Third Party Watch

As Tom Knapp stated yesterday, this is the first time it’s been “humanly possible” for me to provide my view of Bob Barr’s presidential announcement yesterday. As the photograph above illustrates (from right to left), Doug Bandow, Derek Barr, Bob and his wife, and Russ Verney stood together as the presidential announcement was made.

One [...]

From Christine Smith for President:

The NVP show with Smith is one of the most powerful interviews you can hear. Many issues were discussed, with all three hosts (Bryan Siemon, Ray Powell & Neil Kiernan ) and listeners expressing support of her candidacy on-air. If you listen to just one interview – hear this [...]

Today is Mike Gravel’s birthday and he’s celebrating with this YouTube. He also (according to an e-mail I received from his campaign) just won a presidential straw poll in West Virginia. Here are the numbers they have provided TPW:

Below are the straw poll results from the West Virginia LP Convention, held yesterday.

Senator Mike [...]

USA Today story here.

I’m sure TPW publisher Stephen Gordon will offer more details as soon as humanly possible, either in an edit to this story or a full separate piece—this is just the “news flash!” version. Feel free to take it away in comments, though.

From a release distributed by Ruth Bennett:

Several of you have talked to me about running for Governor of Washington State this year. A couple of you actually volunteered to help! I have been thinking about it since I ran in 2004 when I got about 63,000 votes and the difference between the winner D [...]

From the LA Times:

Paul’s presidential candidacy has been correctly dismissed all along in terms of winning the nomination. He was even excluded as irrelevant by Fox News from a nationally-televised GOP debate in New Hampshire.

But what’s been largely overlooked is Paul’s candidacy as a reflection of a powerful lingering dissatisfaction with the Arizona senator among [...]

From Phillies 2008:

Libertarian Presidential candidate George Phillies today condemned ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) export restrictions as “a highly effective American subsidy for foreign manufacturers,” and said they should be repealed.

“ITAR makes sense if you believe that America has a monopoly on high-tech engineering and research,” Phillies said, “and if you believe that foreigners [...]

The AJC’s Political Insider, John Martin at Politico, CNN’s Mark Preston, Reason’s David Weigel and others report that Bob Barr will be holding a press conference on Monday. According to Martin and Preston, inside sources have confirmed that Barr will announcing a presidential race. It’s no big secret that I’m a campaign insider, but [...]

One of the recurring themes of third party politics in America seems to be the phenomenon of the “hostile takeover.” A disgruntled major party politician, an eccentric multi-millionaire, or perhaps a group of major party factional schemers decides that rather than working within the party of their putative loyalty, or perhaps forming a new party, [...]

From Phillies 2008:

Libertarian Presidential candidate George Phillies today condemned the War on Iraq as an overwhelming financial catastrophe. “We will spend three trillion dollars,” he said, “on a war without a reason. Beyond the irreparable loss, the Iraqi and American war dead, an astronomical financial loss is now being visited on the American taxpayer.

“Thanks to [...]

by Steve Kubby

Dear fellow Libertarians,

I’ve got a secret that I want to share with you. Some of you may find it a startling revelation. Some of you may find it disappointing. Still others may read things into it that you shouldn’t. So I’ll have a little bit of explaining to do. But it’s been bothering [...]

From the Root for America campaign:

Libertarian Presidential candidate Wayne Allyn Root will be traveling to New York for a Libertarian Presidential debate on Fox Business Channel on Friday May 16th. Former United States Senator Mike Gravel has agreed to debate Root. Former Congressman Barr has also been invited by Fox. Root will appear on other [...]

Greens introduce a plan for environmental action for a Green President’s first 100 days in office

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

An environmental program for Green presidential candidates—and a challenge to Democrats and Republicans

WASHINGTON, DC—The Green Party’s Eco-Action Committee has announced a set of recommendations for environmental actions for the first 100 days of a Green [...]

From Townhall:

There’s scant prospect of any viable third party, however, when potential fringe contenders have an air of “round-up-the-usual suspects”—Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Mike Gravel, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin. Soaring turnout in primaries shows no mass desertion from the two-party system, and the Gallup Poll of under-30 voters notes a scant 8%—unchanged from four [...]

The title was lifted to show how a Reason Facebook-promoted event is currently being billed. Here are the details provided:

A debate on the libertarian vote in 2008

Event Host: Reason magazine
Type: Music/Arts – Jam Session
Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Time: 4:30pm – 8:00pm
Location: Reason
Street:1747 Connecticut Ave NW
City/Town: Washington, DC

Description: As the Republicans settled on John McCain [...]

From David Weigel at Reason:

I saw Ron Paul on Wednesday, at a signing event for The Revolution, and he told me he won’t endorse Baldwin or Barr. He’ll kinda-sorta endorse both. He won’t stop them from using photos of him or talking about his campaign.

“Chuck was in my office today to say hello,” Paul said. [...]

by David Nolan

Here, for everyone’s amusement, are plausible (OK, semi-plausible) scenarios outlining how each of the six leading contenders COULD win the LP nomination for President at the upcoming national convention in Denver. Some, obviously, are more plausible than others. Consider this speculative fiction, nothing more.

BOB BARR – Announces on May 12 that he’s really [...]

by Dr. Mary Ruwart

In just a few weeks, the Libertarian Party’s national convention delegates will choose our party’s 2008 presidential nominee, who will become our de facto leader and public face of the party for the next four years. Will we choose wisely? Will we choose someone who believes in liberty?

When I first ran as [...]

Christine Smith discusses child pornography, the FBI, anarchism, rule of law, the future of the LP, and more. She defended Shane Cory, stating that he didn’t overstep his bounds. She also defined her view about the proper role of government and accuses Mary Ruwart of living in a fantasy world. She called [...]

From Phillies 2008:

Libertarian Presidential candidate George Phillies proposed that the Federal government should actually do something to improve the energy price situation. “Sensible Libertarian approaches have two important features,” he said. “First, they are based on reality. Second, they do not ask the Federal government to do things it does poorly.”

“The rapid climb in energy [...]

From the Barr 2008 Presidential Exploratory Committee:

Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr will hold a press conference on Monday May 12 to discuss his future plans and the 2008 election. Rep. Barr (bio here) launched an exploratory committee last month to determine whether he should file as a candidate for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination.

Who: [...]

There are still ongoing rumors and speculation that California’s American Independent Party may not be united with the rest of the Constitution Party’s decision about their presidential nominee.

Ballot Access News just reported:

However, [American Independent Party of California State Chair Ed] Noonan told me on the telephone on May 7 that he still will work to [...]

For the record, I’m still in love with Liv aka Mona aka Ron Paul Girl. While Gravel is busy chasing after Obama Girl, I’m at least getting some internet play from Ron Paul Girl. Mona still provides some linky-love to one of my websites and hasn’t dropped me as a Facebook friend (yet).

Here’s Ron [...]

Skip to the 32 minute mark.

H/T to Rolf.