Manafort/Pence connection (from October 30, 2016)

[ehrnst]

Donald Trump offered Chris Christie vice president role before Mike Pence, sources say

First reported by the New York Post, an indecisive Trump had initially decided on Christie after the New Jersey governor made his final case to Trump on July 12.

Christie, the first former presidential candidate to get behind Trump after a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary, had assumed a high profile role on the campaign prior to the Convention – reaching out to donors and potential high profile supporters.

Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager at the time, allegedly had another idea in mind.

Manafort had arranged for Trump to meet with his first choice for the job on July 13: Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Afterwards, the plans was for Trump and Pence to then fly back to New York together and a formal announcement would be made, a campaign source said of Manafort’s thinking.

What had previously been reported as a “lucky break” by the New York Times was actually a swift political maneuver devised by the now fired campaign manager. Set on changing Trump’s mind, he concocted a story that Trump’s plane had mechanical problems, forcing the soon-to-be Republican nominee to stay the night in Indianapolis for breakfast with the Pence family on Wednesday morning.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-offered-chris-christie-vice-president-role-before-mike-pence/

[BigmanPigman]

1. Yes, that incident has been getting attention again lately.

If you and I (and DU) known about it then the Mueller team must be doing some investigating along those lines. If he isn't then I have been misled about his great investigative abilities.

[WhiteTara]

8. and the other 17 top notch legal minds.

[bearsfootball516]

2. I actually think choosing Pence was ultimately a good decision for Trump.

People on the far right hate Christie, but they love Pence because of the whole evangelical thing. Going with Christie would have lost him voters.

[ehrnst]

3. His pussy grabbing remarks weren't a dealbreaker for evangelicals.

You think Christie would have been?

[bearsfootball516]

4. You make a strong point

[Whiskeytide]

9. Pence was likely installed...

... to be something of an evangelical counterweight to the multiple divorces, affairs, peepee escapades and pussy grabbing kinds of stories they had to know was coming.

I know several republicans who voted for frump assuming he'd abandon the job under pressure and they'd get Pence.

[RandomAccess]

5. I'm trying to figure out - or just imagine

the nexus between Manafort and Pence.

Is Pence a little further into pro-Russia positions than we thought / knew? Is it because Putin has gained so much favor with Evangelicals?

There's got to be something there. We KNOW there are no accidents with this group, and more links and attachments than a spider's web.

[oasis]

6. Pence ain't getting off the hook so easily. nt

[chowder66]

7. It makes me wonder if there is Kompromat on Pence which led to him getting picked.

or if it is just a strategy.

It would be interesting to learn about Manafort's moves in Russian/Ukranian politics when it comes to candidates and appointees or whatnot.