PRESIDENT MIKE? – AT 10:32 A.M. ET:  Oh, the buzz is underway.  It was inevitable.  President Mike Pence, taking over for the wounded Donald Trump.  From The Politico:

Not since the release of the Access Hollywood tape, in which Donald Trump bragged about groping women by the genitals, have some conservatives thought so seriously, if a bit wistfully, about two words: President Pence.

The scandals clouding Trump’s presidency — including, most recently, his firing of FBI Director James Comey, his alleged leak of classified information to Russian officials, and reports that he urged Comey to drop an investigation into a top aide — have raised once more the possibility that Trump could be pushed aside and replaced by Vice President Mike Pence.

“If what the [New York Times] reported is true, Pence is probably rehearsing,” one House Republican who asked not to be named quipped Wednesday. “It’s just like Nixon. From the standpoint that it’s never the underlying issue, it is always the cover-up.”

The still far-fetched proposition of removing Trump from office has increasing appeal to Republicans who are growing weary of defending Trump and are alarmed by his conduct in office. But such whispers are cringe-worthy for Pence and his aides, who have made an art of not upstaging the mercurial president. Pence’s press secretary declined to comment for this article.

COMMENT:  Ah, such political fun.  I doubt if Trump will ever be impeached because it doesn't appear he's committed any impeachable offenses.  Besides, impeachment (meaning, to charge) is done by the House which, at least for now, is under Republican control.

But he could resign, as Nixon did, if he's cornered or simply gets disgusted.  Then, what happens?

Pence becomes president, certainly not a happy outcome for Democrats.  Mike Pence is one of the most capable, attractive political figures around.  And he's only 57.

How long could Pence serve?  That's a fascinating question.  Most people probably believe that he could only serve out Trump's term and run once again – the "two-term maximum" rule laid down by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.

Not so fast, readers.  The 22nd Amendment has a loophole that might allow Pence to serve out the remainder of Trump's term, then run for an additional two terms.  Here is the Amendment:

"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term."

So it appears that Pence could run twice again if he takes over the presidency after the halfway (two-year) mark of Trump's term.

There's a warning here for Democrats wishing for Trump's early political demise:  Be careful what you wish for.

May 18, 2017