Suppose it's Pence. Or Trump *thinks* it's Pence. We could be in an unimaginable mess...

[First Speaker]

...Trump demanding his own VP's resignation. Pence refuses, denies everything. Trump starts chewing the rugs on national TV, becomes so obviously unstable that everyone realizes the 25th amendment has to be invoked. Invoked, that is...by Mike Pence. Lots of suppositions here, I know...but would it be any more bizarre than what's already happened? Even if it isn't Pence, if Trump comes to think it is...well, anything could happen. We might be heading for a constitutional crisis that makes Watergate look like a tiddly-winks game.

[marylandblue]

1. If It's a battle between Trump and Pence, my money is on Pence

[liberal N proud]

2. If trump thinks is Pence, he would get rid of him

Then if he is removed before a new VP can be seated, the the Secretary of State assumes the position.

[First Speaker]

3. How does he "get rid of him", if Pence doesn't want to go...?

[liberal N proud]

4. In trumps world?

Don't put anything past a mad man/child

[madaboutharry]

15. Trump can not remove Pence.

He doesn’t have that power.

The Vice Presidency is a separate elected office. A President can’t fire a Vice President.

[liberal N proud]

18. Not legally anyway

[John Fante]

26. Not in any way, shape, or form.

Trump can't fire Pence. He's not a king.

[Solly Mack]

5. It's going to get uglier.

Trump could think it Sessions and use that as his reason to fire him.

He could think it Pence and all kinds of crazy takes place.

He could go on a firing spree just to be sure he "gets" the right one.

Or maybe once he does start a firing spree, the 25th is invoked. Maybe that's the plan?

Maybe the GOP now finds Trump useless? (so it could be a plan to get rid of him)

I don't know.

I just know we don't know the whole story. Well, I don't know the whole story.

[SWBTATTReg]

8. What you say is a possibility indeed...once he does fire Sessions ...

of course Congress will have to approve of the new choice for Sessions' place. The VP, I'm not sure of the rules of succession, if any. If he fires other than Sessions and / or gets rid of Pence (goes down the line, etc.), where does it stop?

Crazy is obviously already happening if 'they' are shepherding rump to prevent an accidental WWIII.

Congress needs to step up and step up now. Don't hold six months worth of hearings and bull hockey which won't solve a thing. Fix this mess, Senators.

Do your duty to country.

[Solly Mack]

10. He can't fire Pence.

He can fire Sessions.

VP's can't be fired.

[SWBTATTReg]

17. Well, I don't know which is worst, but we already know what rump is like...

Something needs to give, and I got a feeling that something will, like the Saturday night massacre w/ Watergate. Perhaps if something like this happens, maybe Congress will then be spurred on to do something that they need to do...not all of the repugs, but just enough to pick a successor that both sides agree w/, and then we can move on w/ the healing and repair of all of the damage that rump is doing to the institutions in this country.

A feeble hope...but, hope still...

[Solly Mack]

19. I'm going to buy snacks for the next several days and watch the shit show.

[SWBTATTReg]

22. Sounds like a winner and a good suggestion...happy munching! nt

[onenote]

12. Unless Republicans in Congress go along invoking the 25th is meaningless

The process ultimately comes down to a vote that requires 2/3 of each house. Harder than impeachment.

[Solly Mack]

13. Of course it needs them but they could have decided Trump isn't useful anymore.

Once they get Kavanaugh, and it appears to be a done deal, maybe they plan to get rid of Trump in favor of Pence.

I don't know.

I just know we don't have the whole story or all the facts.

[onenote]

23. two months until election day.

It's not going to happen.

[Solly Mack]

24. And after the election?

If there is a blue wave?

No one said it was going to happen tomorrow or next week.

To my thinking, all bets are off now. Anything could happen in upside down land.

[onenote]

29. all sorts of questions

The first step would be for half the cabinet to send a message, together with Pence, to Congress. But Trump can fire any and all cabinet members, so that may put a crimp in those plans.

There is no reason to think enough republicans to hit the 2/3 mark will throw Trump overboard.

[Solly Mack]

30. True. Lots of pieces. Get the feeling another shoe is soon to drop? I do.

[oasis]

6. Expect Pence to go into extra grovel mode to reassure Dear Leader. nt

[Dave in VA]

7. Trump Can't Fire Pence

Pence holds a constitutional office to which he was elected. This is not an appointed position. The president has no administrative power over the vice president.

[First Speaker]

11. That was my point...

...if Trump demanded Pence's resignation, and Pence refused...well, we could have a President and a VP at open war with each other. The 25th amendment was not well thought out, in my view, and opened the door for all sorts of mischief. With an unstable President, and a religious-fanatic VP...anything could happen...

[Dave in VA]

14. Sorry

jumped the gun. You are absolutely correct!

[JI7]

21. no, if republicans cared about the country it wouldn't be a problem

[Solly Mack]

25. True. They don't care so here we are.

[Blue_true]

9. Not really. Pence will drop to his knees and kiss Trump's ass and all will be ok,

after Pence lies about how loyal he is to Trump.

Reminds me of a funny documentary that I saw once. It was about the people around Stalin's deathbed. Stalin looked like he was croaking so all the communist party heavies came to his deathbed. Stalin looked like he had died, with that one of the people exclaimed "The tyrant is dead, the tyrant is dead". There was a little conversation for a minute or so, but then Stalin opened one eye, then a second eye. The person that had exclaimed immediately started kissing Stalin's ass verbally, but lucky for him Stalin did die a few minutes later.

[Generic Brad]

16. Evangelicals would not like seeing Pence diminished

He's their boy. Battling Pence could peel away some of Trump's hardcore support.

[Ilsa]

20. Maybe IQ45 will have a stroke or heart attack overnight

and the whole thing will be moot.

[True Dough]

27. Man, oh man

There's no soap opera that could have been written better than this wacky drama. While I'm indulging in the dysfunction, I do want it to wrap up before ding-dong Donny inflicts too much damage on the world. Cue Mr. Mueller!

[RockRaven]

28. Trump is a vindictive S.O.B. If he thinks it was Pence, he'll dump all the dirt he has on Pence,

which I'm pretty sure is a non-zero amount, to journalists. When the stories get written he'll say that Pence's scandals have nothing to do with him and the Pence should resign.

[Nay]

31. Maybe Pence and Trump can have a duel and shoot each other dead.

In any case, I can't figure out whether I should pop some popcorn/buy some champagne, or grab my passport and pack a bag.