It was an idea that seemed too good to be true.
President Trump as replacement for ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at a time when the GOP is flat on its back? What could be more dramatic, more Trumpian?
The idea was bruited around, and has been since McCarthy won the Speaker's chair ten months ago.
Of course it wouldn't happen, much as we would like it.
But much to our surprise, this news came out, as reported by The Hill:
Fox News host Sean Hannity says former President Trump is open to the idea of being drafted by House Republicans to serve as the next Speaker of the House, although that scenario remains very unlikely.
“Sources telling me at this hour some House Republicans have been in contact with and have started an effort to draft former President Donald Trump to be the next Speaker, and I have been told that President Trump might be open to helping the Republican Party, at least in the short term, if necessary,” Hannity said on his nightly program Tuesday.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted hours earlier, after a small group of hardline Republicans, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), put forth a motion to vacate the chair, claiming McCarthy had “broken promises” to them and the American people over government spending and other issues. Democrats joined them in the vote to remove McCarthy.
The Hill hastens to say it's unlikely, owing to GOP rules against those indicted from serving, although the rule could be changed. It also doesn't matter that Trump does not hold elected office now, as they can name anyone they want.
And realistically, Trump, as he noted later, has his plate full, with running for president and defending himself against a kitchen sink full of prosecutions from blue-city leftists. Would he even have time for this? But as he said, anything to help the party.
He would have rivals -- Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep Steve Scalise are said to want the chair, too, and how Trump's entry would play out against their ambitions is up for grabs. Either would be good at the job, too, and Trump did note in his statement that the GOP does have talent.
What's more, he might not even have a majority to win, given that all Democrats would vote no, the GOP majority is razor-thin and there are never-Trumps among them.
And there's the broader picture of whether Trump would be right for this job, which requires a nerd-like focus on legislative details, and an ability to smooth ruffled feathers from various egos of all kinds, as well as get along with ideological foes. He has strengths, but probably not those strengths.
But oh, the fun of it if it happens.
Congress is a positive zoo of bad activity and gridlock, passing through gargantuan spending bills and feathering their nests. It's why polls show that voters can't stand Congress.
Trump could be quite an antidote to that, not having those kinds of conflicts of interest, let alone greed.
Better still, he could drive the left bonkers. Imagine the expressions on the faces of the White House staff if they learn that Trump will be their Speaker of the House. It's hard to say whether they hate him or fear him more. Just the talk of Trump becoming Speaker is sure to throw them off balance and have them raving for awhile, even if it doesn't happen.
It's worth asking whether he might even be shielded from some of the crazed prosecutors who are after him as a private citizen with some kind of immunity -- legal eagles would know.
If it happens, it could be quite a satisfying retort to all the garbage the left has thrown at Trump and the leftist hate for the voters who voted for him.
Fingers crossed that we can hope for the best. The cool thing about Trump is that anything can happen.
Image: Official photo / public domain
