Asa Hutchinson calls on Trump to end Presidential campaign

[Algernon Moncrieff]

25. This is what we call enlightened self-interest

I suspect we will see more of this in the coming days from DeSantis et. al. Hutchinson's strategy isn't that far off from Nicki Haley's "he's our past, not our future" strategy.

Trump is lapping the field in polling today. Trump also would not be likely to select his Veep from that field. So all things being equal, most everyone in that field would be done after Iowa. But the smart money in the Republican Party has seen that the motivation in the last two election cycles has been people motivated to vote against Trump and MAGA, but they also know that not everything is coming up roses for Biden. The economy is in better-than-expected shape, but people are still grumpy, there is widespread dissatisfaction with Biden's age, and they still hope for some flame to emerge from the smoke of the Hunter Biden situation.

The strategy now will be - starting slowly - for candidates bringing up the indictments. They will make clear that they don't think he's done much - if anything - wrong, but will imply that the distraction of Trump's legal woes and the enormous cost of his defense will guarantee a Biden victory, and that this will very likely lead to President Kamala Harris and Clarence Thomas being replaced with Barack Obama. Can't have that!

I think every one of them - including Pence - will broadly hint/imply that, if elected, they'll look into pardoning Trump and, of course, request a Special Prosecutor to look into the Bidens. But look at all of them to start hammering the idea that these indictments mean that Trump can't get elected.