RP's main objection to going third pary...

[nakor667]

In almost every interview, Ron Paul is asked about running third-party. Time and time again he says there is a bias against 3rd parties and all his time would be spent just trying to get on the ballot....

Can't we help with this? We've got tens of thousands of volunteers nationwide. Why is he still giving this excuse? We could achieve this easily!

 

[Jeremy]

Running 3rd party would be us inviting Chris Peden into congress in 2 years...

this is an establishment party we're talking about here

let's keep Paul in congress

 

[nate895]

Because he doesn't have the energy. If he had been on the trail for even a 60 days total in Iowa he'd have won Iowa, and if he had been in New Hampshire for 100 town hall events like McCain, he'd be the presumptive nominee now.

 

[crazyfingers]

He says that but the Libertarian/Constitution Parties would get him ballot access in all 50 states and they'd nominate him in a heart beat -- if he'd accept. I think he wants to work within the GOP. It really is our best hope to turn this country around.

 

[I Am Weasel]

If he had been on the trail for even a 60 days total in Iowa he'd have won Iowa, and if he had been in New Hampshire for 100 town hall events like McCain, he'd be the presumptive nominee now.

yup... sad how true this is

 

[TruthAtLast]

There are probably 4 major reasons:

1. Ballot access as you point out
2. Access to debates. If he was ignored and marginalized as a Republican candidate, imagine as an independent or third party.
3. Money. 20-30 million is amazing but he would need 100-200 million to really compete. This is why he always says that a third party run is more possible for someone like Perot.
4. Time. As JB has said several times, he just doesn't have the time to campaign the way it would take to really win.

 

[ultimaonliner]

He says that but the Libertarian/Constitution Parties would get him ballot access in all 50 states and they'd nominate him in a heart beat -- if he'd accept. I think he wants to work within the GOP. It really is our best hope to turn this country around.

Although working through the GOP is a better longer term goal, I think RP continuing his campaigning through a third party is a great for continuing the momentum of awareness of libertarian/Constitutionalist views.

 

[Feelgood]

I want to reach through the screen and just bitch slap every person that brings up third party/indy run bullshit. GOD DAMN Im so sick of it already. ENOUGH!

 

[TruthAtLast]

I want to reach through the screen and just bitch slap every person that brings up third party/indy run bullshit. GOD DAMN Im so sick of it already. ENOUGH!

LOL There's no bitch slap smilie?

 

[mketcher]

Ron Paul/Bob Barr

Well, as I've said several times in other threads here, I believe one possible scenario is for Bob Barr to become a placeholder candidate for Ron Paul in the
LP. In other words, Barr becomes the LP candidate, and then after the
Republican convention, in which Ron Paul will be marginalized, Barr steps down to vice president and Ron Paul steps in as presidential candidate.

I don't know if this is the strategy, but I first talked about this a couple of months ago, after I heard Barr speak at an LP event, in which this was mentioned, in an offhand way, as a possible strategy. So, I know that Barr is well aware of this as a strategy. At the time I first mentioned this bait and switch strategy as a possibility, Barr wasn't an announced candidate for the LP nomination. He just recently announced.

So, there's still the possibility of a Ron Paul/Bob Barr ticket. But I think it's important for Ron Paul to get as much mileage as he can as a Republican presidential candidate, go to the convention, lobby for the opportunity to speak to the entire convention on national television, get as many delegates there as he can to cheer for him, and cause as much trouble as he can there to disrupt the party and criticize it for abandoning its principles. Then he quits and runs as the LP candidate.

I don't have any inside info that this will happen, but the fact that Barr has now announced gives my theory more credibility.

 

[nc4rp]

just speculating, But if Jesse ventura ran as independent and asked Ron Paul to be vice president running mate, could Ron Paul remain republican?

 

[Lovecraftian4Paul]

just speculating, But if Jesse ventura ran as independent and asked Ron Paul to be vice president running mate, could Ron Paul remain republican?

I don't see why not. Only the party could kick him out, but I doubt they would. Did the Republicans expel John Anderson in 1980 when he ran as an independent Republican? I know for a fact the Democrats didn't expel George Wallace in the late '60s and early '70s after his independent (and badly racist) Presidential run.

Ventura sounds very open to running from his interview earlier tonight on Larry King. He just needs the ballot access. If a spontaneous grassroots movement were to emerge to get him on the ballot as an independent in all fifty states, Ventura would be almost certain to run. Then, we could push for Ron Paul to come on as VP.

FYI, Ventura spoke well of Ron Paul briefly in his Larry King interview. He jokingly mentioned Ron Paul being his Vice President as well.

 

[Kotin]

I don't see why not. Only the party could kick him out, but I doubt they would. Did the Republicans expel John Anderson in 1980 when he ran as an independent Republican? I know for a fact the Democrats didn't expel George Wallace in the late '60s and early '70s after his independent (and badly racist) Presidential run.

Ventura sounds very open to running from his interview earlier tonight on Larry King. He just needs the ballot access. If a spontaneous grassroots movement were to emerge to get him on the ballot as an independent in all fifty states, Ventura would be almost certain to run. Then, we could push for Ron Paul to come on as VP.

FYI, Ventura spoke well of Ron Paul briefly in his Larry King interview. He jokingly mentioned Ron Paul being his Vice President as well.

this is what we should work for, get Ventura ballot access!!!

 

[Akus]

In almost every interview, Ron Paul is asked about running third-party. Time and time again he says there is a bias against 3rd parties and all his time would be spent just trying to get on the ballot....

Can't we help with this? We've got tens of thousands of volunteers nationwide. Why is he still giving this excuse? We could achieve this easily!

no

 

[born2drv]

Ron Paul is a radical. And radicals who like to ruffle feathers, speak truth, go against the establishment, and are relative unknowns are almost always ignored.

People have already managed to marginalize him, the same would happen very easily as a third party candidate, especially give his radical status. You and I all love him and know we need his radical ideas to fix this country... but most Americans still think his ideas are just too radical to ever take shape.

Bottom line is, Paul is the best president to ever not be elected, this will not change unfortunately and Paul knows it.

 

[ryanmkeisling]

You guys saw the Glenn Beck interview last night?...his wheels are turning for sure and his past failure seems to be the only thing holding him back as well as his seat in congress. As principled a man as he is I do not think he has any true loyalty to the GOP, nor should he. He is pragmatic and knows a third party candidate has almost zero chance of winning in a corrupt non-democratic two party system.

 

[Alex Libman]

If he's not running himself, he should endorse the LP candidate and campaign with him / her.

(go here for details)

 

[speciallyblend]

I like it

Well, as I've said several times in other threads here, I believe one possible scenario is for Bob Barr to become a placeholder candidate for Ron Paul in the
LP. In other words, Barr becomes the LP candidate, and then after the
Republican convention, in which Ron Paul will be marginalized, Barr steps down to vice president and Ron Paul steps in as presidential candidate.

I don't know if this is the strategy, but I first talked about this a couple of months ago, after I heard Barr speak at an LP event, in which this was mentioned, in an offhand way, as a possible strategy. So, I know that Barr is well aware of this as a strategy. At the time I first mentioned this bait and switch strategy as a possibility, Barr wasn't an announced candidate for the LP nomination. He just recently announced.

So, there's still the possibility of a Ron Paul/Bob Barr ticket. But I think it's important for Ron Paul to get as much mileage as he can as a Republican presidential candidate, go to the convention, lobby for the opportunity to speak to the entire convention on national television, get as many delegates there as he can to cheer for him, and cause as much trouble as he can there to disrupt the party and criticize it for abandoning its principles. Then he quits and runs as the LP candidate.

I don't have any inside info that this will happen, but the fact that Barr has now announced gives my theory more credibility.

sounds good to me. I know who isnt getting my vote

 

[speciallyblend]

hey dont worry

no

we have the cards,if the gop fails to nominate ron paul then the gop will lose.
I cannot endorse a candidate that goes opposite of the gop platform . mccain is dead in the water.

Ron Paul 2008 written in stone,the gop is dead,will be dead unless they nominate ron paul.

 

[Roxi]

LOL There's no bitch slap smilie?

LMAO... someone should definitely make one