James Carville calls Vivek Ramaswamy's vow to pardon Trump the 'smartest strategy'
James Carville said that GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has the "smartest strategy" of the Republicans by vowing to pardon Trump if elected.
Democratic strategist James Carville argued that 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is pursuing the "smartest strategy" among Republicans by vowing to pardon former President Trump if he is elected.
The other Republican presidential candidates who have not yet vowed to pardon Trump — including former Vice President Mike Pence, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — "are coming across is like circling buzzards," Carville said on CNN Thursday.
"They’re waiting to pounce on [Trump’s] carcass," he added, saying Ramaswamy's was the "smartest strategy."
Democratic strategist James Carville argued that 2024 Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is pursuing the "smartest strategy" among his competitors by vowing to pardon Donald Trump if he is elected. (CNN / Screenshot)
RAMASWAMY PLEDGES TO PARDON TRUMP IF ELECTED, CHALLENGES OPPONENTS TO MAKE SAME VOW
During a Monday press conference at the federal courthouse in Miami, Ramaswamy said that, if elected president, he will pardon Trump for his federal charges.
Trump was arraigned Tuesday after a federal grand jury indicted him on 37 charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Ramaswamy claims the Biden administration is pursuing a political case against Trump, the current frontrunner for the 2024 GOP nomination. He has encouraged his fellow candidates to sign a pledge to pardon Trump as well.
"The use of police force by a sitting U.S. President against his chief political rival in the midst of a presidential election sets a dangerous precedent in our country," Ramaswamy said in a press release.
During a Monday press conference at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami, Florida, Ramaswamy said that, if elected president, he will pardon Trump for his federal charges. ( Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
JAMES CARVILLE DECRIES 'PUBLIC SPAT' BETWEEN BIDEN, ADAMS: 'SHOULDN'T BE AIRING ON CNN OR AXIOS'
It was important, Carville said, for Trump's foes in the party to not look like they aren't in solidarity with him.
"It’s clear that [Asa] Hutchinson and [Chris] Christie can’t stand Trump," he said. "Even if Trump gets knocked out for legal reasons or something like that, still these Republican voters are going to remember who stood by him and who didn’t."
That puts even vocal anti-Trump opponents like Hutchinson and Christie in a tough spot, Carville explained.
"There’s some difficult positioning going on their side because [Trump’s] still a looming figure in that party. And you’re going to talk about him, and I’m going to talk about him, and they’re going to talk about him for a long time to come," he added.
Christie, who memorably endorsed Trump in 2016, has called Trump "juvenile," "baby," "three-time loser" and a "failed leader."
Hutchinson claimed that Trump engaged in behavior "unbecoming of somebody who wants to be president" after his indictment and also argued that Trump should drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
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Fox News’ Houston Keene contributed to this report.
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