Dem
51
GOP
49
It took a while, but eventually Mike Pompeo came to the same conclusion we did last year: It would take a miracle on the order of Moses parting the Red Sea for him to be elected president. On Friday, Pompeo told Fox News' Bret Baier that he will not run for president in 2024. In all fairness to Pompeo, we didn't check with God before coming to our conclusion. Waiting for Him slows down the process quite a bit, as He's a busy guy, what with so many POTUS wannabes asking for avice.
Pompeo explained his decision to Baier by saying: "This isn't our moment." Definitely true. He is too closely associated with Donald Trump, having served as his secretary of state, to run in the not-Trump lane. Besides, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson is already there and is less Trumpy. The Trump lane is already full, with Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) hogging the road. There is simply no place for Pompeo. The fact that the former secretary realizes this is to his credit. In contrast, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) is barrelling full speed ahead and will make a fool of himself when he comes in below 5% in Iowa, if he lasts that long.
Note that Pompeo did not say: "I don't want to be president." If Trump runs in 2024 and is crushed, the fever might break and in 2028 it might be possible for a normal conservative, like Pompeo, to get the GOP nomination. Interestingly enough, Pompeo did not endorse anyone else for the nomination, not even his old boss. He understands that picking a loser now won't help him in 2028, so the best strategy is to lay low for a while and then endorse the nominee after it is clear who that will be.
Pompeo is definitely thinking about 2028 already. He told Baier: "To those of you this announcement disappoints, my apologies. And to those of you this thrills, know that I'm 59 years old. There remain many more opportunities for which the timing might be more fitting as presidential leadership becomes even more necessary." Note that bit about the "timing might be more fitting." In case you lost your secret decoder ring, that time is 2028. (V)