So with Kelly on the way out...

[Xolodno]

...and Ayers on the way in....if that should happen, so I'll caveat that. But should it happen....

1. Ayers will hire from Pence's staff.

2. And if he doesn't hire from Pence's staff...he'll hire people loyal to Pence.

3. Will see an administration more molded to Pence.

We may very well be seeing one of three things.

1. A slow moving coup.

2. The fix is in, Pence will give Trump a pardon...maybe some family members....and Pence becomes President.

3. Combination of the three.

[dalton99a]

1. And then Pence nominates Ayers for VP?

Interesting

[Sneederbunk]

2. Assumes Pence survives Mueller.

[Glamrock]

3. Shit.

Assumes the orange ego goes along with any of it. He's always the smartest, big brain in the room.

[Xolodno]

5. Mueller at the end of the day...is a Republican.

A patriotic Republican grant you.

I doubt Pence, will get indicted on anything. Pence has enough plausible deniability to escape it all. He can easily chalk up the issues with Flynn due to a lack of communication. He wasn't part of the transition team, etc. Plus his "squeaky clean image" will win the day.

Wanting Pence to be indicted is a pipe drain.

He won't stand a snow balls chance in hell, unless it freezes over, of surviving an election, but, he gets to be President for a time. And he'll be happy with that, as he had no chance otherwise.

[MiniMe]

12. After Christy got ousted, Pence was in charge of the transition team

[Garrett78]

4. I'm not sure Pence won't be replaced.

The nightmare scenario is Haley replaces Pence, Trump resigns, and then Haley wins in 2020. Do I think that's likely? No. But it's not completely out of the realm of possibility.

[Xolodno]

6. See my response on post #5

[Garrett78]

7. I didn't say anything about Pence being indicted. I'm talking about Trump replacing him.

[Xolodno]

8. Trump can't replace him....

...until the next election. And I'm hedging my bets that Trump will not make it that far.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

13. Technically, what you are saying is correct, but I'm hearing the same rumor

That Pence may be imposed upon by the party to step aside and be replaced by Nikki Haley. At a minimum, it looks like he would not be the guy for 2020. He may be squeaky clean, but he's not a dynamic campaigner, and won't play well outside of rural areas.

However, one way this could play out is that Trump doesn't run in 2020, and resigns late in the game (during the 2020 lame duck). Trump resigns for the last month, and Pence pardons everyone. If the Dems have won, it's the final middle finger. If Haley, Rubio, or someone similar wins, then their hands are clean. They can profess outrage at Pence's actions while doing nothing substantive.

[Polybius]

9. Trump can't replace Pence until January 21, 2021

He's VP for 4 years, unless he drops out or is impeached, two unlikely things. Trump can run with Haley in 2020, but the ticket must win for her to be VP.

[Garrett78]

10. If he can't convince Pence to resign, he can pick a different running mate in 2020 and then resign.

Not probable, I know.

[Polybius]

11. If he picks a different running mate in 2020 and then resigns, Pence still becomes President

There is almost no way for Haley to become President or VP before 1-20-21. A running mate is just that. The are not VP unless they win the coming election.