Journalists and commentators were looking forward to the boost in clicks and views that typically accompanies a robust presidential primary. But since the Republican primary was over before it began, and the media’s beloved Democrats are now making a mess of both domestic and foreign policy, many in the commentariat are spending a lot of time speculating about who former President Donald Trump will select as his running mate.
After Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) nuked her veepstakes odds with the bizarre decision to prove her toughness by bragging about shooting a puppy with a 12-gauge, North Dakota governor and former sort-of presidential candidate Doug Burgum emerged as a top choice. Other names such as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), perpetual Arizona candidate Kari Lake, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have also been floated by “sources,” but Trump’s vice presidential pick likely won’t matter one way or the other.
The 2024 presidential election is not complicated. If President Joe Biden’s team and its friends in the press can shift the focus to Trump’s legal battles and somehow convince the electorate that Jan. 6 was worse than Pearl Harbor, Biden will win. If the focus is kept on Biden’s age, mental decline, outrageous family corruption, and disastrous economic and foreign policy, The Donald will join President Grover Cleveland in the history books.
The book has been thoroughly written on Biden and Trump. They both have been public figures for most of their extremely long adult lives, and very few people are without a strong opinion on both men.
MAGA fans talked a big game about keeping neoconservatives out of a potential second Trump administration, but they have proven that talk is cheap. Trumpworld looked the other way as the former president went soft on abortion and refused to accept any blame for COVID-19 lockdowns and Faucism, and they now hate Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) for essentially echoing all of Trump’s positions verbatim.
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They will fall in line even if Trump selects a hawk such as Nikki Haley or a social centrist such as Scott. Establishment Republicans who personally dislike Trump dislike Biden more (or at least dislike Biden’s policies more). Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) endorsed the former president, and the McConnell wing of the party will turn out for Trump — even if he picks a grifter such as Lake or a literal Democrat such as Tulsi Gabbard.
Some Democratic strategists and talking heads have suggested that Biden should replace wildly unpopular and comically incompetent Vice President Kamala Harris to bolster the ticket. But in the extremely unlikely scenario where Vice President Venn Diagram is benched, it likely won’t help the president. This is a simple election: Sleepy Joe vs. Orange Man Bad. The stage is set. Everyone knows the players. May the best old man win.
Brady Leonard (@bradyleonard) is a musician, political strategist, and the host of The No Gimmicks Podcast.
