The Pence Predicament

It’s been clear for a long time that Donald Trump can turn on anyone. We’ve seen it over and over again the last few weeks with the former (as of last night) Attorney General Bill Barr and more recently with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The question is, are we about to see a parting of the ways between the current president and Vice President? Cracks are forming. AXIOS reports, “Trump views Pence as not fighting hard enough for him — the same complaint he uses against virtually everybody who works for him and has been loyal to him.” The Lincoln Project seized on this trolling the Trump in this new ad.

As Trump has screamed of election fraud over the last seven weeks, Pence has stayed relatively quiet. But shortly after the Lincoln Project ad came out, Pence flew to Florida to speak to the right-wing group Turning Point USA. While there it was clear he had decided it was time to embrace Trump’s outlandish election claims saying (watch above):

“As our election contest continues, I’ll make you a promise: We’re going to keep fighting until every legal vote is counted. We’re going to keep fighting until every illegal vote is thrown out. We’re going to win Georgia, we’re going to save America, and we’ll never stop fighting to make America great again. You watch.”

We all will be watching on January 6th to see what Pence does. That’s when, as president of the Senate, Pence will oversea a joint session of Congress to certify the electoral votes. The Washington Post points out, “Typically, the session is a formality.” Pence’s role, as with past vice presidents simply to open certificates from the states and hand them over for members of Congress to read. It’s usually a quick process. But this year there is the threat of a challenge to the election results. Whether or not that happens, Pence may be in a no-win situation when it comes to Trump. CBS News writes, “As the presiding officer, Pence will have the uncomfortable task of reaffirming Mr. Biden’s victory and acknowledging his own defeat, all while Mr. Trump continues to deny he lost the election.” Pence does have the option of ducking out and not attending. If that happens the task is handed over to Chuck Grassley (R-IA), president pro tempore of the Senate. But if Pence doesn’t show Trump may see this as a sign that he isn’t willing to as the VP put it, “keep fighting.” And if he does show it’s expected no matter what hijinks occurs, Pence will have to declare Joe Biden the winner, just as Biden did four years ago when, as Vice President, he declared, “It is over.”

The Washington Post writes: