Let’s face it—Donald Trump’s only hesitation in ditching Republican sexual predator Roy Moore is that he doesn’t want to be a two-time loser in the Alabama Senate race, and there’s no sure win here. Whatever the case, Trump will likely have to weigh in soon as he returns from holiday with all his authoritarian besties. Politico writes:
Trump spoke with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from Asia last week, and the Senate leader made an urgent plea: Please help push Moore out of the contest. On Monday, as a new female accuser emerged, the Republican leader discussed the Alabama situation with White House chief of staff John Kelly and Vice President Mike Pence. The conversation centered on tax reform, but the Senate Republican leader also proposed a dramatic idea: that Sessions run as a write-in candidate or be appointed to the seat he held for two decades. [...]
It’s a vexing call for Trump. If he tries to pressure Moore out of the race, as some people close to the White House expect him to do, there’s no guarantee that the candidate will oblige. During the GOP nomination battle, Trump aggressively backed Moore’s opponent, appointed Sen. Luther Strange.
It’s only a “vexing call” for someone like Grabby McGrabberson, who with 20-some accusers himself doesn’t have the moral compass to abhor predators and sexual assault. Naturally, Trump's primary worry is whether he'll end up with egg on his face again.
In order for the president to get involved, some aides to the president say, he would need an airtight plan that limits his political exposure to any fallout.
There’s no sure win here for Trump, except for maybe making a move that will finally expel the attorney general he detests from his post. But in terms of the Alabama race, it’s a clusterf#@!.
Adding Attorney General Jeff Sessions, one of the state’s most popular politicians, as a write-in candidate could split the vote between slightly more sane Republicans and Moore’s dead-enders. Not taking action could result in a Moore loss and one less seat in the Senate, or it could result in a Moore win, leaving Senate Republicans holding the bag for what to do about the sexual predator lurking in their midst. Who knows? He might be right at home in a Congress that’s a cesspit of sexual harassers. But not doing anything will surely result in a 2018 chock full of questions for GOP candidates about their affinity for serving with a pedophile who preyed on and assaulted multiple teenaged girls.
None of the options are super appealing, and no one knows what the outcome will be either way.