The silver lining of Trump's rank cynicism

Trump's cynical mockery of Pence's zealotry is kind of reassuring

President Trump and Vice President Pence.
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In her lengthy profile of Vice President Mike Pence, The New Yorker's Jane Mayer makes the case that liberals shouldn't necessarily welcome the prospect of a fanatical Koch-connected conservative becoming president just because he's less likely to start a nuclear war. Trading President Trump for President Pence, as the cliche goes, would be to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

Yet, unintentionally perhaps, Mayer's deep reporting suggests that Trump isn't actually likely to start a nuclear war — at least, no more likely than the inveterate defense hawk Pence would be.

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Scott Galupo

Scott Galupo is a freelance writer living in Virginia. In addition to The Week, he blogs for U.S. News and reviews live music for The Washington Post. He was formerly a senior contributor to the American Conservative and staff writer for The Washington Times. He was also an aide to Rep. John Boehner. He lives with his wife and two children and writes about politics to support his guitar habit.