AnonAJ, In my mailbox I found a message from you which I cannot now find on the message board.  In the portion that was in my mailbox you alluded to the possibility that Pence is already running for 2020.  I think that the desire to be president is the best explanation for why Pence would be willing to undertake the difficult assignment of running interference for a candidate he almost certainly knows is unqualified for the job.  I think it is not unreasonable for Pence to anticipate that, if Trump is elected, he will resign or be impeached by the half-way point of the term, making Pence president in 2018 or 2019.  At risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I have to say that I wouldn't be surprised if there is a deal.