What if... Trump and Biden both die of old age, while debating each other?

Who do you think would make a good prez? I don't really have anyone in mind, but that John Stewart guy seems pretty critical of either side. I don't watch much of him, but hey, he's significantly younger, so that's good. Seems intelligent? Who would you like to see as prez?

I'd probably go with Vivek Ramaswamy.. he's young, up on the times, intelligent, and pliable. I think he would be a good candidate for president regardless of the side of the fence you sit. We need someone who can unite both sides and I don't think there is a better answer in this scenario.

Nah he's terrible.

You would need a Centrist to unite people. Vivek is extreme far right, and crazy:

• Vivek Ramaswamy Went Full Q at Wednesday’s Debate | The New Republic
• Why is Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy doubling down on conspiracy theories? (bbc.com)
• Republican Debate: Ramaswamy Calls for Repeal of 1986 Vaccine Act & Immediate Care for COVID-19 Vax Injured (trialsitenews.com)

That would be pretty great news for everyone.

I also like Vivek!

Others I'd like is Rand Paul or Byron Donalds.

I honestly don't know lol. There's no one currently in the que that looks that great, all my picks are at least a few years from running.

I don't even know who Trump's VP would be, and Kamala Harris would get beat haha...so not either of those.

I know he is often labeled as a carrier of the "liberal agenda" but I think Gavin Newsom would do all right...I guess? I mean he seems like a realistic, likely candidate at some point in the next few elections.

You know what? Screw it...get AOC in there. Time for a young, female democrat with socialist leanings to take charge. The men and capitalists have had their shot and they are ruining the country and the world.

Oh god, no. The dude is crazy. Like "friends with Alex Jones and neo-nazis" crazy.

Even without the craziness, he is a liar and conman and in it for the self-enrichment; they don't call him "Vivek the Fake" for no reason.

I was going to post this:

I think if that happened, apart from the sadness of two people dying and the loss to their families and friends, apart from that, people would actually rejoice in unison. The majority of people would actually be happy at the same time.

but then decided against it

Exactly. He's far right and no one to unite the country. He's just more maga crazy. Problem is the far right doesn't actually know what moderate or centrist means.

The thing that scares me the most is that Trump, despite being terrible, is just playing the game. I don't think he really believes a lot of the stuff he champions.

The folks that scare me are people like Vivek that, while con-men and scammers and liars, might actually believe what they're selling. Trump always knew it was grift, but Vivek? Vivek might actually believe his own lies.

The issue is that the far-right are so nuts that anything moderate would be considered way too far to the left.

I'm generally for compromise, deal-making, and hearing various points of view out...but I don't think there's really any dealing with the MAGA/far-right crowd at this point.

Border deal shows that. Congress used to work together and get some things they wanted while the other side got some things. Now they want their way only because of MAGAs in Congress. They aren't interested in the least working for the American people. Their policies aren't embraced except by a minority. Minority doesn't represent such a vast ideology that America has. Democrats, Independents, and moderate Republicans MUST vote out any MAGA stain in Congress.

@LJS9502_basic: I would have been soooooooooo frustrated with the MAGA-GOP crowd if I had worked on that border deal only to have it torpedoed by my own party.

I believe (or want to believe) that the majority of government officials do want to make things better in this country in a concrete, meaningful sense and this border deal was a way to possibly do that. It seemed like the first piece of bipartisan legislation in a long time, they spent MONTHS on it, working together...then *poof* gone. Sunk. By their own hands.

And the worse part? Many of the people that spent time working on it groveled to Trump and the MAGA crowd. These people are spineless.

I have zero faith they will do that.

The best we can hope for is "We would prefer Not-Trump, but will vote for Trump" from these people.

It's honestly up to GOP officials to fix their own shit, or have the integrity to sink their own party.

Yep. And he's costing them elections. I don't know why they don't actually try to appeal to moderate voters.

Is it more likely that they simply believe there is a lot of money to be made, and that if they backtrack on anything then the marks will seize on that and they will lose their path to the teat, meaning the only way to proceed is doubling down? And they all help each other here. What one scammer does to add to the lore that has the marks ready to hand over dough, it helps all of them, whoever can get that brass ring gets the prize pool.

The only off ramp here is maybe a tell all book deal and press tour, but you can't play both sides and still look like you have credibility, so the best you get there is some tabloid tier run and then you're done. Nobody wants to associate with you after that and you don't get a second chance. It's tough to give up your chance at getting the pool when you have to settle for that.

You're giving up that hair growth money. That vitamin supplement money. That fundraisers and merch money. You can stretch all that even if you're just the side piece. So you stick with the hustle.

You might be right. Vivek might just be another Trump in that he views himself as a super-charismatic person that can make a lot of money, and he has found his niche as being Trump 2.0.

As for off ramps: that's why I am watching Nikki Haley with a bit of interest; while she hasn't gone scorched earth entirely or totally taken the off ramp, she is close. The question is will the GOP eventually reject and recover from MAGA, and allow people like Romney and Christie and Hailey to actually survive within the party?

Romney and Christie have more or less thrown in the towel but Haley wants to keep going; not sure if they'll let her.

*Well as luck would have it, I guess Haley is officially out of the running.

Moscow Mitch has also bent the knee to Trump. Coward. Dude is literally retiring and despite all the bad blood between him and Trump, he toes the line. Party before country, eh Mitch?

Hailey is another war monger bought off by the millitary industrial complex. I guess if a return of Dick Cheney Republicans is what your into.. then she's perfect

@mrbojangles25: He probably just wants to retire in peace without people harassing him. Haley could run as an independent, maybe that's the way to go because as-is GOP won't vote for her in her own state. She ran a good race, she showed that a chunk of the GOP doesn't want to vote for Trump, and as an Indian American presidential candidate she outlasted Vivek and was a stronger candidate.

Disagree with Hailey being stronger candidate than Vivek. Just because she decided to stay in the race when it was obvious trump was winning the nomination.. doesn't mean she is stronger, just more willing to spend donor money longer than the rest.

Vivek is much stronger candidate than Hailey. Problem for Vivek is most his fans are already voting Trump, thier platforms are too similar. If Trump died most voters for Trump would go to Vivek before Hailey.

Haily is only good as a surrogate candidate for democrats to attack Trump.

It's no wonder more progs are voting in the republican primary than the Democrat primary. Wont make a difference tho, Trump has the support from the right.

@sargentd: I guess we'll have to disagree. At the debates I thought Nikki performed better and was able to do well on a distinct platform. In comparison it seems like Vivek couldn't think on his own, contradicted himself, and was not as relatable. He dug himself some holes he didn't need to. It was weird.

He also fared much worse with Republican voters.

Yeah to each thier own, I thought Vivek absolutely killed it at the debates and was the only one I liked on the stage, watched all of em.

He especially brought it to Nikki calling out where she gets all her money from, he was a savage.

In what way? Vivek absolutely captured Trumps base. Problem is Trump is running and exists. So they already have thier candidate.

And he turns off non trump voters. Trump lost about 40% of Republicans and he's lost Independents. I'd imagine if he is the nominee that he will not get as many votes as he did in 2020. Republicans should have put up a moderate Republican. Might have had a chance.

They put somebody like Haley up there.. Republicans definitely stand no chance of winning and bringing the right out to vote. Biden would get a freebie 2nd term.

Many Democrats I think know this, that's why they root for her.

@sargentd: You should probably pay attention to voters. Independents and part of the Republican base are turned off on more trump. They actually have been saying they'll vote Democrat. With another non traitorous nominee, they'd fare better. I don't care what Democrats think. I'm talking about the Republican Party which is the minority party and can't afford to lose Independents and part of their base.

I don't like Haley one bit, but she would be a step in the right direction. I wouldn't think "Oh dear god, what has happened to our country" if she was president, though I'd worry a bit as she is fairly right on many things.

She's left of the far-right and that is enough of an improvement over Trump (or Vivek) for me lol.

Do you think they'd do it in numbers large enough to matter?

And would they vote Democrat, or for a third party candidate like Jill Stein (I cant believe she is still around...) or RFK Jr.?

I won't underestimate Republican tradition and solidarity, but it is hard to deny the number or traditional GOP voters that are sick of Trump.

Small sample but Haley voters were asked if they'd vote Trump and did say they'd vote Biden. They are never trumpers. But even if they stay home or vote third party, that will hurt Trump's chances.

GOP is currently very fractured and Trump's taken to insulting them and telling them he doesn't need them. GOP is having a problem with donations as well.

I like to think karma will out.