No VP slot for Pence – The GOP begins to move away from Donald – Surprising effectiveness of Ukrainian resistance – People still wear masks, despite the CDC’s lenient recommendations – Evening statistics
Donald Trump has announced that if he should run for Presidential office again, Mike Pence would not be a potential running mate. Pence’s reaction to this statement has not been recorded, but in all probability it will be one of intense relief. He had been Trump’s loyal adherent during the four years he served as Vice-President and he has consistently refused to say as much as a word condemning his former superior’s treasonous attempt to usurp the 2020 election; but even his sycophancy, it appears, has limits and he does not appear at all inclined to associate again with the man whose followers openly advocated his lynching during the assault on the Capitol.
Pence is not alone in his alienation. It appears that one unexpected side-effect of the Ukrainian invasion is a loosening of the fetters Trump has imposed upon the Republican party. Trump’s endorsement of Putin – on which he later back-pedaled when he belatedly perceived how it rebounded on him – was so distasteful to the majority of the populace, liberal and conservative alike, that the Republican Party is distancing itself to a further extent than before from Trump and is attempting to out-rival the Democrats in its hawkish attitude towards the Russian invaders. For example, in the campaign for a North Carolina Senate seat, Pat McCrory has attempted to discredit his rival (and Trump’s favored candidate) Ted Budd by representing him as a Putin sympathizer. Budd’s comments were actually lifted out of context and he has gone on record as being a supporter of the Ukrainian defenders; but the mere fact that such a tactic can be deployed during a significant mid-term campaign is an indicator of how the Republican Party is at last beginning to shift away from their brazen idol.
While it is clear that the Ukrainian resistance cannot force 150,000 Russian troops out of their country, it has inflicted more damage on its opponents than experts expected. As many as 7,000 Russian soldiers may have been killed and as much as 10% of its armor has been lost, or at least so the latest estimates would have us believe. Many Russian soldiers were so poorly briefed they were surprised even to be invading Ukraine, and even more surprised to be shot at once they crossed the border. Special forces “were told it was a three-day excursion,” according to one account. Peace talks between the two sides have gathered pace in the last 48 hours as the war shows no sign of coming to a resolution. Zelenskyy has offered to abandon Ukraine’s quest to join NATO and seek a neutral status along the lines of Sweden or Austria. But it is unclear whether Putin will settle for that concession alone, after all of that he has invested into the invasion.
The number of Americans who live in counties for which the CDC still recommends mask mandates is now about 1.7 million, or well under 1% of the population. But masks are still worn in this area a good deal; nearly every customer had one in the supermarket where I shopped today. Habits die hard. Indeed, Dr. Fauci anticipates a rise in new cases as the latest variant has caused increases in many European nations.
Today’s statistics as of 9:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 465,616,803; # of deaths worldwide: 6,086,873; # of cases U.S.: 81,350,430; # of deaths; U.S.: 996,066.