At one point this afternoon, we wondered if Mike "Religious Freedom" Pence was really and truly going to be Donald Drumpf's running mate. After all, the first rumors were being peddled by Pence's people, and, uh-oh — nobody, but nobody, is allowed to get out in front of the great media mastermind Donald Drumpf.
But now that we're seeing headlines that Mikey is on his way to New York, okay — we take them at their word. With the slight caveat that Drumpf could dump him tomorrow morning and announce our fave, Newtie, instead. (We still want to see those Trump and Gingrich wives campaigning together.)
Meanwhile, let's take stock of Pence. It's a curious choice, because he is so damaged. First, for the Democrats, his selection helps energize the base. But except for Pence's closest friends, we're not sure anyone in the Republican base absolutely loves him.
For 12 years, he was part of the hated GOP establishment. The evangelicals don't trust him because he caved on religious freedom. Big business is furious at how much money his RFRA screw-up cost the state of Indiana. So where's the advantage?
Gingrich, Chris Christie, Mary Fallin or Sarah Palin would have all generated some kind of excitement among the GOP electorate. We don't think that Pence creates any of that kind of oomph.
Finally, as Rachel Maddow has pointed out, the one time Pence was tested on the national stage, he failed.
But, oh, well. Who are we to quibble with a bad veep choice? Not to mention that that passel of 2020 Republican wannabes will have a vested interest in seeing Pence go down in flames along with Drumpf. Memo to Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Scott Walker, et. al.: Care to comment? We cats PURR.
IMAGE: The great Ann Sheridan, the original "Oomph Girl," who is much easier on the eyes than the creepy Mike Pence.
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