Open to posters of all persuasions. Add any comments you wish, but please begin with answering this simple question:

Assuming Trump is still alive and wins the GOP nomination regardless of the circumstances, who is the person you predict (as a presumably savvy Cal Alum) he will name as his running mate?

I will submit my prediction later. In terms of commentary, I'm most interested in the rationale behind your prediction ....

Chris Christie

heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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There are plausible theories that could justify your unconventional prediction. Care to elaborate, or are you instead suggesting that prediction is an exercise in futility?

I'm struggling with this one. Generally, I think it will be someone that has never said a negative word about him and who isn't a threat to him politically. I don't know, maybe Nikki Haley.

Campaign slogan:
Cray Cray Squared

tequila4kapp said:

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it will be someone that has never said a negative word about him and who isn't a threat to him politically.

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Agreed: movielover will be Orange Julius' running mate

OsoDorado said:

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heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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There are plausible theories that could justify your unconventional prediction. Care to elaborate, or are you instead suggesting that prediction is an exercise in futility?

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This prediction is an exercise in futility. We can't know who will win the behind closed doors contest of bended knee oaths of fealty and blackmail that will yield a winner in this contest.

dajo9 said:

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OsoDorado said:

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heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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There are plausible theories that could justify your unconventional prediction. Care to elaborate, or are you instead suggesting that prediction is an exercise in futility?

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This prediction is an exercise in futility. We can't know who will win the behind closed doors contest of bended knee oaths of fealty and blackmail that will yield a winner in this contest.

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The fact that predictions are almost by definition uncertain is one of the reasons I said this was a "Fun Challenge." So what if it is, in fact, "an exercise in futility"?

While it's really just about having fun, part of the fun will also be seeing who ultimately has bragging rights.

"….bended knee oaths of fealty…"

With tRump I'm pretty sure that you end up on both knees.

OsoDorado said:

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heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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There are plausible theories that could justify your unconventional prediction. Care to elaborate, or are you instead suggesting that prediction is an exercise in futility?

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Because Republicans lie continuously and are strictly political opportunists. If Christie ends up being the biggest challenge to Trump, and it's early so don't count him out, Trump will want him as a running mate and Christie will want to be the running mate because it will be the best he can do if Trump is the nominee.

All the supposed hate and disagreements and all of the pretend ethics on Christie's part will just melt away in the face of opportunity, as it always does with Lindsey Graham, Kevin McCarthy etc. who criticize Trump but act otherwise.

The only possible running mate Republican that truly is an anti-Trumper regardless of the cost, is Mrs. Cheney. Even I am not crazy enough to suggest that she would be a running mate.

Even Mike Pence will mollify in the face of opportunity.

As has been said, Republicans are going to Republican.

I like the Nikki Haley idea, but how about Tim Scott?

+ currently a candidate, so will be vetted and seem rather presidential... will be fairly well known by 2024
+ maybe gets Trump enough of the Black vote to swing a couple of states
+ I suspect Trump got off on getting a tiny bit larger % of the Black vote in 2020 and would like to continue that

You can tell who's "running for Vice President" by how diplomatic they are when they speak of Trump (of course, that might also be to not alienate 70% of the primary voters).

Boy, that would be a tough job, being Trump's VP (unless you were a total nut, like a Rudy G). Even a boob like Pence must have been suffering in silence. I mean, just the COVID press conferences alone...

It really was a missed opportunity that the rabble didn't hang Pence. It would have spelled things out with such clarity that 5% of tRump's base might have left him.

heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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Christie already said he won't vote for Donald Trump if he was the nominee. Christie would make a perfect running mate for Newsom.

Either a woman or a black male.
It won't be a white man.

BearHunter said:

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heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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Christie already said he won't vote for Donald Trump if he was the nominee. Christie would make a perfect running mate for Newsom.

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You entirely missed my point.
What Chris Christie says about Trump can be taken with a grain of salt.
He's a liar and has changed his position on Trump plenty of times, just like every other high profile Republican politician.

BTW, why do you think Newsom would need a Republican to win the general election?
He doesn't need Christie or any Republican to get Republican and independent votes.
Newsom is very politically wise, if nothing else, and I trust he would pick a good running mate. It probably would not be Williamson or Kennedy.

To your point though, Elizabeth Cheney and Newsom would be a very interesting ticket.

cbbass1 said:

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I second tq4kapp's Nikki Haley nomination.
Trump needs a sycophant who won't upstage him, & who's willing to be thrown under a bus. Maybe more than once.

Chris Christie? No possible way in this universe. He's *hated* by Trump voters.

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Trump voters are a cult and will follow their leader regardless.
If he takes Christie as a running mate, they will all of the sudden love him.
You haven't been paying attention.

Trump will select as his VP someone he has lusted after for the last 40 years.

Ivanka Trump.

Cal88 said:

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heartofthebear said:

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BearHunter said:

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heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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Christie already said he won't vote for Donald Trump if he was the nominee. Christie would make a perfect running mate for Newsom.

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You entirely missed my point.
What Chris Christie says about Trump can be taken with a grain of salt.
He's a liar and has changed his position on Trump plenty of times, just like every other high profile Republican politician.

BTW, why do you think Newsom would need a Republican to win the general election?
He doesn't need Christie or any Republican to get Republican and independent votes.
Newsom is very politically wise, if nothing else, and I trust he would pick a good running mate. It probably would not be Williamson or Kennedy.

To your point though, Elizabeth Cheney and Newsom would be a very interesting ticket.

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So you think Biden is not fit enough to run next year? I don't think he is right now, but not many establishment Democrats would acknowledge that...

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I'm not an establishment Democrat but I'll play along. If Biden runs, he loses.

tequila4kapp said:

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Okay, yet another thread that has turned away from topic and gone straight past Go to the Trump Hate Religion

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What do you expect?

BearHunter said:

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heartofthebear said:

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I'm not an establishment Democrat but I'll play along. If Biden runs, he loses.

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There's a jobs boom, Hunter is innocent, Joe turned over his stolen classified documents and has been cleared of any wrongdoing, he has no signs of health problems like dementia, the border is secure, inflation is transitory, Ukraine is winning the war, his main political rival is embroiled in lawsuits, Democracy is flourishing.....Biden will win reelection easily.

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None of what you mention seems to have effected the Democratic voter's opinions of him. Polls matter.
BTW, if inflation is transitory how come it is burning a permanent hole in my wallet?
I'm not saying that Biden is responsible for inflation, but it will be successfully used against him.

heartofthebear said:

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BearHunter said:

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heartofthebear said:

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I'm not an establishment Democrat but I'll play along. If Biden runs, he loses.

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There's a jobs boom, Hunter is innocent, Joe turned over his stolen classified documents and has been cleared of any wrongdoing, he has no signs of health problems like dementia, the border is secure, inflation is transitory, Ukraine is winning the war, his main political rival is embroiled in lawsuits, Democracy is flourishing.....Biden will win reelection easily.

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None of what you mention seems to have effected the Democratic voter's opinions of him. Polls matter.
BTW, if inflation is transitory how come it is burning a permanent hole in my wallet?
I'm not saying that Biden is responsible for inflation, but it will be successfully used against him.

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Based on the one poll I've seen, most people think our country is headed in the wrong direction including a large percentage of Democrats. The question is, would they vote against their own self interests for Biden if Trump is the nominee again?

BearHunter said:

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heartofthebear said:

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BearHunter said:

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heartofthebear said:

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I'm not an establishment Democrat but I'll play along. If Biden runs, he loses.

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There's a jobs boom, Hunter is innocent, Joe turned over his stolen classified documents and has been cleared of any wrongdoing, he has no signs of health problems like dementia, the border is secure, inflation is transitory, Ukraine is winning the war, his main political rival is embroiled in lawsuits, Democracy is flourishing.....Biden will win reelection easily.

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None of what you mention seems to have effected the Democratic voter's opinions of him. Polls matter.
BTW, if inflation is transitory how come it is burning a permanent hole in my wallet?
I'm not saying that Biden is responsible for inflation, but it will be successfully used against him.

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Based on the one poll I've seen, most people think our country is headed in the wrong direction including a large percentage of Democrats. The question is, would they vote against their own self interests for Biden if Trump is the nominee again?

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I wouldn't vote for Trump if he promised me $100M and a night with Ivanka and Melania.

dimitrig said:

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I wouldn't vote for Trump if he promised me $100M and a night with Ivanka and Melania.

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Trump is so great, hookers pay him.

bearister said:

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Campaign slogan:
Cray Cray Squared

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Your favorite girl, Marjorie, was kicked out of the House Freedom Caucus. She's basically on your team now.

BearHunter said:

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dimitrig said:

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I wouldn't vote for Trump if he promised me $100M and a night with Ivanka and Melania.

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Trump is so great, hookers pay him.

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So who do you think Trump will choose as his running mate?

I have yet to see any of the rabid Biden critics on this board go out on a limb and make a prediction ....

Cal88 said:

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heartofthebear said:

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BearHunter said:

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heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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Christie already said he won't vote for Donald Trump if he was the nominee. Christie would make a perfect running mate for Newsom.

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You entirely missed my point.
What Chris Christie says about Trump can be taken with a grain of salt.
He's a liar and has changed his position on Trump plenty of times, just like every other high profile Republican politician.

BTW, why do you think Newsom would need a Republican to win the general election?
He doesn't need Christie or any Republican to get Republican and independent votes.
Newsom is very politically wise, if nothing else, and I trust he would pick a good running mate. It probably would not be Williamson or Kennedy.

To your point though, Elizabeth Cheney and Newsom would be a very interesting ticket.

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So you think Biden is not fit enough to run next year? I don't think he is right now, but not many establishment Democrats would acknowledge that...

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Semi-establishment Democrat here. I am concerned about Biden's age. I think he's okay right now (the dude's always been a bit of a ding-bat), but I'm worried about a guy that would be going from 81-85. Not quite Feinstein Territory, but gettin' up there. It's the elephant in the room, for sure, and this is when one starts to wonder if Kamala Harris, who checked a lot of boxes in 2020, might not be so great in 2024..

Newsom-Cheney would be a great ticket: Yin/Yang. Ain't gonna happen though, but Newsom > Biden > any of the GOP possibilities.

BearHunter said:

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Aunbear has a dozen or so pics of them together saved on his desktop.

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Hey, genius, there's this new thing called the "Internet", it is like a World Wide Web of information. It can do a lot of interesting stuff, much of it too difficult for you to understand. But it also has a LOT of pictures of all kinds of things. So now you don't need to "save on your desktop", just open the Google, type "Donald trump wants to f&k his daughter" and voila: lots of pictures like this:

Big C said:

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Cal88 said:

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heartofthebear said:

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BearHunter said:

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heartofthebear said:

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Chris Christie

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Christie already said he won't vote for Donald Trump if he was the nominee. Christie would make a perfect running mate for Newsom.

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You entirely missed my point.
What Chris Christie says about Trump can be taken with a grain of salt.
He's a liar and has changed his position on Trump plenty of times, just like every other high profile Republican politician.

BTW, why do you think Newsom would need a Republican to win the general election?
He doesn't need Christie or any Republican to get Republican and independent votes.
Newsom is very politically wise, if nothing else, and I trust he would pick a good running mate. It probably would not be Williamson or Kennedy.

To your point though, Elizabeth Cheney and Newsom would be a very interesting ticket.

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So you think Biden is not fit enough to run next year? I don't think he is right now, but not many establishment Democrats would acknowledge that...

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Semi-establishment Democrat here. I am concerned about Biden's age. I think he's okay right now (the dude's always been a bit of a ding-bat), but I'm worried about a guy that would be going from 81-85. Not quite Feinstein Territory, but gettin' up there. It's the elephant in the room, for sure, and this is when one starts to wonder if Kamala Harris, who checked a lot of boxes in 2020, might not be so great in 2024..

Newsom-Cheney would be a great ticket: Yin/Yang. Ain't gonna happen though, but Newsom > Biden > any of the GOP possibilities.

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My sentiments exactly.
I'm concerned about Biden being too conceding to the right. I think Newsom is more of a fighter, at least rhetorically. And narratives matter in politics. I think Newsom would stand up to the right as much as Williamson and much more electable than her. Newsom is our best chance if he runs. And I think he is probably the difference between the Dems and the Reps. winning the whitehouse in 2024.

I think the right is justifiably worried about that. But I doubt he runs. I think he would have announced by now, but maybe I'm wrong about that.

Having said all of that, anyone that thinks that Trump could not be "elected is not paying attention." The whole point of being an election deny-er is to set the stage to actually steal the election in 2024. Elections can be stolen if you have a whole bunch of corrupt people cooperating at the highest levels. The 2000 election was stolen that way. And the Republicans have a track record of knowing how to do it successfully. They are already doing it successfully in the "red" (really purple) states by suppressing votes. They need to steal elections because they do not have the majority. That is not the case for the Democrats, which is why claims of the Democrats stealing the election is such a rouse. What they want is folks to go on record that elections are fair and secure so that when they steal the 2024 election, nobody can claim it was stolen. You see how that works? It's pretty sneaky but very much the game plan of the far right, who have known how to engage in dirty tricks for years, as they have been involved in stealing elections all over the globe. You see the far right is not just American, they are global.

Actually Trump would not have even won in 2016 without a lot of help beyond the voting public. And who's to say they aren't going to ramp that up even more in 2024. There are very powerful people that need Trump elected and Trump himself is desperate to be elected, knowing that it will be the only way he can close down the investigations and stop the indictments. Desperation + power= corruption, in many cases. The 2024 election probably will be one of them.