Long-Tail Politics Watch

Jesse Walker | June 20, 2008

It's an interesting year indeed when the nation's senatorial nominees include both a Ron Paul Democrat and a socialist Republican.

Comments

An Honest Question|6.20.08 @ 10:33AM|#

The link when I clicked on "socialist Republican" was blocked. I am at work and it was blocked because the link was to an "advocacy organazation". Who is this person? Thanks.

Jesse Walker|6.20.08 @ 10:35AM|#

Who is this person?

Bob Kelleher, a self-proclaimed socialist and former Green candidate who got the GOP's senate nomination in Montana.

J|6.20.08 @ 10:35AM|#

Yay for a Ron Paul democrat. Too bad he truly is similar to RP on his stand on immigration, but I like seeing big tent libertarian views in the democratic party, since I honestly think thats our best bet, given enough time.

|6.20.08 @ 10:42AM|#

I wonder what it says about me that I would vote for either of these two? Probably that I am an immature voter who likes to stir things up just for the hell of it and shouldn't be allowed within a mile of a voting booth.

|6.20.08 @ 10:45AM|#

I like that Kelleher guy.

And if he's the legitimate Republican nominee, Max Baucus should debate him, even if the election is a foregone conclusion.

It's called democracy, Senator.

Someone Who Doesn\'t Want to L|6.20.08 @ 10:49AM|#

I wonder what it says about me that I would vote for either of these two? Probably that I am an immature voter who likes to stir things up just for the hell of it and shouldn't be allowed within a mile of a voting booth.

Maybe so, Mark, but since your vote (assuming you could cast one in either of these races) wouldn't affect the outcome, "stirring things up just for the hell of it" is as good a reason to pick a candidate as any.

An Honest Question|6.20.08 @ 10:50AM|#

"Bob Kelleher, a self-proclaimed socialist and former Green candidate who got the GOP's senate nomination in Montana."

Thanks Jesse. I am getting tired of web filters.

robc|6.20.08 @ 11:29AM|#

joe,

if he's the legitimate Republican nominee

Is there any other "legitimizing" factor other than being on the ballot?

|6.20.08 @ 11:32AM|#

the 85-year-old Kelleher

Yowza!

Is there any other "legitimizing" factor other than being on the ballot?

He won the Republican primary. What more are you expecting?

robc|6.20.08 @ 11:36AM|#

MP,

It seems good enough for me. But joe had an "if" in there. I think he is on the same page, it just confused me. Now, if we could just get politicians to understand that standard.

|6.20.08 @ 11:37AM|#

I like that Kelleher guy.

joe, I've interviewed him a couple of times. He's the biggest running joke in Montana.
The fact that he secured the Republican nomination is not so much that he's popular (he's not) but a statement that Max Baucus, the politician-for-life Democrat, who also masquerades as a Republican much of the time, is simply unbeatable in Montana.
Kelleher's a fucking dolt. So go ahead and keep liking him.

Kolohe|6.20.08 @ 11:46AM|#

In 2002, when Lindsey Graham took Thurmond's seat, I was in SC frequently for my job. I cannot figure out why he gets criticized lately for 'not being a real conservative.' Is it just the gang of 14 thing? (that's the only breaking the party line thing I could find with a quick search)

|6.20.08 @ 11:47AM|#

Easy there, big fella. You are reading way too much into that statement.

It said right in the post he won the nomination. Obviously, that makes him the nominee.

|6.20.08 @ 11:50AM|#

Obviously, that makes him the nominee.

Who will get, at best, 10 percent of the vote in November.
He's a doddering, old fuck who makes Sybil look like a poster girl for sanity.

|6.20.08 @ 12:02PM|#

He's crazy, but James Inhofe and Dick Cheney hold high government office and nobody says a word.

|6.20.08 @ 12:21PM|#

but James Inhofe and Dick Cheney hold high government office and nobody says a word.

Touche.

Ironic|6.20.08 @ 1:47PM|#

"and a socialist Republican."

A majority of Republicans are socialists anymore even if they are not as blatant. I have efing given up of the Republican party. Perhaps I should have seen the writing on the wall sooner but with effing McCain at the head of the ticket I can see it clearly now. By the way I would have come to the same conclusion if Huckabee had gotten the nod. Fuck, Huckabee is probably more socialist than Bernie Sanders if you look at his actual record and not what he says.

Fritz|6.20.08 @ 2:56PM|#

Yeah, but none of those guys have advocated replacing the structure of the federal government with a European-style parliament. While some of the ways said parliaments work is appealing, Kelleher's idea of voting for parties instead of individuals is one of the most awful and noxious proposals I've heard.

As for his rampant Keynesianism, well, even supposedly "leftist" Democrats have run away from that quite a bit in the past few decades.

Fritz|6.20.08 @ 2:59PM|#

And btw, I wish some of these "libertarian-leaning" candidates could take a stronger stand in favor of more open immigration, rather than simply repeat standard protect-the-borders blather.