Donald’s pick for Veep; Republican’s time on Center Stage; what Americans really care about-Nope it’s not politics!

 

What you say? The world may hang in the balance and Americans don’t care; they have joined the craze that has mushroomed all over the world, like popcorn popping. What am I talking about? Why Pokemon-Go, of course. Haven’t you seen otherwise normal-seeming people getting their exercise, walking fast, and with their heads focused in on the cell phones while frantically moving their fingers on the keyboard? Watch out, it looks like they will walk right into the intersection. Will they get hit by that car coming? What are they doing? They are looking at images of the area in front of their smart phone’s camera, trying to find, capture, destroy little cartoon characters that pop up on their screens right in front of them. Pokemon. Yes the same as those annoying little critters found on trading cards in an earlier generation. If you had children of the right age during that period you surely saw them obsessed with those cards. Hell, you might even have felt the obsessive pull yourself.

You probably heard about people, back then, offering obscene amounts on eBay for hard-to-find Pokemon cards. Expect the same sort of madness  this time around. Family Pokemon has made a comeback in a format more suitable to the digital age. And people are just as obsessed with it now as earlier. And the craze is world-wide. Meanwhile, back at the political ranch, Donald Trump has posted that he will make his veep choice tomorrow at 11 a.m., New York Time. The announcement time is most peculiar since you’d think that The Donald would prefer to keep his choice suspenseful right up to the upcoming Republican National Convention. Okay, I think that he’s either playing games or, more likely, his announcement time provides a big clue as to whom he’ll choose. Donald has narrowed his list down to three: Newt Gingrich, Chris Christie and Mike Pence (but, note: he used some weasel-words to allow him the freedom to go beyond those three). Governor Pence, of Indiana, according to Indiana law, has just until Friday to withdraw his name from a re-election bid. Just a coincidence?

I’d earlier thought that he might pick Joni Ernst, the outspoken junior United States Senator from Iowa. First of all, she is of the female gender, the appeal of which requires no elaboration. Second, she is a former U.S. Marine. Third, she is the darling of the Tea Party, which could cement the support from whose of that wing, who are reportedly unhappy with some of Trump’s policies. Fourth, being from Iowa, a swing state that is currently leaning towards Hillary, would have electoral advantage. But, apparently it won’t be Senator Ernst. Perhaps the vetting process turned up something up that might be problematic–it’s hard to imagine any other reason he wouldn’t at least let Joni be the only woman to make his final cut. That is, unless this is just another Trump head-fake, in his masterful playing of the media. He does understand Reality TV, and what else can the presidential campaign by Donald be called. Oh how he would love to line up the possible choices and shout; “You’re Fired” to them one-by-one until reaching his choice for apprentice, oops, for veep.

Let’s now look at those that did make Donald’s so-called final cut:

Newt Gingrich was the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. Although the out-spoken former history professor-cum-House Speaker is oft described, by other Republicans, as ‘always the brightest man in the room,’ he has too often been critical of Trump’s racist outpourings, among other things. And we all know how open Donald is to criticism! Gingrich is popular with conservatives. And, he is also popular with some members of Congress.

Chris Christie was  once a presidential hopeful himself and outspoken in his criticism of Donald. However once he pulled out of the race, and faced with fallout from bridge-gate, might have wondered if he was re-electable in New Jersey, ordinarily a strong Democratic Party state. Whatever, he soon changed his tune and was the first former opponent to praise Donald and join him on the stage, wherever there was a campaign stop. He now sidles up to Donald wherever possible, even to the point of appearing as his obsequious lap-dog. He is an accomplished speaker, tough law-and-order type (except when it comes to unlawfully causing a massive back-up going into New York City). He is nice and short (as well as exceedingly plump) and would hardly seem a threat to Trump when on the stage together. My guess is that Christie’s lap-dog act would make a Trump-Christie ticket a source of much derisive laughter–although it surely would produce endless fodder  for late-nite comedians, and might generate some appreciation vote from their minions. Nor could Christie assure Trump of even carrying his home state.

That leads me back to the Friday candidate, Mike Pence. He too is shorter than Trump, albeit by many inches less than Christie. In his race for Governor of Indiana, Pence had the whole-hearted support of the local Tea Party. While some of his policies towards gays and transgender citizens might cost him some votes, likewise he should be a hit with social conservatives. He formerly served in Congress and has the blessing of Speaker Paul Ryan. Finally, Pence reportedly met with some of Donald’s get the other day. As idiosyncratic as this might sound as a requirement for selection, it certainly wouldn’t hurt Mike Pence to have the Trump children’s approval. Bottom-line, Pence gets my predictive pick, for the little that’s worth.

NOTE UPDATE!

Donald Trump just cancelled his press conference to announce his choice–ostensibly because of the attack in France. What will Pence do about the Indiana deadline? Perhaps Donald can simply announce for Pence before the deadline.