"unprecedented announcement" tomorrow

[blakjak]

The speculation ends.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gDgHGLpSnR4V9L_yGzr2USAwY4BQD933E5BO2


Paul: Reject the major parties, go for a third

By SUZANNE GAMBOA and SAM HANANEL – 52 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Libertarian-leaning congressman Ron Paul is urging voters to reject John McCain and Barack Obama and support one of the third-party candidates for president.

Paul, a Republican who abandoned his White House bid earlier this year, is gathering some of the candidates, independent Ralph Nader among them, on Wednesday to make his plea.

"The strongest message can be sent by rejecting the two party system," Paul said in prepared remarks obtained by AP. "This can be accomplished by voting for one of the non-establishment, principled candidates."

He recommended Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party, former Georgia Republican Rep. Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party and former Georgia Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party. He invited them to his news conference Wednesday.

Paul won no primaries in the Republican nomination contest but developed a strong following on the Internet and set a single-day record for raising money online. Thousands attended his protest last week near the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn.

Some Republicans have been concerned Paul could siphon votes from the party in the same way Democrats accused Nader of doing in 2000 when he ran under the Green Party banner.

But when Nader ran in 2004 as an independent, he garnered just 0.3 percent of the vote from 34 states. The Constitution, Green and Libertarian candidates received even fewer votes. Nader claims he has enough signatures to get on the ballot in 45 states this year.

Nader predicted the gathering of third-party candidates would "raise the eyebrows" of political pundits who skeptical of the viability of independent presidential campaigns. The candidates will agree on several common issues they believe are being ignored by the major parties.

"This is the beginning of the realignment of American politics," Nader said.

Paul espouses limited government and individual responsibility. He is a critic of election laws that he says are designed to prevent third-party candidates from getting on ballots and participating in debates. .

 

[nate895]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gDgHGLpSnR4V9L_yGzr2USAwY4BQD933E5BO2


Paul: Reject the major parties, go for a third

By SUZANNE GAMBOA and SAM HANANEL – 52 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Libertarian-leaning congressman Ron Paul is urging voters to reject John McCain and Barack Obama and support one of the third-party candidates for president.

Paul, a Republican who abandoned his White House bid earlier this year, is gathering some of the candidates, independent Ralph Nader among them, on Wednesday to make his plea.

"The strongest message can be sent by rejecting the two party system," Paul said in prepared remarks obtained by AP. "This can be accomplished by voting for one of the non-establishment, principled candidates."

He recommended Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party, former Georgia Republican Rep. Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party and former Georgia Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party. He invited them to his news conference Wednesday.

Paul won no primaries in the Republican nomination contest but developed a strong following on the Internet and set a single-day record for raising money online. Thousands attended his protest last week near the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn.

Some Republicans have been concerned Paul could siphon votes from the party in the same way Democrats accused Nader of doing in 2000 when he ran under the Green Party banner.

But when Nader ran in 2004 as an independent, he garnered just 0.3 percent of the vote from 34 states. The Constitution, Green and Libertarian candidates received even fewer votes. Nader claims he has enough signatures to get on the ballot in 45 states this year.

Nader predicted the gathering of third-party candidates would "raise the eyebrows" of political pundits who skeptical of the viability of independent presidential campaigns. The candidates will agree on several common issues they believe are being ignored by the major parties.

"This is the beginning of the realignment of American politics," Nader said.

Paul espouses limited government and individual responsibility. He is a critic of election laws that he says are designed to prevent third-party candidates from getting on ballots and participating in debates. .

I hope this isn't the "announcement" it isn't an announcement if you have already said it.

 

[svf]

Here's our answer... basically: "don't vote for McBama."

Ron Paul: Vote for third-party candidates

Ron Paul, the libertarian-leaning, Houston-area congressman who waged a feisty Republican primary campaign for president, is expected today to urge supporters to reject the two major party candidates and vote for any of the four minor party contenders on the November ballot.

"The two parties and their candidates have no real disagreements on foreign policy, monetary policy, privacy issues, or the welfare state," Paul is expected to say at a news conference in Washington, according to an advance copy of his remarks obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

"They both are willing to abuse the Rule of Law and ignore constitutional restraint on executive powers. Neither major party champions free markets and private property ownership."

Although he serves in Congress as a Republican, Paul has had strong disagreements with his party's presidential nominee, John McCain, over the wisdom of the war in Iraq and the use of American military force around the world. Although Democratic contender Barack Obama, like Paul, has opposed the war, he also espouses expanding government programs that Paul has criticized.

In his speech, Paul is planning to say that voters can send a message to the major parties by voting for the non-establishment candidates: Libertarian Party nominee Bob Barr, Green Party contender Cynthia McKinney, independent Ralph Nader or Constitution Party standard-bearer Chuck Baldwin.

Barr announced this afternoon that he will attend Paul's news conference at the National Press Club in Washington. All four are expected to appear with Paul.

While Paul will say these individuals have strong philosophical differences on various issues, "they all stand for challenging the status quo — those special interests who control our federal government."

"People will waste their time in voting for the lesser of two evils," according to Paul's prepared remarks. "Reject the two candidates who demand perpetuation of the status quo and pick one of the alternatives that you have the greatest to, based on the issues."

In remarks made on Fox News on Tuesday, Paul ruled out waging a third-party bid himself.

"The system is biased against us," he said. "It is too late. You've got to be Ross Perot to be able to do that."

Nathan Gonzales, a political analyst with the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report, said that while Paul did have a following in the primary, he doubted the Texas congressman has the ability to tip the general election one way or the other.

"A majority of his support comes from voters dissatisfied with both political parties," he said."I don't think he (Paul) draws disproportionately from McCain or Obama."

 

[Grimnir Wotansvolk]

Frankly, I couldn't help but feel ashamed of Ron and the rest of them if all they plan to do is announce, "please vote third party." Even debates, while significantly more substantial, would do no good.

These guys all should know the urgency that we need right now. Innocent men and women, Americans and otherwise, are being butchered overseas. Our economy is plummeting, and our people are being spied on. All major third party candidates oppose these things. It's unification, or bust.

 

[speciallyblend]

yeah

Frankly, I couldn't help but feel ashamed of Ron and the rest of them if all they plan to do is announce, "please vote third party." Even debates, while significantly more substantial, would do no good.

These guys all should know the urgency that we need right now. Innocent men and women, Americans and otherwise, are being butchered overseas. Our economy is plummeting, and our people are being spied on. All major third party candidates oppose these things. It's unification, or bust.

thats the way i feel but ,our arguments are falling on deaf ears maybe 2012 or 2016 until then expect the same ole crap... my money sure will not be falling on deaf ears

 

[pacelli]

Is that Nader who leaked it? If that's it, that's a major disappointment. Not a major announcement.

 

[Son of Detroit]

Lame. If this is the announcement, I will be so pissed.

How is Paul asking people to vote third party "one of the biggest political announcements of the century, and something that will shape future elections forever"?