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I like Vivek. A lot. I think he is, by far, the smartest candidate, with a quick mind, able to speak intelligently on a vast range of topics. He is the least likely to be flamboozled by the media or others, and he advocates a brave and wise set of goals. I feel like we have a lot in common, Vivek and I.
And we are both outsiders. As a Jew who often hides my Jewishness because it gets in the way of my job, I understand what it is like to both love America, but understand that I will never be fully accepted by "normal" people. Red America is going to vote for Trump, because despite all his faults, Trump is truly one of them. Vivek just learned that, although he impressed almost everyone he met, that despite outworking everyone else in Iowa, despite having the most positive and clear vision of any candidate (by far), he could not draw the votes.
So what is Vivek's future role? I very much want Vivek to be powerful, because I think he uniquely understands how to address the issues facing America, especially the Deep State and illegal immigration. His solutions will work. And he, I believe deeply, is not interested in amalgamating power for himself: he truly wants to dismantle the Deep State.
What should happen now? At least for now, I think Vivek should be Trump's in-house Jew.
What is an in-house Jew? From Joseph to Mordechai to Abarbanel to countless corporations today, an in-house Jew is a supremely capable technocrat who can get everything done on behalf of the #1 guy — but who is never acceptable enough to be made #1.
And Trump should embrace this role, as he did when he gave another Jew, Jared Kushner, the rope to string together the Abraham Accords.
Vivek may or may not end up being acceptable to Americans as a Presidential Candidate. I have come to think that his intelligence and energy and Hinduism and — yes — color, put people off. Most people have a hard time trusting a guy who is clearly much, much smarter than your average bear. The Twitter feed and National Review and countless others have been saying this since Vivek entered the race: he is really smart and he says all the right things, but do we trust him? Is he real?
It is the accusation about all in-house Jews, everywhere. And yet they can be incredibly effective (and loyal to #1), if the #1 gives them a mandate and sets them loose.
That's my recommendation. And based on the news since last night, I think we are on the road to making it happen. Vivek is now stumping for Trump, not perhaps to become VP, but instead to gain the in-house Jew role in the next White House.
Discussion (31)
MODERATOR
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Not as enthralled with Vivek as you are. He does tell an audience what rheir itchy ears want to hear.
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I don't see it this way at all. I have watched a lot of Vivek: he says things no other candidate will say. Things that make the media and the Left go nuts. But those things are, with the exception of foreign policy, right on target.
And his ideas are not designed as crowd-pleasers. They are well thought-out and, in a great many cases, novel. Canned candidates do not do novelty. Novelty is dangerous and unpopular.
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Look at how Vivek speaks about faith.
Do you know any other candidate in your lifetime who could give such a cogent and thoughtful answer to a tough question?
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I wish our Constitution had a position like Minister without Portfolio. Such a position would suit V to the ground. He is very smart, articulate and thinks carefully about the ideas he cares about. He’s not intimidated by the loud and fierce dopes. He seems to like to talk about ideas and concepts. I think he lacks focus and I would have doubts about him in the line of succession or responsible for something requiring long term digging and following through. I would like him in a Trump administration working at something that matters immediately to the actual citizen public and which change would anger the clerisy. Boy would I like him to dismantle the Fed.
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I think the Vivek would be an excellent candidate in 2028. I like the idea of him being a minister without portfolio in a Trump administration (assuming Trump wins), but I have the impression that life inside the Trump White House is so chaotic it might damage Vivek.
I liked Trump's policies In his 2017 - 2021 administration, but as the Republican presidential candidate, his personality issues give me pause. Were the stories of chaos in his White House a figment of the never trump media imagination? I don't know. I wish I had inside information on that.
I don't know whether Vivek would be the best Republican candidate for 2028, but the four years of seasoning and building political base might be really good for such a campaign.
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