T. Boone Pickens invigted to join Independent Greens presidential ticket; Bloomberg withdraws
The following is a media release from the Independent Greens of Virginia:
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Oddo 703-338-0200
www.gailparker.us Gail “for Rail” Parker
www.VoteJoinRun.us 703-585-0512©
T. Boone Pickens invited to join Independent Greens Presidential Ticket
The Independent Greens of Virginia were the first state party in America to endorse and join The Pickens Plan on July 7, 2008. The Pickens Plan calls for building wind, solar power, and rail to cut dependence on foreign oil. Make America safer and more secure.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg withdrew from the Independent Greens presidential ballot line on Thursday. The Indy Greens have contacted T. Boone Pickens through his representatives (Sara Martin of Stratton and Associates, the political consulting firm in Denver, Colorado). The Independent Greens invited him to join their Presidential ticket to promote the Pickens Plan to cut American dependence on foreign oil.
The Independent Greens advocate building high speed, modern, innovative magnetic levitation trains. “We need More Trains, Less Traffic to make America safer and more secure, and save American lives.” Gail “for Rail” Parker, the Independent Greens Vice state chair, and U.S. Senate candidate.
“We need fiscally, conservative, and socially responsible government”.
This year the Independent Greens have effectively placed five Virginia candidates on the ballot for US Congress, plus put Gail for Rail Parker on the ballot once again for US Senate and an Independent Presidential candidate on the ballot in Virginia.
Election day is November 4, 2008.
G. Gail “for Rail” Parker, Vice-Chair Independent Greens of Virginia
U.S. Senate candidate
703-585-0512 (mobile)
ggailparker@aol.com
Joe Oddo, State Coordinator
U.S. House candidate in 11th District
703-338-0200 (mobile)
VoteJoinRun@aol.com
Mr. Oddo is the Independent Green candidate for congress in the 11th District.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:40 am
I thought they were going to put Baldwin and Castle on the ballot in VA. I know they were flirting with Bloomberg and Paul but this would appear they have decided against putting the CP ticket on their ballot line. Anyone have any definitive news?
September 5th, 2008 at 10:21 am
The Virginia State Board of Elections lists the following candidates as Independent Greens:
Gail Parker, U.S. Senate
Ron Fisher, House of Representatives 8th District
Joe Oddo, House of Representatives 11th District
As for Nader, how many signatures did the Independent Greens collect for him this year?
September 5th, 2008 at 10:46 am
They collected zero signatures for Nader. They went out collecting signatures for Bloomberg, who wasn’t even running, starting in January. Then, when he announced he wasn’t running and they realized they had a big contribution to the Virginia recycling effort on their hands otherwise, they offered the signatures to Nader (with Bloomberg’s name to be crossed out, of course) but his campaign wisely refused them. Then, apparently, they promised the signatures to the Constitution Party, which indicated so on its website, but then at the same time (don’t laugh) offered the signatures back to Bloomberg, who wisely took a pass yesterday.
Are you following all of this?
The Nader campaign got on the Virginia ballot completely on its own.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:06 am
These folks are starting to run out of celebrities to glom onto…....I have a suggestion: how about running Lyndon LaRouche? He’s a Virginia resident and he’s not doing anything. Well, not anything time consuming or important. Plus he loves the spotlight, a characteristic he shares with the IGP. And he’s always been a perfect fit in every way with the so-called Indpendent Greens.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:07 am
I think these guys were doing it on speculcation that Bloomberg would run and it would give them the inside track on his ballot access work. When that didn’t pay off, they figured to sell them to the highest bidder. But signatures are like concert/race tickets – have a short window of utility after which they are worthless.
Anyone know why the deal with the CP didn’t go through?
September 5th, 2008 at 11:26 am
David Gaines..
thrown out of the Libertarian Party…as you were…
You’re lack of truth telling is nothing new…
Indpendent Greens collected 70,000 signatures for their candidates.
They also collected about 10,000 for Nader in 2008….ask Ralph…whose 2004 petition drive in Virginia—as it is widely know was damaged by a fellow named Gaines…
Gaines…you should get a life, get a job, or at least manage your congressional candidate’s campaign…
Or has he thrown you out like the Libertarian Party did?
September 5th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Neeraj Nigam here.
I am the Independent Greens of Virginia 10th congressional district chairman, member fo the Independent Greens central committee.
I am also on the ballot for U.S. House in the 10th District as an Independent.
Nathan Larson is also our endorsed congressional candidate on the ballot in the 1st district.
We have a full slate of write in candidates for all the congressional districts.
Michael Bloomberg withdrew – in writing to the state board of elections and the Independent Greens State chairman, from the Independent Greens ballot line in Virginia. Otherwise Mr. Bloomberg would absolutely have remained on the ballot….This was what the Independent Greens worked on since 2005.
The Independent Greens have been working to support the Pickens Plan since it was lauched, and whether Mr. Pickens accepts the ballot line, or not will continue working with T. Boone Pickens.
Ron Paul remains on the Vice Presidential ballot line as of this afternoon.
The Independent Greens, as we said all along, will NOT remove Paul from the ballot. Nor would we have removed Mr. Bloomberg, had he not decided to be removed. It was Mr. Bloomberg’s decision, just as it is Mr. Paul’s.
The Independent Green Central Committee, Electors, and state party have already voted on three possible substitutions.
T. Boone Pickens is one of them.
Others, if necessary, will be on press releases here at Third Party Watch in coming days.
...finally….I would suggest you not believe a word David Gaines writes… a lesson the Libertarian Party learned long ago..
September 5th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Nader did not take signatures from the Indy Greens. Nader and McKinney got on the ballot through hard work for them – not for some substitute with a big name.
And, as I understand it, Ron Paul has said he is declining the VP nomination and wants to withdraw.
Stop spreading lies.
And Nader or Cobb did not get on in 2004 because of competing campaigns. It had nothing to do with Dave Gaines.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Do the right thing and put Chuck Baldwin on!
September 5th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
What is the point of putting some celebrity name on your presidential ticket that will be on one state ballot and have no real effect but maybe sway the vote to one candidate or the other in that state?
The Indy Greens should put an actual candidate running for the office on the ballot.
September 6th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I wouldn’t have a problem were it not for the fact that a) the IGPV already agreed to put Baldwin/Castle on the ballot, and b) Paul and Bloomberg or Pickens have opposite ideologies.
September 6th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Wow, I once had respect for gaines. He has outdone himself as he spews flat out falsehoods. Never would anyone circulate petitions with a name crossed out or changed afterward. Had Mr. Gaines actually ever stepped out from behind the safely of his computer he would know the grueling effort that petitioning presents.
Another of his falsehoods that gaines did not even bother to check out was whether Nader’s team engaged members of our team for petitioning help. Yes, Nader operated his own ballot access drive, but look at the member of the IG who helped coordinate the Northern Virginia effort…
September 6th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Why did the CP leadership depend on this party for Virginia ballot access?
September 6th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Probably only depended on them after they were promised the signatures. As far as I’ve seen the IGs will endorse anyone without a “D” or “R” after their name if it somehow benefits them.
September 7th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
I e-mailed the members of the Independent Greens to nominate Chuck Baldwin/Ron Paul, Ron Paul/Chuck Baldwin or better yet, Ron Paul/Barry Goldwater, Jr. on the ticket. That’d be 3 states Ron Paul had ballot access.