Third Party Watch

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 [...]

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. [...]

It appears Chuck Baldwin’s website just went live, although it certainly isn’t fully fleshed out yet.

Chuck Baldwin is obviously relying heavily upon a candidacy which portrays him as a surrogate for Ron Paul. His main page says he is “continueing the Revolution”. Baldwin’s site also features a quote from his acceptance speech at the Constitution [...]

According to the website of the American Independent Party, which claims to be the California affiliate of the Constitution Party, Chuck Baldwin is not their presidential nominee. From their website:

Our candidates for 2008 are:
Don Grundmann—President – – http://www.truthusa.org/

You can get more info about them from their webpages.

Edward C. Noonan
State Party Chairman – American Independent [...]

The Belgrade News, in Montana, apparently ran the following article on May 2nd, which was then picked up a number of small online and print publications. It fails to realize the most significant part of Chuck Baldwin’s possible constituencies: Ron Paul voters.

Baldwin won’t be wooing the Religious Right, either, by playing the Christian card. The [...]

Here are some sporadic last thoughts on the Constitution Party’s convention in Kansas City.

First: Alan Keyes. Myself and Red Phillips advised Keyes’ supporters and staff members for weeks. We gave them a very simple rubric by which they could avoid dissapointment, know their opposition and it’s strengths, and even avoid an embarassing 3-to-1 loss. None [...]

Chuck Baldwin is the Constitution Party’s 2008 Presidential nominee, and Howard Phillips is the party’s founder. Interviewed by Mike Ferguson at the Constitution Party’s national convention in Kansas City, MO, April 26, 2008.

by Kevin Thompson

I was a member of the Constitution Party before Alan Keyes, and will be after. If Alan had won the nomination, I would have gladly backed him and worked on his behalf. I have even taken some flack from those in my party for that stance. Alan Keyes is a great [...]

Matthew Robert’s is talking about possibly going “constitutional” over at Taki. He introduces Chuck Baldwin in this manner:

Now that Ron Paul is effectively out of the race, there may again be a candidate for paleoconservatives (notwithstanding Gottfried’s obituary) to support. For those of you unfamiliar with Baldwin, he’s a pastor at the Crossroad Baptist [...]