His family might convince him not to run for a second term.

[Stuart G]

..If everyone says that Trump has serious problems, then his family knows it too. While it seems very unlikely, perhaps his family might talk him into taking time off and enjoying himself without the constant criticism. The family is very aware that he has "issues" and maybe his children and his wife will convince Donald that it is best if he not stay in this very stressful job. Maybe, they can convince dad not to put more stress on himself. "Just play golf and enjoy the rest of your life.." could be the family message. Remember, anything is possible.

[JI7]

1. the family is selfish greedy self entitled fucked up as he is . the fucked up family only cares

about their own profits and saving their own asses just like him.

they aren't going to do anything "for the better" .

and IVanka is the worst and most like him.

[PJMcK]

2. Your suggestion assumes the Trumps are a normal family

There is nothing normal about any of those grifters.

[lagomorph777]

42. They're all nuts.

But they can probably see that all the emoluments in the world can't save their empire from the damage he's doing to their reputation. If they can get him out of office and take away his Twit feed, they might be able to salvage something.

[BeyondGeography]

3. Forget it

“Issues” are for losers.

[at140]

4. Trump can NOT drop out for one reason...

because that clears the field for one of the democratic candidates to win WH.
And that means Trump could be investigated for any and all crimes and sent to jail.
By winning in 2020, he assures himself a Attorney General of his picking and 4 years of freedom.

[Hortensis]

21. This. People say he's terrified. And it's certainly not of

losing his free helicopter rides to his golf courses. I think it's reasonable to wonder also if he's terrified of what Putin might do if he pulled out and, as always, what Putin hold has on him.

[MuseRider]

30. Unless one of our candidates

wins and pardons him. Who, if any, would be likely to do that?

[Hortensis]

37. Pardons?! Whoa, what an idea. :)

Democrats would be beyond outraged, of course, and so would all our leading candidates at the very idea. I'm guessing whoever wins will learn more about Trump's crimes than will become common knowledge for some years probably.

No need to pardon, though, when Republican and Democratic leaders might just instead strike a deal to move ahead and not prolong our national trauma by prosecuting federally, which would be different. It's been done before, of course. That'd still leave prosecution under state laws.

(The closest I come in the weird parallel-universe imagining you've triggered would be Bernie Sanders because his movement is the LW populist counterpart to Trump's RW populism. He and Trump are competitors for each others' voter blocs, after all. He'd have to have won not just the nomination but the presidency in that fantasy, though, and then the reason to agree to pardon Trump would be to please those of Trump's RW populists who weren't solidly committed to following him. Of course, most would already have voted for him to become president, but President Sanders, already looking to reelection, would need to consolidate their support. )

[MuseRider]

41. LOL really Bernie?

He would be the last one to do that. But whatever.

GWBush** walked with Cheney, Rumsfeld and a whole lot of lawbreakers and murderers. I can think of only one who would do it, not sure he would but I would not be surprised at all if he did.

Just a very uncomfortable thought that came to mind. Moving on because it is bad enough without having to think about this. *shivers*

[Hortensis]

43. Creepy imagining, but none of it worries me.

I don't know who you mean, but imo you shouldn't worry either.

We aren't them. There are big reasons why what's happening in RW-dominated parties and nations doesn't in liberal-dominated ones. And the few candidates who could be elected are all strong, lifelong liberal Democrats.

[MuseRider]

47. Def not demonizing or

I would have named names. Instead all I said was NOT Bernie.

I have no candidate yet because I will not name one. The last 17 years here have finally worn me out. I watch and wait and comment but will not be choosing anyone here.

[Hortensis]

48. I removed that word since I had no idea what you meant,

just that equating any of our leading liberal Democrats with the authoritarian Bush-Cheney criminal creeps struck me as an impossibly long stretch. Have you ever read John Dean's Worse than Watergate or Broken Government? Fascinating and horrifying. These were and are dangerous people.

[MuseRider]

50. I did not equate the Dems with them

just mentioned that they all got away with everything, we let them off the hook and we are now suffering the consequences of all they did.

I was an adult during Watergate and am very well aware what happened.

In no way did I equate the Dems with the Bush-Cheney group. Only that the Bush-Cheney group were not impeached and let off the hook by Dems.

[Hortensis]

53. Oh, still confused. REPUBLICAN President Ford pardoned Nixon.

Democrats had nothing to do with that.

I disagreed when I was in my 20s that we should have struck a deal with Republicans to allow Nixon to resign instead of proceeding with impeachment and removal, but over time I've been less sure about what would be best in that or other cases.

We have to remember that half this nation reelected Nixon in the middle of Watergate by a 49-state sweep because of the impeachment investigation. Nixon had rated very poorly with them right up until he was threatened with the consequences of his involvement in crimes, and then they rallied passionately to protect him.

In a world where that can happen, standing on principles and insisting on what should be a proper standard may not always be the way to protect those principles and set a lasting standard.

In this era, we're literally wondering if we're living the last days of our democracy, and imo it's incredibly irresponsible to not consider every decision in that context. To me, any decision that does not have protection of our democracy as its first, implacable goal is immoral and dangerously wrong.

And now, have a nice day. As I said, I don't think you should worry about it. There's too much else that we should be, even if we only deploy on the battlefield, to vote, 15 months from now.

[MuseRider]

54. I never mentioned Nixon

except to respond to you that I knew about Watergate when you brought it up.

I was always talking about Bush - Cheney.

[Hortensis]

55. Lol, let's consider ourselves on nonintersecting lines.

[MuseRider]

56. LOL yeah, HA!

I am not tracking well. I lost my 4th critter the other day and am involved in a musical that is likely to kill me before we are done and I am only in the pit! I am tired and cranky and just sad, I am leaving in a while to go pick up the ashes from the last one. 3 cats and a horse since January. I am beat.

Sorry, we do not see eye to eye all the time but I like you. I will take the blame for being inconsistent because I probably am and cannot even see it at this point.

Better days ahead!

[Hortensis]

61. Same here. I'm sorry about your guys. A close friend

here lost her last 2 horses recently to age, and at her own age there will be replacements for those much loved sweeties. Putting on a musical sounds like killer therapy compared to moping.

Take care, have fun.

[MuseRider]

62. Normally a musical is a cure for many things

but this one is not going well at all. We just look at each other in the pit and keep on. I have never had this experience before. The MD got left holding a very big bag of something, not something good but I don't know what. So we do it and forget it. I am brain and bone tired.

[Hortensis]

63. Grim slog, sad place for it tho. Hope you're having a better day.

Maybe a week away from toxic political news while you recharge would be good? I'm inclined to think it'd be best for anyone.

[MuseRider]

64. We finish on Sunday

but until then....

Thank you. I have never been in this situation before, it is sad. The toxic news actually awakens me otherwise this is making me tired and dull but I did just download Stephen King's new book I had on Pre-Order so that should get me through. Almost 20 hours, I will parcel it out.

Thanks. Entertainment does not always work out the way you want it to. On with the show.

[Hortensis]

65. You can do thru Sunday. From what I hear about The Institute,

the pit should start looking like Happy Days. Enjoy.

[Bettie]

58. There are two I think would pardon him

and his family on the basis of "moving forward" and "restoring civility".

I can vote blue no matter who, but I'd be angry if blue won and then said that illegal, unethical, and corrupt behavior was acceptable.

[DFW]

5. And lose all those trips around the world on Air Force One? And their mugs in the papers and on TV?

They may not gave a rat's ass about the country, but I doubt they'll want to give up the rest of it before they are forced to.

After all, poor Fox Noise can't be forced to go back to just whining about libbruls for the next four years, can they?

[Stuart G]

7. Yes, there are some great points being made, but I say it again, "Anything is possible."

..Of course, they do not want to give a "rat's ass about the country", but maybe there is some concern for Donald's, (dad's) "health" as they say. Anything is possible!, and I never thought we would be in this place, so that kind of proves those 3 words.
...Another argument that the family might use, "You know dad, you might lose the election" (pointing out low approval numbers)

[DFW]

9. He could always play the "Mission Accomplished" card

Wouldn't it be cute if he held out until next September, and THEN pulled his own plug (or had it pulled for him)?

Watch the Republicans threatening to nuke the FEC unless they postponed the November election......

[rampartc]

6. oh, trump is running, and he thinks, with no question, he will win

my questions regard pence as his running mate. that was a political choice because trump was uncertain of the evangelicals. that is no longer in question. pence can be dropped from the ticket easily.

then there is the repub convention, when trump announces his new running mate the crowd will roar its approval in an incredible standing ovation. soon after the election, trump could then resign in favor of his offspring, vice president din jr ……..

[Thomas Hurt]

8. not that optimistic...not a chance in h#ll that will happen.

[Stuart G]

10. Someone might convince Donald that he is destroying the Republican party..

Of course that is very unlikely but it might work. A combination of arguments might work. Especially if Donald is tired of the criticism, (he would not tell anyone, that is the real reason) but maybe one of these arguments might work. No one really knows what his closest family members are telling him in "total private."

[kurtcagle]

52. Nah ... Trump doesn't really care about the Republican Party

Trump frankly could care less about the Republican party, save to the extent that they will keep his fat ass out of prison. He knows that he faces financial ruin once he leaves the White House. He's not going to step down.

[tanyev]

11. When he was campaigning for the first term and I had to pay attention to Donald Trump

for the first time in my life, I wondered why his family didn't get him in for a serious psychological/neurological evaluation. He certainly seemed 'off' to me. My mistake was assuming that his wife and kids know what normal should be, that they genuinely want the best for Trump and for the country, and that Donald Trump would listen to them.

[lunatica]

19. His family don't have any control over him

I’ll wager that if they ever won a single battle against him he’s made them pay dearly for it.

Ask anyone who has a Narcissist family member.

[Celerity]

12. not a chance, in fact I wager they are already planning Ivanka 2024

Ivanka Trump wants to be the first female US president. Perhaps she already is

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/07/ivanka-trump-wants-to-be-the-first-female-us-president-perhaps-she-already-is-

[brooklynite]

22. Why does she get to go before Don jr.?

[Celerity]

23. daddy loves her best?

[not_the_one]

38. this is so crass and will probably be deleted....

But who will be the first to ask the turd, "when did you stop fucking Ivanka"? (assuming he has...)

When he stated that "if she wasn't my daughter I would go after that", knowing he gets everything he wants... I think we can assume...

Or ask HER...

[Celerity]

40. why would your post be deleted? you are probably 100% correct

Rump is a MONSTER

he has surely done something sexual to Ivanka

it is all there in plain view

[bdamomma]

45. asshole then and now

I bet Mr. Epstein would of liked that picture, he's likes them young. Jeffrey Epstein they shut his mouth up didn't they???

[Poiuyt]

27. I've heard more talk about Junior in 24 to continue the decades long dynasty

[Celerity]

31. IF (NIGHTMARE) Rump wins reelecton, Ivanka will kneecap that little fuck quicker than Kushner evicts

family of colour in one of his thousands of semi-slums.

https://www.propublica.org/article/the-beleaguered-tenants-of-kushnerville

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. They don't seem to think that there is a problem, however

Yeah, they've complained what a "toll" the job is taking on him, but they're blaming everybody else for THAT and they're not encouraging him to step down or anything. Barring some unforeseen extreme circumstances, Trump will stay in the WH until Inauguration Day 2021.

[Joe941]

14. And then be let off the back stage in cuffs i sure hope.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

16. That would be gratifying

[bdamomma]

46. tRump says

in he may have a serious health issues.

[Wounded Bear]

15. Wishful thinking...

[Joe941]

17. haha. nice joke - i laughed.

[lunatica]

18. What! And end the Trump Age?!

The Trump Dynasty?!

Not a chance.

[renate]

20. The presidency is keeping him out of their hair

There is a huge staff babysitting him. They must be incredibly relieved to not have to interact with him as much as they did when it was just the family business.

The last thing any of them would want would be to talk him out of a second term.

[Totally Tunsie]

24. The sooner Daddy-O crashes and burns, either from stress

or cholesterol, the sooner the family grifters get their hands on their inheritance. If anything, they'll be encouraging him to go after that second term.

[maxsolomon]

25. Fun dayn moyl zu Got's oyem

as they say in Yiddish.

This will never ever ever ever happen.

[Vinca]

26. I doubt it. The presidency is turning out to be one of his most lucrative grifts.

[bdamomma]

49. bankrupting the country

and giving us PTSD, and ruining our standing in the world community, vile POS he is.

To a higher being or power just eradicate this disease that is on us all.

[at140]

51. Presidency gave him more free publicity than

he was able to buy in his entire career. And Trump is all about the "brand".

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

28. Seriously? They're in on the grift as much as he is,

and if they think they can cash in on another four years' worth they'll prop him up and try to keep him going no matter what kind of shape he's in. And you presume - incorrectly - that any of these black-hearted thugs actually care about Spanky or each other. It's a nest of scorpions.

[elleng]

29. 'His family' is full of sibling rivalries, so

don't expect anything productive from them.

[smb]

32. He Knows That It's Either A Term In Office Or A Term In Prison nt

[elocs]

35. It's quaint and naive that you actually believe Trump would ever go to prison.

That will never happen and if it did ever come to it there are a number of countries in the world that would happily give him refuge (ironic that Trump could be a refugee).
But before that ever happened, Trump would keep things tangled up in the courts for years.

[sarisataka]

33. I might discover practical cold fusion

While eating chocolate pudding after dinner.
Anything is possible. I would go on to say it is about equally likely to happen.

[elocs]

34. Anything is possible, but not anything is probable.

Trump has experienced the highest high that anybody with as giant yet fragile an ego as his has experienced--being the president of the most powerful country in the world.
I just don't see him casually walking away from that.

[not_the_one]

36. I would speculate they are pleading with him to keep the plane fueled and ready to go

which means WE need to shoot the tires, and make sure they STAY deflated.

But that is just my 2 cents...

[Paladin]

39. That's giving the family 1000% more credit than it deserves.

Like everything else he's ever been in contact with, trump has corrupted and destroyed his family. There is no evidence whatsoever of the trump family having any remaining principles or care for the public good. The entire bunch is utterly worthless.

[lame54]

44. Trump couldn't possibly play more golf...

Plus he would to pay his own transportation and boarding

[calguy]

57. Unforunately for trump he faces indictments as a private citizen

Not running is not an option
Unless he resigns and gets Mike Pense to pardon him

[Downtown Hound]

59. Wishful thinking. Not. A. Chance. In. Hell.

[Hoyt]

60. The best chance is if GOP thinks trump will lose big and take Senate down too.

They could simply say to him, we're going to vote for Impeachment and conviction if you don't drop out.

But even that is a stretch.