WASHINGTON, D.C.  May 10 (DPI) – Conservative commentator George Will, long critical of the current occupant of the White House, seemed to strike a nerve this week with a column that suggested the fawning evangelical Mike Pence poses an even more offensive presence than his boss.

Will’s column – titled “Trump Is No Longer the Worst Person in Government” – called out Pence for the hypocrisy of an evangelical politician lavishing praise and loyalty to a man devoid of moral probity or fiber.   “Trump is what he is, a floundering, inarticulate jumble of gnawing insecurities and not-at-all compensating vanities, which is pathetic,” Will wrote. “Pence is what he has chosen to be, which is horrifying.”

Readers, in great numbers, responded to Will’s column with more support of Will than usual. The column received more than 4,000 comments in 24 hours, something of a record for a George Will column. Will of course is an old guard conservative who promotes ideals of smaller government and more personal liberty – both something of a tough sell in this hyper-partisan environment in which most US constituencies have been conditioned to expect solutions from Washington.

Pence’s fawning behavior toward the nihilist Trump is really Exhibit A in the broader question of why religious conservatives have ever supported – and continue to support – an amoral charlatan like Trump. The answer of course is that evangelicals see the social activism and identity politics of the American Left as simply more threatening than Trump.

The most popular comments reacting to Will’s column showed that readers aren’t always reflexively critical of conservative pundits:

“Absolutely true. And that Pence clothes his shameless toadying in piety and humility makes him the villainous Uriah Heep of our era. ”

“The oleaginous Mike Pence, with his talent for toadyism and appetite for obsequiousness, could, Trump knew, become America’s most repulsive public figure. “
Oh, George, you wordsmith, you. What a great depiction of Pence! “oleaginous” – terrific word.
“Trump is what he is, a floundering, inarticulate jumble of gnawing insecurities and not-at-all compensating vanities, which is pathetic. Pence is what he has chosen to be, which is horrifying.” Well, there it is. Great summary. And now you see why America is in no hurry to impeach Trump, though he deserves it mightily – President Pence.

Let’s face it . . . Trump put Pence on the ticket as impeachment insurance. Who would remove Trump if Pence is the person who replaces him?
However . . . remember the lessons of Watergate. First you remove the Vice President (a la Agnew). Then you replace him (through the 25th Amendment) with an honorable man generally acceptable to both parties. (Gerald Ford)  Then you remove the President. When conservatives like Will start to impugn the VP, then the gambit begins. Now, who can we nominate to replace Pence?