Announcement: The Future of Third Party Watch
In the two and a half years since I created Third Party Watch, it has amazed me how readership has steadily increased. A central news source for third party politics was something people really wanted, but just did not exist back in 2005. Unfortunately, as successful as this site has been, I just don’t think I am the best person to provide that service. As a Republican and a person with many other time commitments, I’ve never been able to really take TPW to the next level.
So I have some great news to report. Effective immediately, Steve Gordon will be taking over as the new editor of this website. In addition, his company has purchased TPW from me and they will now be managing all the behind-the-scenes stuff like ad sales and site design.
For the time being I will remain around as an occassional contributor, but this is really Steve’s show now. In fact, he’s has already shared with me a few of his many ideas for improving and expanding this site, and I couldn’t be happier.
Steve has consulted for and managed many third party campaigns, he’s served in several leadership positions with the national and Alabama Libertarian Parties, and he’s been a contributor to this site for a while now. He was also a co-founder of Hammer of Truth, and runs his own popular blog called Gordon Unleashed. In short, there is no one more qualified or better suited to take over Third Party Watch than Steve Gordon. He has the connections, the knowledge, and the passion!
I just want to thank everyone who has made it possible for TPW to get this far. This site wouldn’t be what it is today without the support of our past and current sponsors, as well the hard work of contributors like Cody, Brad, Joey, Anthony, Joe Magyer, and others. And thank you, the readers, from the bottom of my heart. Owning this site has been a tremendously rewarding experience for me. But Third Party Watch is in better hands now, and I am excited to see what happens next.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Austin,
You’ve done a great job on this site, and the growth in leadership shows how many people respected you and loved the blog. I wish you all the best.
I’m looking forward to seeing what one of my favorite bloggers, Steve Gordon, will do with the site
December 5th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
We’ll miss you, Austin. You did a great job with the website and I wish you success in all your future and present endeavors. I trust that Gordon will do a great job with the site.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Austin,
Thanks for all you’ve done building this great website!
Steve,
Congratulations! I always enjoy your blog posts and I look forward to seeing what direction you’ll take this website.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Austin has done a hell of a job with this blog, and nobody shall ever replace him. However, Steve has proven before that he is more then qualified to take over the position. I am confident that this place will continue on under Steve.
I will continue to make my contributions regardless of who runs the site; that is, unless they don’t want me here. I haven’t heard anything along those lines yet.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Congratulations Steven, and thank you Austin. Next to Race42008.com and RCP this is my very favorite site on the web. I’m sure Stephen will bring it to the next level. He’s a son-of-a-bitch at times, but fair and honest. And that’s what you need in this positition. Someone who is reliable, but also knows how to knock heads.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
I can’t resist. Someone has to say it:
Will the name now change to “Ron Paul Watch”?
Or has that name been taken already by Lew Rockwell?
Just a little semi-exasperated Movement humor.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Austin Cassidy,
I’ve enjoyed insulting you and look forward to insulting Steve Gordon as well. Thanks for not disclosing my secret identity, Executive Detractor.
Also, thanks for mistakenly thinking I had prepared this website to mock you when it was actually prepared to mock someone else:
http://keepaustinstupid.blogspot.com/
December 5th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
It’s been a great run watching you build this site, Austin. Good luck with taking it to the next level, Steve.
Best regards,
Tom Knapp
December 5th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Austin,
Great job with Third Party Watch.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Congratulations, Austin.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Bravo Austin, you built something cool.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Austin—thanks for the kind words. I think everyone on this comment thread feels what I’ll suggest: You have done an awesome job with TPW. I hope I’m able to continue this important project you started with half the integrity you put into it.
Anthony—your contributions aren’t just welcome, they are mandatory.
Susan—I’m trying to keep (at least my) Ron Paul postings limited to issues of interest to the third party world.
Wes—I look forward to the insults. It’s been a while since I’ve been insulted by you. It will be like old times. Careful, both Dondero and Hogarth will be competing for honor of the most insults, though.
The rest of you, thanks for the support.
December 5th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
You’ve done great things here Austin, I hope your time setting up and running this site has been as rewarding as the countless hours I spent lurking here instead of working
December 5th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Third Party Watch has been one of the 3 web sites I look at, multiple times per day. Congratulations on a smooth transition from Austin to Stephen.
December 5th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Austin—You are amazing. Good luck in the future.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
I have to agree, this is my favorite website. Austin has done an outstanding job and he has worked hard to keep this site open to all “Minor Parties” I’m glad Austin, that you’ll still be around and posting sometimes.
Steve, I’m already enjoying your humor on this site with the Bunny interview with Bill Redpath. Now you need to sneak in the articles about cigars and micro brewed beers.
Best of luck to both of you.
Bill
December 5th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Austin – thank you for the site. I think we started our sites around the same time and for some wonderful reason you kept a link to my site the entire time (and I kept a link to yours as well).
I hope that Third Party Watch will still carry the occasional Green Party news. You always did a great job of fair and balanced reporting.
Good luck with your next project.
Ron
December 5th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Richard,
If you don’t mind my asking, what other 2 websites do you check out daily? Your opinion carries weight with me because your site is awesome, btw.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Ron,
My intent is to have more Green Party and other third party and independent news on the site. Toward this end, I’ve already recruited one Green Party writer and he hopes to bring a couple of other people on board.
Additionally, I’ve recruited someone who is very involved in third party debate issues and he’ll be covering some of those items, as appropriate. Another friend wants to write about general (non-party specific) third party issues.
I’ll also try to continue with GP news, although my sources aren’t as good there as in the LP. I’ve managed to get a few out over the last few days, though.
Hope you stick around; I’ve always enjoyed your blog.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Shoot, still logged in with as the Admin. I can see this is a habit I’ll quickly have to break. The preceding comment was from Steve G.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Bill,
As much as we love may cigars and microbrews, it might not be the most appropriate content for this site. However, today is Repeal Day, which frequent Reason commenter WineCommonsewer, local libertarian PintPundit and of course I’m celebrating.
In the spirit of the old south, I’m participating by drinking a newer (they had a great buy) whiskey: Gentleman Jack. I’ve not yet decided the cigar for the evening. As I’m packing for a whiskey and cigar road trip, I’ll be going through the humidors and probably selecting something that I’d long forgotten about.
December 5th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Austin, thanks for creating a great web site. Steve, congratulations on your promotion from LP Political Director to webmaster of TPW ;-)
December 5th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Carl,
It’s certainly a promotion and I get less heat now. I’d call it a win-win situation.
December 5th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Congratulations Steven.
I hope that this site will now carry New American Independent Party news. ??
December 5th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Good job, Austin. Good luck, Steve.
My only criticism is that I would not link to websites of totalitarian parties – such as The Workers World Party or the Communist Party. But it’s not my site, so you get to do what you want.
December 5th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Since someone above asked, the 3 sites I check multiple times every day besides this one are Election Law Professor Rick Hasen’s election law blog, and Howard Bashman’s how appealing blog.
December 5th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
great job-
im excited to see what happens next
December 5th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
As someone who checks this site if not once, usually twice daily I want to thank you, Austin, for what you have built.
I don’t post much but I do read almost every comment.
Good luck Stephen with what you have planned for it.
December 5th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
“My only criticism is that I would not link to websites of totalitarian parties – such as The Workers World Party or the Communist Party.”
Usually if news comes out of a far-left political party, I try to cover it. I know it’s one of the least popular things on this site, but I figure that we need to give all political parties a shot. If you don’t like the ideology, then that’s fine. But I only think it’s fair if they have the same shot at coverage that the Libetarian and the Constitutionist Parties do.
December 5th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Austin,
Great job. Please lurk around…ALOT.
December 6th, 2007 at 12:18 am
AD and TH,
I mostly agree with both of you!
December 6th, 2007 at 12:19 am
Matt, thanks for asking that question of Richard Winger! I was awfully curious to know myself, as his site is none I visit multiple times a day.
December 6th, 2007 at 12:44 am
Good job Austin. Even though you’re a Republican and not a Democrat or better yet a Trotskyist, you set up a good foundation for this site which I have just found. I hope that Steven will cover the communist parties more, even the nationalist-globalist plant parties which do not believe in the divine message of Trotsky.
God is on the side of the world constitutional socialists, and the new order will come as it was in the days of Atlantis 20000 years ago, when the enemies united to destroy it and set back civilization to a point it is just now recovering.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:01 am
Steve Gordon is a great man! Austin, you have done well. Only Steve Gordon could aptly replace you.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:20 am
Thanks to you Austin for providing this forum for non-major party activists and anaylists and authors like myself to talk about campaigns and discuss issues related to non-major parties along providing election results to local races around the country. I think this forum has had some impact in thepositive changes in the Constituion Party, getting non-major parties to think differently about political tactics and where to direct their energies and getting Ron Paul’s camapaign off the ground with the help on non-major party activists. Hopefully Steve can follow in your footsteps in making this the hub on the web for non-major party news and activity.
Thanks again Austin and best of luck Steve!
December 6th, 2007 at 1:40 am
Sean,
I’ve my own biases as well. All I’ll promise is to give it my absolute best—even when it makes my stomach churdle.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:46 am
Everyone, thank you all so much for the kind words.
I’ll be sure to lurk in the comments from time to time and will still be posting articles on here once in a while. Particularly with the election coming up next year. There’s lots of interesting stuff going on.
Steve is going to do a fantastic job, I’m certain of it.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:56 am
John Killian? The guy who spoke at the AL straw poll?
Your speech was FANTASTIC.
December 6th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Austin, thanks for building this and good luck!
December 6th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Austin, man you have done a better job then most people could imagine doing. You’ll be missed, Good luck in whatever you do next!
December 6th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Austin, man you have done a better job then most people could imagine doing. You’ll be missed, Good luck in whatever you do next!
December 6th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Trent,
Yes, that’s the same John Killian.
December 6th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Third Party Watch has been one of the 3 web sites I look at, multiple times per day. The other two are Richard Winger’s Ballot Access News and fellow FLoridian’s Politics1. Here’s hoping for a smooth upgrade from Austin to Stephen.
How interesting that Tish Firmiss, Don Lake, John Coffey, and I can get ‘Yelled At’ for the same things that other insiders later admit —-’mea culpa’ if you will…..
Your parting bow hit it right on the head. You were only a tolerable host. TPW became good [not great] inspite of you, not because of you. At least [after DOZENS of truly non Democans and non Republicrats have repeatedly pointed it out to you FOR YEARS] you recognized some of the contributing factors.
Hopefully Steve will appoint Sacramento based Phillip Sawyer as a Left to Centralist moderator – commentator [finally!] and report on Green Secular Saint Harry Martin. Martin, the editor of alternative weekly Napa Sentinel, and the longest serving city council member in recent memory, is a terror to the establishment and an advocate of every day folks, including veterans of both genders and all political stripes. We have sent you press releases, full copies of the sentinel, and hand written copies for over two years.
You have never been the problem [of too little democracy in the USA] but you were not that much of a solution. Maybe Steve will be ‘The Real Thing’!
December 6th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Thanks for tolerating my site for the last two and a half years. It was really big of you.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I really appreciate your hard work here, although sadly, I only discovered this excellent site very recently. I especially enjoyed your coverage of “leading LP candidate” Daniel Impewacko.
December 6th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Austin, you snotty sarcastic bastard! Could not help but notice that you STILL have not, in over 20 months, given an honest, direct answer!
What a politician! Prior to your re-election efforts, could you plz post the addresses of your competitors?
December 6th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Stephen Gordon’s best [or at least ‘good’] postal mailing address:
Libertarian Party of Alabama
2330 Highland Avenue
Birmingham, AL 35205-2910
December 7th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Austin,
Thank you for Third Party Watch, this is the best TP site EVER!
I consider it a Great Honor writing for your website and continue to do so.
I look forward to working with Steve Gordon from now on but please continue writing here, hopefully you’ll eventually re-register third-party.