Third Parties Seen As Threat To Bush

[nightperson]

The title of this new article jumped out at me and I thought others here might be interested.

Three third-party presidential candidates have ballot access in more states than Ralph Nader and pose as much, if not more, of a threat to President Bush than to Democratic contender Sen. John Kerry.

The Libertarian Party is now on the presidential ballot in 44 states and the Constitution Party in 35 states, both more than the 24 that Mr. Nader has managed amidst a concerted effort from state Democrats to thwart his bids...

The Libertarian and Constitution parties appeal to disenchanted conservatives who are fed up with the president's stance on immigration, too permissive in those quarters, or his coziness with centrist Republicans like Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter.

"We are playing to the conservatives who do not have a party to vote for," said Libertarian presidential hopeful Michael Badnarik. "For example, Republicans have traditionally stood for smaller government, but this president has not adhered to that standard."


This is a similar article from a few months ago.

With conservatives upset over the ballooning size of the federal government under a Republican White House and Congress – and a portion of the political right having opposed the war in Iraq from the outset or else dismayed at how it's being handled – the Libertarian nominee may do for Democrats in 2004 what Nader did for Republicans in 2000...

“I think (the Bush campaign) should be concerned. I don’t know how concerned,” said Don Devine, vice chairman of the American Conservative Union and a longtime GOP insider. “They need to work on it and I think they know they need to work on it.”...

In an opinion piece this week in the Chicago Sun-Times, conservative columnist Robert Novak described President Bush’s conservative base as “bothered.” A recent Zogby Poll also found that almost 20 percent of Republicans still have not committed their vote to Mr. Bush...

In a close race, Libertarians have learned from Nader, it only takes one state to change the course of the nation. Such influence translates to political weight in Washington.

[dumpster_baby]

1. Kerry ought to debate Libertarian & Constitution party candidates

Bush is threatening to skip one of the debates. What Kerry ought to do for that debate is debate the candidates for the Libertarian and Constitution parties.