More On Pence's Refusal To Endorse Trump

 

As noted in the quote in the Quote of the Day post below from former VP Mike "Fly Guy" Pence, he won't be endorsing his former ticket mate in 2024. The Washington Post's Aaron Blake has some thoughts on the failure to endorse:

"In declining to endorse Trump, Mike Pence made a major statement that undercut other Trump-skeptical Republicans who have suggested through their actions that there is no alternative. His decision could also provide a permission structure for others whose endorsements are up in the air, like Nikki Haley, to hold off.  [snip]

But it did come as something of a surprise. Pence, after all, had raised his hand at an August debate when he and the other GOP presidential candidates were asked whether they would support even a criminally convicted Trump if he were nominated.

Pence’s stated reasoning is also notable. It’s not that he views Trump as dangerous to democracy, or even so much that he’s upset over Trump’s attacking him for his refusal to try to overturn the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021. (Some rioters chanted “Hang Mike Pence,” and Trump attacked Pence on Twitter even after being informed of the Capitol unrest.)

Instead, Pence pitched the current version of Trump as insufficiently conservative on issues such as abortion, the national debt, and China and TikTok.

“Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years,” Pence said, “and that is why I cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign.” (our emphasis)

Withholding an endorsement is a first step; it's actively opposing the candidate you withhold an endorsement from that matters (e.g., Liz Cheney), and we doubt whether Pence et. al. will follow suit.

Pence was picked to be on the Malignant Loser's ticket as a righteous, Bible-thumping balance to the moral decay and horrible character exhibited by the Malignant Loser. However, Pence's broad evangelical Christofascist following swung over to the Malignant Loser in a grab for power despite his obvious depravity. Blake adds:

"Pence often says, 'I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican — in that order.' In this case, he’s suggesting the second one indeed carries more weight than the third. And that’s a challenge to other Republicans who are emphasizing the third one. " (our emphasis)

Tribal loyalty can be a strong bond, and the tribe currently controlling the Republican Party is the MAGA cult. Their priorities are direct and simple: Trump, Trump, Trump, in that order. Pence should have found that out on January 6.