Why Would Mike Pence Run With Donald Trump?

Many of the Republican intelligentsia (yes, there really is such a thing – or at least the putative members of it think there is) are asking why Mike Pence would lower/compromise/etc. himself to run for Vice President on Donald Trump’s ticket.  (They ask/demand similar things from Paul Ryan and lots of others, too, but let’s stick with Governor Pence as a representative of those Republican office holders who are supporting Donald Trump for president while, at the same time, not agreeing with everything Mr. Trump says and does.)

Mike Pence has, for example, defended the Khan family and endorsed Paul Ryan in Speaker Ryan’s primary race next week.  But for some, that’s not enough.  Mr. Trump is so bad, they say, Republicans have to disavow him or they are disavowing their own principles.  For big-name national columnists, etc., that’s easy to do.  They have nothing to lose.  Their column will be there, in any case.  They’ll still be able to say/write what they want (subject, of course, to any changes made in the First Amendment made a Hillary Clinton-appointed/approved Supreme Court majority).

The difference is that Mike Pence, and all the Mike Pence’s of the world, are professional politicians.  They want to change things to make them better.  To do that, they need to be in office – and they need to have as many people who agree with them in office, too.  Commentators write by themselves.  Politicians govern with others who agree with them.

What Mike Pence is doing is trying to save the Republican Party and good Republican politicians while Donald Trump loses the presidency.  People who worry about Donald Trump as president don’t need Mike Pence, etc., on their side, working to defeat Mr. Trump.  Donald Trump is going to defeat himself.  That’s not going to be a problem.

What is a problem is saving the Republican Party so we can have a responsible opposition to slow down what Hillary Clinton, the Sanders-istas, and the rest of the Democratic Party try to do over the next four years.  And to take back the country in 2020.