Question: Did Pence do the right thing on Jan. 6?
Scott: Yes, but weaponization of justice. He firmly pledges to fire Merrick Garland, as if the attorney general doesn’t always resign when a new president is elected. Runs with the standard Republican lie that Garland labeled people domestic terrorists just for talking at school board meetings. So Scott gave the yes on Pence but then changed the subject real fast.
DeSantis for his part won’t even answer the question, strenuously dodging it and jumping straight to “weaponization” and then a thing about looking forward to who’ll be inaugurated in January 2025 and something about his own military service.
Pence says he thinks voters deserve to know whether everyone on stage thinks he defended the Constitution. DeSantis, whinily: “Mike did his duty, I have no beef with him.”
Baier notes that Trump is beating DeSantis and this is a real question.
Hutchinson, who did not raise his hand, says what he has said before, that Trump is morally disqualified and may be constitutionally disqualified from being president. Booing ensues.
Shouting. Christie prevails: “Mike Pence stood for the Constitution, and he deserves, not grudging credit”—he deserves more, he deserves our respect.
Haley thinks Pence did the right thing and that we need to give him credit … but “I trust the American people” on the question of whether Trump should be president. But (there’s another but), Republicans need to move forward with a new generation, and Trump is widely disliked.
Burgum says Pence did the right thing then starts talking about China.