to unload on Pence in order to cause the Trump ticket as much trouble as possible!
Tully's last observation that we wish to share with you is: "Funny thing is, even in the middle of Indiana, most of the Trump supporters I (Matt Tully) spoke with Tuesday night said they hoped Trump would pick as his running mate not their home state's governor but rather Gingrich the former Speaker of the U.S. House."
Again Tully if many Hoosier Republicans don't want Pence to run for VP why would the voters throughout the rest of the country see any reason to want Pence on the Trump ticket at all?
As all of you can see after going through all the silliness that passes for thoughtful writing at The Indianapolis Star. It is no surprise that the paper is losing readers and it is only a matter of time until it ceases to exist all together. If Dick Cady happens across this we only hope that he is happy that he is no longer employed by the useless rag his former employer has become!
UPDATE: According to various news reports Donald Trump is expected to announce tomorrow at 11 AM that Governor Mike Pence will be his running mate. WISH-TV has a story about that on it's website at this time click here. Also WISH-TV is reporting that earlier today that former Indiana Governor and current Purdue University President Mitch Daniels has issued a statement saying that he is not going to run for Governor if that job should become open you can read about that here.
The John Gregg for Governor Campaign also chimed in about Pence likely being picked to run for Vice President in a fundraising email sent out earlier this evening by the Gregg Campaign they had this to say:
"The headlines say Governor Pence is Trump's VP pick. But Trump's campaign refuses to confirm.
Either way, we need to be ready.
If Pence isn't chosen, it's up to us to end his time as governor. And if he is chosen, we need to show all potential challengers that we're more than ready to take them on.
These back-and-forth rumors are a distraction from what's really important: We must keep fighting to build a better future for Indiana.
Governor Pence may be in the headlines now, but by chipping in right away, you can make sure that the big news in Indiana is a John Gregg win in November.
Thanks,
Jeff Harris
Communications Director
Gregg for Governor"
Communications Director
Gregg for Governor"
INDY REPUBLICAN is still slightly skeptical of Pence having been picked as VP for Trump. Even though he has flown out to New Jersey where Trump is supposed to announce his running mate tomorrow. Trump through out the primaries and to this day has shown himself to be very unpredictable and this may all still be a publicity stunt of some kind. The Gregg campaign is wise to keep the focus on Indiana and the race for Governor. Even if Pence does run for VP it maybe near a month until the voters know who the new Republican Candidate for Governor will be. During that time Gregg can keep his name in the news, promote his plans as Governor and expand his volunteer base. We at the INDY REPUBLICAN news desk wouldn't be surprised if Gregg uses this time to keep building up his profile and Campaign infrastructure. Whoever the Republican Candidate for Governor turns out to be will have to get a state wide campaign up and running very quickly!