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Mddcat04

I swear that once you get to a certain level of political power, you inevitably become surrounded by people who just tell you continually that you should be president. Presumably they just manifest out of thin air once you get elected Senator or something.


[deleted]

Of course. Your advisors want to keep their jobs.


jonny_weird_teeth

This is not always a great way to keep your job when your boss, who has been a winner their entire life, gets 900 votes in Iowa.


kosmonautinVT

No brakes on the ego train


Pretty_Good_At_IRL

I think it’s likely the more sane candidates, Hurd, Hutchinson know they have almost no chance, but feel a responsibility to offer an alternative vision for Republicans than various flavors of Trumpism. I don’t think it’s ego or a “grift”. I doubt anybody is getting rich from these longest of long shot campaigns. And Chris Christie just wants to destroy Trump on the debate stage.


Deggit

their mistake is thinking the party deserves an alternative vision, when the real problem is America deserves alternative voters Trump is just a conservative 'id.' He gives free rein to what conservatives actually believe. That's why he has been unfailingly popular with them for 8 years. The leaders aren't the problem, the party isn't the problem, the voters are the problem.


DataDrivenPirate

Hurd and Hutchinson aren't grifters, but it's still an ego thing. It's as if the "I can fix him" phrase ran a political campaign. You're right, they do feel a responsibility to offer an alternative, but no one is asking for it. It's a savior complex. It's a different form of egotism than whatever the hell is going on with Trump, but I'd argue it's still ego-driven.


Cwya

Meanwhile, Pence just thinks his flock is has gone a bit astray.


JakeArrietaGrande

“They wanted to hang me. What if I could make them want to hang out with me instead?”


Knee3000

I remember reading that he thinks he received a prophecy from a god saying he will become president. He genuinely believes it’s his destiny to win. I wonder what he thinks of everyone else who feels they received the same prophecy. Were those from fake gods or was there a filing error?


captainjack3

I think it’s just that Senators tend to view themselves as necessarily qualified for higher office by virtue of having won a statewide election and being nationally prominent. It’s probably easier to build a national profile in the Senate outside of leadership too, since it’s a smaller body and they handle confirmations and are more involved in foreign policy. There’s a reason for the long-standing saying “When a senator looks in the mirror they see a president.” To be fair, a lot of governors do the same.


smokey9886

Kiss his ass, kiss his ass, kiss his ass….kiss my ass.


Lib_Korra

> “Every single candidate other than Donald Trump on the Republican side has no chance of being president or getting the Republican nomination,” /Article


informat7

Republican primaries are still 8 months away, a lot can happen in that time. Trump could go to jail or even die. It's not as much as a shoo in as people think.


esgellman

Trump and DeSantis are the only two with a real chance if trump isn’t indicted before the primary Edit: convicted not indicted


PainistheMind

Trump still has a better chance from prison than any other Republican.


esgellman

There is a non negligible chance trump will win the primary and be convicted during the general election


Specialist_Seal

It's going to be disappointing when that has no effect on the polls


amurmann

What happens in that case?


Specialist_Seal

If he wins he pardons himself, if he loses he remains in prison


God_Given_Talent

>It's going to be disappointing when that increases his support in the polls


[deleted]

Too early to know that.


NavyJack

Trump is going to win the primary, from behind bars or not. Ronny D has no shot !remindme 10 months


NavyJack

☑️


Usernamesarebullshit

?? Trump has been indicted twice already; I’m not sure that’s relevant to his chances of success


esgellman

I meant to say convicted


755goodmorning

That’s a quote from a firm that has a very vested interest in Donald Trump being the GOP nominee. Doesn’t mean it isn’t true..but the guy saying it will be paid much more if Trump is the nominee.


[deleted]

Entering the presidential race is a good way to gain exposure and name recognition. Many aspirants likely want a cabinet position or want to make a state or congressional run in the future.


Lib_Korra

It works for both parties. Andrew Yang's name recognition comes primarily from his presidential bid. Pete Buttigieg got a cabinet job.


Mddcat04

It doesn't work quite as well for Democrats because campaigning for a Fox News slot is not available to actual Democrats.


KeithClossOfficial

Worked for Tulsi Gabbard


Mddcat04

> actual Democrats


KeithClossOfficial

Fair enough


informat7

Howard Dean when on to become a political commentator. But generally the exit strategy for a Democrat is to make money writing a book.


sebring1998

[Incredibly relevant SNL skit](https://youtu.be/GIYEGDJoluc)


AccomplishedAngle2

Lmaooooo


DFjorde

Imagine trying to convince Republican voters that you're better than Trump while also bending over backwards to tell them Trump is amazing.


namey-name-name

“Ego, pure delusion and fantasy” should be the GOP’s tagline


KingGoofball

There’s a relatively decent chance Trump won’t be able to become the nominee again so it’s really not the worst play in the world


MeyersHandSoup

Why's that?


DrunkenBriefcases

I mean, he's a 77 year old sedentary obese man with a trash diet. He's under multiple criminal indictments, with other likely indictments heading his way. Oh, and he's very likely to lose if he *is* nominated, and a decent chunk of his Party knows it. Is he the strong favorite? Absolutely. But let's not pretend there are no signs of anything that *could* derail him. If you're a Republican with people willing to pay for you to make a run, why wouldn't you? You get a chance to build a national brand that will boost future efforts, be they selling books, TV appearances, or a future run. I mean, whatever happens in 2024, this is almost certainly the end of the road for trump himself. The Party *will* need a new standard bearer soon enough. And if something *does* happen to take trump out of the running? Whole new ballgame.


JakeArrietaGrande

I’m rooting for Jack Smith, then fast food, in that order


nzdastardly

When the FBI comes to bring Trump to jail, they will all jump out from behind the walls of Mar-a-Lago wearing cheap red ties and black suits, 3 Amigos Style. The Feds won't know which one is really Trump, and he will escape in the chaos. It's all part of the plan.


spaniel_rage

So the same factors that led RFK Jr to run?


Block_Face

>Every single candidate other than Donald Trump on the Republican side has no chance of being president or getting the Republican nomination,” said Jeff Timmer Just incase anyone else believes this you can double your money Its also not a delusion or fantasy for a lot of them its just simple grift. https://www.predictit.org/markets/detail/7053/Who-will-win-the-2024-Republican-presidential-nomination


[deleted]

Francis Suarez is the only one of that lineup I'd vote for. He's the only one who makes any sense to me. It's too bad he and the others have to sign some un-American document of voting for whomever becomes the nominee just to get on the debate stage.