VP Mike Pence came under intense pressure from Donald Trump to toss out the election results during the confirmation within Congress of the Electoral College votes validating the win by President-elect Joe Biden and VP-elect Pamela Harris. However, Pence had no constitutional authority to do any such thing, and he correctly refused to buckle to the President’s demands to engineer a procedural coup that would keep him in power. It has been reported by sources close to the vice president that he clearly was being set up as a “scapegoat” to shoulder the blame by angry Trump supporters.
What is further egregious is that during the Capital Hill riot by Trump supporters, the President and top White House officials did not even contact the vice president to ensure that he and his family, who were inside the U.S. Capitol at the time, were unharmed. Several rioters were reported to have shouted that they were looking to find the vice president in order to capture and execute him as a traitor. In spite of this, full credit must be given to the vice president for his return following the riot to continue the debate and the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes in Congress.
However, where does this moment leave Mike Pence’s status as a potential Republican candidate for the Presidency in 2024? Here was a man who had been extremely loyal to Donald Trump throughout his presidency. Now he obviously has been thrown under the bus by Trump who just can’t admit defeat and wants another scapegoat. As witnessed in reports from the Republican National Committee following the Capitol rioting, there nevertheless remains continuing support for Trump’s leading role in the GOP. Moreover, despite evidence to the contrary, party members, one after another, said in interviews that the president did not bear any blame for the violence at the Capitol. However, privately, a group of Republican officials, mostly those from the pre-Trump establishment wing of the party, said that they were appalled by the president’s conduct. Alas, there is a clear division within the GOP as to how to proceed without angering Trump’s base which they continue to perceive as crucial to win future elections.
Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz obviously tried to position themselves as heirs to Trump’s base and they remained largely unrepentant for their actions after this week’s deadly riot. However, a group of Republican officials, mostly those from the pre-Trump establishment wing of the party, said that they were appalled by the each senator’s conduct during the certification of election results. The GOP for now is a very divided party. After all, a lot of introspection needs to occur among Republicans as to where the party is going and what will be its future electoral platforms. One needs to remember that Trump is the first president since Herbert Hoover to preside over the loss of the White House, the House and the Senate in a single term. Despite the election results, the Republican rank and file don’t yet appear to be all that fazed!
At this time, Mike Pence appears to be the odd man out. Will Trump ever forgive him for failing to attempt to toss out the election results? Trump has never appeared to be a very forgiving person when it comes to anyone appearing to be disloyal to him. One only has to look at his past erratic history with those supposedly close to him. When it comes to future political aspirations within the GOP, good luck Mr. Pence for you’ll need it.
FROLITICKS 