Can anyone imagine a scenario in which Senate Repubs convict in order to usher in Pence?

[Aristus]

Mike Pence is much more in line with what the GOP wants from a President. He's malleable, understated, and won't go off the reservation like Trump does.

Would the GOP accept the bloody nose of first President impeached and removed from office if the tradeoff is a less-volatile Pence Presidency?

I think they might, but only if he had a prayer of winning in 2020. He doesn't have...God...whatever it is the repukes see in Trump, the thing they slavishly adhere to, the thing they would commit murder for, the thing they sell their souls for. In 2020, the Democratic Party could nominate a freshly-painted panel of wood, and it could beat Pence in the General.

[mopinko]

1. i dont think pence gets out of this unbloodied.

i think they should swing together, but...

[Aristus]

2. But so far, the hearings are focusing only on Trump.

There are several paths Pence can take to the Oval. The one I laid out above, or one in which Trump and the GOP cut a deal in which the House drops the charges in return for resignation. (Then the SDNY can pounce, heh-heh-heh...)

As long as Trump is the focus, the RNC can use Pence to soften the blow to the party. Upshot is, they still lose in 2020, but the whole big mess goes away.

[at140]

3. Start working on defeating Trump in November 2020

The republicans in congress do not have the courage to oppose Trump openly.
Only chance of conviction and removal, and it is only a slim chance, is if the vote in senate is held in secret.
With an open recorded vote, Trump slips through.

[Aristus]

5. Absolutely.

This is all conjecture. The reality is, we need to knock ourselves out getting the Democratic candidate elected next year. I'm going to do everything I can to make it happen.

But I'm still holding out hope for a prematurely-ended administration. Impeachment and removal. An accident on Marine One. A coronary embolism...

[jcgoldie]

4. Pence is boring

And will not win. They may as well sink on the Trump ship at least their base won't turn on them and the ones in red states will get reelected instead of primaried... pretty sure thats the GOP calculus.

[Sneederbunk]

6. Only if the Senate vote is secret.

[lastlib]

11. Senate vote won't be secret.

Art. I, Sec. 5 (Constitution) if one fifth of members want a recorded vote, it gets recorded. Losing side is going to want a recorded vote, guaranteed. Secret vote is not going to happen.

[TeamPooka]

7. only if they were smart. Trump and kids are now cockblocking any other GOPer to the

Republican nomination for President.
Any Republican with real ambition is screwed for the next 20 years.
They did it to themselves too.
hahahahahahahahahahahaha

[lastlib]

8. McTurdle won't.

"Would the GOP accept the bloody nose of first President impeached and removed from office...?"

No--Moscow Mitch says he does not want the first prez impeached/removed to be a repug. tRump has the ties to Putin that Mitch very possibly relies on to funnel $$/rubles to the GOPher crime ring. I think he would defend tRump to the death at this point (and I kinda hope it comes to that!)

[Beakybird]

10. Bingo!

[greyl]

9. Yes, duh! Theeesaaa one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nt