Democratic strategist James Carville believes that Vivek Ramaswamy's promise to pardon Donald Trump if elected president is the most astute approach among the Republican contenders. Carville contrasted this with other GOP candidates like Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, and Ron DeSantis, who have not made similar commitments, describing them as "circling buzzards" waiting to capitalize on a potential Trump downfall. He emphasized Ramaswamy's tactic as the "smartest strategy" on CNN Thursday.
Ramaswamy announced his intention to pardon Trump during a press conference outside the Miami federal courthouse on Monday, following Trump's arraignment on 37 charges related to classified documents. Ramaswamy argues that the charges are politically motivated and has urged his fellow candidates to also pledge a pardon. He issued a statement criticizing the Biden administration for what he sees as a dangerous precedent of using law enforcement against a political opponent during an election.
Carville highlighted the importance for Trump's rivals within the Republican party to avoid appearing disloyal. He pointed out that even strong Trump critics like Asa Hutchinson and Chris Christie face a difficult situation, as Republican voters are likely to remember who supported Trump and who didn't. Carville noted that Trump remains a significant force in the party and will continue to be a topic of conversation. Christie, who previously endorsed Trump in 2016, has since strongly criticized him, while Hutchinson has called for Trump to withdraw from the race due to his conduct.
