Kristi Noem has been barred from some tribal lands. Will this increase her chances of being Trump’s VP?
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/11/politics/kristi-noem-tribal-lands-banned/index.html
Michael Cohen was asked this question today (yesterday) in Politico. He said:
Who do you think Donald Trump will pick as his VP?
Guaranteed it’ll be a woman, because he is right now so deep down into the dumpster when it comes to women that he needs to show that he’s not the sexist misogynist that he is. And I think if he could find a woman of color, that would be better. But he won’t do it. I see somebody like a Nancy Mace or maybe even [Sen. Katie] Britt, because of their looks.
That’s important to Donald Trump?
Very, very. He believes in optics. It’s almost like why he would walk and he’d have Hope Hicks right by his side, shoulder to shoulder. He believes that everyone is sort of as mentally corrupt as he is, and he’s visual. So like with “The Apprentice,” him coming off the helicopter with 30 beautiful women following behind him? He thinks it makes him look bigger and more important.
So I do believe it will be a woman. I believe that, in his mind, he will consider her to be attractive. He also needs somebody who will not outshine him.
I think the veepstakes are something that a random person on the internet, who reads a daily newspaper, has about as much chance of being correct on as an insider like Michael Cohen. That’s because we all know Trump’s priorities, and, whomever he picks, requires some compromise with the Trumpian ideal.
Besides which, Cohen’s guilty plea was made in 2018. Has he even talked to Trump since then? Unlikely. Trump must now more feel his age and have a different mix of priorities.
Cohen’s top guess seems to be Nancy Mace.
Her abortion position aligns to what Trump wants:
But she’s a second term House member, which may be bit light of a qualification, even to Trump. And, well, maybe I’m wrong, but reading her campaign web site, she seems to be, from Trump’s POV, a likely PITA when it comes to Ukraine and NATO. And Donald isn’t going to like the idea that her father is a retired general billed as the most decorated Citadel combat veteran ever – at least that’s what she says. Donald may say brave soldiers are suckers and losers, but he probably thinks they are stubborn SOB’s, and would take after her Dad.
Katie Britt, who Cohen also mentioned? I don’t know enough yet to comment.
If they’re blonde they get extra points.
She’s been in the Senate since the beginning of this term, representing Alabama; running for the seat was her first attempt at a political office. She gave the GOP’s response to Biden’s State of the Union address last month, which included her misleading story about a young woman who was sex-trafficked.
I’ll stick with my original prediction of Kristi Noem.
Doubt I, but I wonder if this stuff helps her chances:
Tensions continue to grow as Rosebud becomes fourth tribe to ban Gov. Noem
No way it’s Mace. She came out hard against Trump after Jan 6. Even if she walked back her position from then it will look really bad if there were ads using the words of the VP candidate against the presidential candidate. And more than that Trump would hate it. Trump doesn’t forget slights.
Is there any name being floated who never said something that could go in such an ad?
Kristi Noem:
The other question I have is – so what? Why would knowing that the veep is of two minds concerning Donald Trump bother a swing/uncertain voter? Doesn’t a history of vacillating opinions concerning Trump mirror what the swing/uncertain voter thinks?
Trump isn’t looking deep into the mind of swing voters. He is looking into the shallows of his own mind. Mace came at Trump hard after January 6th even though she didn’t vote for impeachment. Trump thinks his actions were angelic. The question of the thread isn’t who would be a good choice, it’s who would be Donald’s choice. He’s not going to pick someone who criticized him for January 6.
I write those statements as if they are absolute truths but of course it’s only my opinion.
Someone cleverer than me would work the name of Trump’s crappy social media thing into a reply here.
I haven’t read the whole thread, but, what if Trump declines to name any running mate? Could he run without one? What mandates that he have one?
He can’t run without one. Having a vice president is a constitutional mandate. He doesn’t have to name a running mate. He could leave to the delegates at the convention to come up with a candidate but that’s not going to happen.
ETA the last candidate that didn’t name a running mate was Adlai Stevens in 1956.
The first stopper would probably be state ballot access laws. You need to submit both names.
Yes by the time the ballots are made by the states there has to be a VP candidate. Like I said there is nothing saying Trump has to name someone but then it would be taken out of his hands and given to the convention to come up with a VP candidate. No way he is giving up that kind of control.
And merchandise! Gotta have a name on n the new hats, flags, t-shirts….
I’d say not in this case. It’s a cult of personality, singular.
Yeah, as I’ve mentioned, I’ve seen flags with Trump and a block of duct tape over Pence’s name, and that was just fine.
Nitpick but his name was Stevenson. Adlai Stevenson II to be precise.
Kristi Noem apparently making the calculation that detailing a history of puppy murder in her upcoming book will help propel her onto the ticket. It’s a bold move, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off.