Monday, May 2, 2016

Running Away

From the New York Times:

It’s a time-honored tradition for politicians to deny any interest in the vice presidency. But this year, with the possibility of Donald J. Trump as the Republican nominee, they really mean it.

“Never,” said Chris Schrimpf, a spokesman for Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, who is still running against Mr. Trump. “No chance.”

“Hahahahahahahahaha,” wrote Sally Bradshaw, a senior adviser to Jeb Bush, when asked if he would consider it.

“Scott Walker has a visceral negative reaction to Trump’s character,” said Ed Goeas, a longtime adviser to the Wisconsin governor.

Or, as Senator Lindsey Graham put it, “That’s like buying a ticket on the Titanic.”

A remarkable range of leading Republicans, including Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina and Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, have been emphatic publicly or with their advisers and allies that they do not want to be considered as Mr. Trump’s running mate. The recoiling amounts to a rare rebuke for a front-runner: Politicians usually signal that they are not interested politely through back channels, or submit to the selection process, if only to burnish their national profiles.

Smart move.  They know that running with Trump will tar them and their career for the rest of their life and would be the first line in their obituary as the vice presidential candidate on a landslide-losing ticket (i.e. William E. Miller).  Meanwhile, Trump will go on as if it was just another bankruptcy.

But you gotta know that there’s some sucker out there who will do it.  After all, they were able to dig up Sarah Palin.

2 barks and woofs on “Running Away

  1. Chris Christy is panting to be selected. That’s why he’s abandoned his job as Governor of New Jersey and sits a bit to the rear of Trump on the podium looking like a robot. He’s pretending he’s the Vice for now, getting in practice. And Ben Carson would do it, too. Even if they know Trump will go down like a stone in a pond they relish the thought of the six month’s publicity with their names in the news – again, at last.

  2. I wonder if Ted Cruz is craven enough to accept the spot if offered. By the way, I’m too young to remember the 1964 election, but I do remember the American Express commercials with William Miller.

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