They’re lining up to run for the presidency
I鈥檓 already thinking about 2024.
That鈥檚 because it鈥檚 gonna be loaded with the kinds of bare-knuckled, political drama well worth writing about.
Donald Trump may or may not be on the ballot for president.
Joe Biden? Who knows?
In the meantime, the road leading up to the 2024 presidential election is already beginning to come into view.
Trump keeps hinting he鈥檚 on the verge of announcing he鈥檚 going to run.
Of course, if he does announce his intentions, that could gum up the works of the various prosecutors around the country (New York, Georgia, and possibly in Washington) who may be thinking about hauling him into court.
Any legal claims against a presidential candidate could be perceived as being brazenly political.
Even if they aren鈥檛 political, Trump will claim they are.
You know how that goes, don鈥檛 you?
There are also lots of Republicans who seem to be laying the groundwork for their possible runs for the presidency in case Mr. Trump doesn鈥檛 run. That鈥檚 just in case he鈥檚 so caught up in some legal entanglements he鈥檚 unable to sustain a legitimate candidacy.
There鈥檚 a growing number of visible Republicans jockeying for the chance to replace Trump as the party鈥檚 next standard-bearer 鈥� even though Election Day 2024 is still 834 days away.
At the top of the list, so far, is Florida鈥檚 mini-Trump governor, Ron DeSantis.
He鈥檚 trying to close in on Trump鈥檚 support around the country. And he鈥檚 even polling higher than him in a recent New Hampshire poll.
He鈥檚 a political bomb-thrower like Trump. But he has a far better understanding of how government works.
He does like to 鈥渙wn the libs鈥� with his provocative stands against (non-existent) issues, like Critical Race Theory, or with his opposition to vaccinating children.
Those stands haven鈥檛 made him unpopular 鈥� except, perhaps, in Democratic circles.
There鈥檚 former Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.
Haley recently gave a speech in which she hinted she might be the right person to take on Joe Biden on the issue of Iran. 鈥淭he next president will shred it on her first day in office,鈥� she said.
Which was met with a standing ovation. Then she added, 鈥淛ust saying, it takes a woman.鈥�
There鈥檚 Mike Pence.
Trump鈥檚 former vice president has been slowly coming out of his self-imposed political hibernation.
He recently endorsed a candidate for governor of Arizona (Karrin Taylor Robson), who isn鈥檛 the same MAGA candidate Trump has endorsed 鈥� Kari Lake.
This could be a signal that Pence might be readying himself to take on his former boss.
There are South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, and, of course, Ted Cruz, as possible presidential candidates.
Cruz always seems to be willing to grab a microphone and some headlines. Thusly, he could easily mount yet another, tiresome run for the presidency.
Noem is something of a darling of the Republican Party right now. She might be standing in the wings if Mr. Trump doesn鈥檛 run.
Others are being mentioned as possible Republican candidates in case Trump stumbles or decides not to run.
New Jersey鈥檚 ex-governor Chris Christie has been slowly disentangling himself from the Trump train for months.
He frequently appears on Sundays on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭his Week with George Stephanopoulos,鈥� with his sharp criticisms of Trump the man 鈥� if not Trump鈥檚 policies.
Christie is obviously savvy enough, and, quite frankly, caustic enough to attract a fair number of voters who might not have Trump to vote for in 鈥�24.
Of course, there鈥檚 always perpetual Trump irritant, Liz Cheney.
Rep. Cheney鈥檚 current claim to fame, or should I say, infamy, is her role as the Republican who serves as the vice chair on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
Of course, she鈥檚 probably less popular than malaria in some Republican circles. But she鈥檚 clinging fast to her traditional conservative ideology, and her ability to take a political punch.
That鈥檚 something that Trump seems unable to do.
That makes Cheney something of an anti-Trump.
Edward A. Owens is a multi-Emmy Award winner, former reporter, and anchor for Entertainment Tonight, and 40-year TV news and newspaper veteran. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.