Mike Pence, Pretend Lifeguard of Conservatism—Voters Already Left His Pool

Mike Pence anointed himself to stand athwart the populist Right with a whistle in his mouth, screaming for conservatives to “get out of the pool.” The imagery fits him perfectly. Pence increasingly resembles that obnoxious childhood lifeguard we all remember—the self-important scold, high on perceived power, perched way above everyone else. As such, Pence is convinced that enforcing his rules matters more than understanding why people jumped into the water in the first place.