But what motivation would he have to suggest to pabs that the argument he (Matt) gave for pabs dropping out is baseless?
ALTERNATE UNIVERSE Douchecanoe (DC): "Hey pabs, if you don't run for Pres, I won't apply to West Point!" pabs: "Oh well okay then!" shrugs / drops out of Pres election six months pass DC: "Oh hahaha! I won the student election, and I'm going to west point anyway! Look, I fucked you twice!" pabs: ".....oh." __________ Like c'mon dude, trust people a little less here. "Two houses, both alike in infamy, in fair Verona where we lay our scene..." except it's not Verona, it's high school, and it's a pissing contest, and whoever crushes the other most is the winningest. The whole point is Matt thinks he's smart and is trying to get Pabst to drop out for no verifiable reason. If Pabst does drop out, Matt can be lying (of course he wouldn't suggest this to Pabst, but if Pabst is smart he can see this) and Pabst won't even find out for months.
In re-reading, I see where the mis-communication was in this series of comments - I was pretty sure there had to be one, because what i was reading just wasn't making any sense. You're pointing out that Matt's suggested reason for Pabst dropping out is, as opposed to spurious, completely independent of the election; that it will happen whether Pabst agrees to drop out or not. So of course, Pabst wouldn't drop out. I hadn't considered that angle but it's extremely valid. I find it likely Matt is, well, a high school idiot, and probably made up this reason, and so Pabst should disregard the offer, but you're right as well. Sorry if I seemed testy, I just wasn't "getting" it.