I still say Trump won't pick a VP. From what I've seen he wouldn't need to pick one legally unless he is elected... I don't see anything about voters getting to know who it would be before the election... or am I misunderstanding these rules.
There is simply no benefit to picking a VP. Too many forces want Trump gone so having a named successor is dangerous for him.
When he dies the world ends as far as he cares, why would he plan for that?
his funders will require one because they need a plan b, and one who will follow their edicts more closely than he does. but you may be correct about how late we may learn that choice.
@futurebird
Hmm interesting.
But I do think that there still is the general voter to take into consideration.
Would they vote for Trump, knowing there's a reasonable chance he might either croak or otherwise leave office, if they don't know who would be in charge if he does?
With Trump (and tbf, all politics) it's about gaming the system: will this decision increase our decrease my electability.
@futurebird
you make a plausible argument, and it may work out that way, but it's just as easy to make a plausible argument that some industry, say, big oil, will muster enough internal co-operation to have a bunch of business representatives go to trump and offer huge campaign donation in exchange for him picking their chosen stooge as VP. And it's possible he's trying to provoke a bidding war between all the interests that want their chosen stooge as VP.
No, I think he will pick someone who he perceives to be the most loyal. A total subservient who can never ever aspire to the contingency of that office.
Normally money would do it. But I think loyalty will matter more.
And someone who WON'T make anyone say "well what if we just had the VP as our president?"
They have to be the kind of person no one would imagine in that office. (Though, for me, that was Trump from day one... so shows what I know about THAT)
Maybe... but Trump regards choosing Pence as a mistake. Pence was not loyal enough when it mattered most. He won't make that mistake again. If there is a VP before voting starts it will be one that would have NOT certified the election if put in Pence's place.
And when searching for a man with less respect for the will of the people than someone like Pence? I shudder to imagine what you get.
Is that going to do anything? Maybe for a few people? He might pick a black guy ... it's hilarious that it's the Republicans who do the exact kind of cynical "DEI" they accuse everyone else of doing ... and with them you really do get less qualified people... since that's how they think it really works.
@futurebird 12th Amendment stipulates how the VP is elected. I suppose he could not pick one but then the electors still have to vote for one. That would be an interesting turn of events. Would individuals start running for VP? Either that or no votes are cast for VP and you end up with the senate picking.
We will also need to ask "which group of electors are we talking about?" I expect there will be two or maybe even three if the brain worm doesn't wake up in Robbie's head and he gets busy.
@futurebird Mostly a VP pick is to attract one group of voters or another - Biden was very much to lock down Ohio, for instance, and to a lesser extent other Midwestern states.