During the hush money criminal trial involving President Donald Trump, several of his allies, who are also potential Vice Presidential candidates, made appearances at the courthouse. They demonstrated their loyalty by criticizing the trial as a sham, attacking witnesses, and even targeting the judge's daughter. President Trump, under a gag order, could not make such statements himself, so his allies took on this role.
Speaker Mike Johnson, among others, traveled to New York to voice his opinions on Michael Cohen, displaying a personal vendetta against him. The trial was described as an attempt to wear down the jurors with a strategy to induce mental anguish on a Republican presidential candidate.
Various individuals, including J.D. Vance, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Governor Burgum, were present at the courthouse, with Burgum staying for the entire day. The Vice Presidential stakes were high, with Doug Burgum currently leading in the betting markets with a 24% chance of being Trump's VP pick. However, there are 13 candidates with a 2% chance or higher, indicating a wide range of possibilities.
Historical data from previous election cycles show that eventual Vice Presidential picks often had low initial odds, such as Sarah Palin and Paul Ryan in 2008, and Mike Pence in 2004. The ongoing courthouse appearances by potential VP candidates are likened to an audition or a pageant, where someone unexpected could catch Trump's attention and secure the VP nomination.
Overall, the atmosphere at the courthouse was described as a mix of political theater and strategic maneuvering, with each candidate vying for Trump's favor in the hopes of being chosen as his running mate.
