Deadline Poet / November 28, 2023

Mike Pence Ends His Presidential Campaign

Calvin Trillin

He wouldn’t validate a Trumpist coup.
His status as an enemy was cinched.
In cults, disloyalty’s the mortal sin.
He’s lucky he avoided being lynched.

Can we count on you?

In the coming election, the fate of our democracy and fundamental civil rights are on the ballot. The conservative architects of Project 2025 are scheming to institutionalize Donald Trump’s authoritarian vision across all levels of government if he should win.

We’ve already seen events that fill us with both dread and cautious optimism—throughout it all, The Nation has been a bulwark against misinformation and an advocate for bold, principled perspectives. Our dedicated writers have sat down with Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders for interviews, unpacked the shallow right-wing populist appeals of J.D. Vance, and debated the pathway for a Democratic victory in November.

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Thank you,
The Editors of The Nation

Calvin Trillin

Calvin Trillin is The Nation’s “deadline poet.”

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