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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy did Trump choose Manafort as his Campaign Chair?
I have wondered about that since the day he named him to lead his campaign??
All we knew at the time was that he had been working in the Ukraine and Russia? It seemed like an odd choice at the time.
randr
(12,417 posts)just in time to change the Repug platform at the convention
Docreed2003
(16,878 posts)Why was Manafort so intent on pushing Pence for the VP slot? He's the one who manipulated that situation and convinced Trump to bring him on!
kentuck
(111,110 posts)Did they think Pence might be easier to control? Or were there something in their pasts?
Cosmocat
(14,574 posts)First, Pence has been the most stable, consistent and on task member of this administration by far.
Yes, he is a raging christiofacsist, but he is a 90s style GOPer, a disciplined, talking points machine. He is the only person who acts like he belongs in a Presidential administration.
Second, have you ever seen him look at 45? He looks at 45 like a girl looking at her first teenage crush, he looks like he loves him. And, he always has his back when he talks about him.
SO, functionally he has been the ideal pick for 45s VP, super loyal and one of the few who does not say or do stupid ass shit to cause any more drama.
Third - unlike most of 45s entourage, Pence is a known and trusted GOPer, so he was someone who helped to make it easier for the more traditional republican financeers to open their check book for 45s campaign.
All of that said - while he is one of the few without direct ties, he isn't some innocent babe in the woods with Russia. He is a GOP 100 percenter and clearly has no problem selling out to Russia to get the wet dream of a full on fundamentalist overtake of the country.
get the red out
(13,468 posts)Trump was probably happy to have someone else well-versed in working with the Russians.
Kathy M
(1,242 posts)bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Folks wanted to work w Trump. His picks are just a bunch of mercenaries.
Kathy M
(1,242 posts)canetoad
(17,192 posts)A million articles about Trump/Russia, campaign and so on? I read one a while back, can't remember where, that Jared pushed to get Manafort appointed. Wish I could find the link, but it's down the memory hole.
Tatiana
(14,167 posts)I think he was assigned by Putin, via other Russian operatives.
marylandblue
(12,344 posts)Leaving basically Pence and Christie, and Pence was the better choice in terms of appeal to the right wing and in the midwest.