Reason Magazine
- reason.com
- reason.tv
- reason.org
- Donate
- Site Search:
Reason on Facebook
Reason on Twitter
Reason on YouTube
Reason RSSGet Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsadvertisements
Ron Paul 2008: Quest for the Vice Presidency
Carey Campbell, chairman of the Virginia Independent Green Party, is a stand-up guy. He read yesterday's post about his effort to put Mike Bloomberg and Ron Paul on the Virginia ballot and walked up to reason world HQ (located somewhere between Mount Rushmore and the Atlantic Ocean) to chat about his plans. I've boiled our free-form talk into this Q&A.
reason: Why did you decide on these two candidates?
Campbell: Ron Paul could have had the nomination of all three of the "major minor" parties if he'd wanted them. I know that from talking to David Cobb and Pat LaMarche of the Greens, I put calls in to Bill Redpath [of the Libertarian Party], and I talked to people in the Constitution Party. He could have been the candidate. But he only had $35 million—well, $4 million now. And that wasn't enough. You'd need $500 million to make a go at this, and who has $500 million to spend? Hmmmmm. It all comes together.
reason: But you've thought of Bloomberg for a long time.
Campbell: I set up a draft organization and approached the mayor about this in 2005. We were reaching out to a number of people. We reached out to Daniel Imperato when we heard he had money. Remember, Bloomberg didn't rule out a third party run until this February.
reason: I talked to Paul's communications director yesterday, and he pointed out that, while flattering, the Bloomberg match-up was odd because Bloomberg and Paul don't agree on much.
Campbell: They agree on the most important issue: Our money. Just think of the two of them as stewards of our tax dollars.
reason: It doesn't quite make sense to me.
Campbell: It made a hell of a lot of sense to the people who signed these petitions. The reaction was nothing like anything I'd ever seen. More positive even than when I was getting signatures for Perot.
reason: What else are you doing, vis-a-vis this ticket?
Campbell: We have three weeks to get this ticket on enough ballots to access 270 electoral votes. I've talked to the Independence Party in New York. I've been talking with all three of the major minors, and what I've suggested is that they call new conventions to nominate this ticket. Bloomberg/Paul gets past the media blackout. Another way to get past that blackout, something I've suggested to Shane Cory [of the Barr campaign], is this: 50 states, 50 debates, 50 days. Stop whining about the two party debate and force the media's attention on you.
reason: I don't think that could work, logistically.
Campbell: It might be physically impossible, but it's a nice idea.
reason: But what's the end game? What do you want to be doing in November?
Campbell: On November 5, if I had my way, I'd be working on the Bloomberg/Paul transition team and being vetted for a job as national comptroller. I'm an accountant by trade, so that's what I'd be angling for. If this doesn't work, we've at least laid the groundwork for this kind of quicksilver effort to take off in four years.
Naga Sadow|8.20.08 @ 4:30PM|#
If Paul can paint himself as a guy with a large block of devoted voters he has a good chance. No one wants a Nader split within the party.
Junter Klops|8.20.08 @ 4:31PM|#
This proves, once and for all, that people will primarily
support candidates based on how they make them feel and not based
on their positions.
Or does it just prove that minor parties are full of wackos?
stephen the goldberger|8.20.08 @ 4:53PM|#
How could anyone vote for Paul and Bloomberg?
or vice versa
Because your only other legit options are Obama and McCain.
|8.20.08 @ 4:57PM|#
Because your only other legit options are Obama and
McCain.
What about that dude who with the stache who likes breast milk
cheese?
|8.20.08 @ 5:05PM|#
So, you're saying that any random nutjob can just waltz into your HQ and get an interview published? I'll be right over...
|8.20.08 @ 5:07PM|#
Hey, let's build a bridge to Mars so we can walk there, "It might be physically impossible, but it's a nice idea."
BDB|8.20.08 @ 5:14PM|#
"How could anyone vote for Paul and Bloomberg?
or vice versa"
PUMAs could.
This same party came damn close to re-electing George Allen. I
wouldn't laugh, because this year the candidate that wins Virginia
may do so with the Independent Greens holding the balance.
svf|8.20.08 @ 5:18PM|#
just when the Ron Paul thing couldn't get any fucking crazier... the fun continues! wheeeeeee!
|8.20.08 @ 5:21PM|#
just when the Ron Paul thing couldn't get any fucking
crazier... the fun continues! wheeeeeee!
gotta love politics
svf|8.20.08 @ 5:27PM|#
So this Campbell dude is apparently launching a media blitz...
he called NY Daily News too...
August 20, 2008
Carey Campbell's Quest: Bloomberg '08
Carey Campbell is not letting Bloomberg-for-president die.
The Independent Greens of Virginia chairman, who ran a successful petition drive in his home state to get the mayor onto the ballot as an third party White House contender, just called to say he's mounting a campaign to convince three of the minor party presidential hopefuls - Bob Barr (Libertarian), Cynthia McKinney (Green) and Chuck Baldwin (Constitution) - and their respective party chairs to throw their support behind Bloomberg and his Indy Greens-selected running mate, Rep. Ron Paul.
"Miracles happen; this is America," Campbell said.
The mechanics of exactly HOW this would be accomplished are a little fuzzy to me. From what I understand, any of those candidates who have qualified could decline before the deadline in each state - Bloomberg, for example, has until Sept. 5 to do so in Virginia - and then a vacancy committee would replace them...
Campbell, who is connected to the Independence Party of American - the Frank MacKay-created Bloomberg-for-president vehicle - said he's trying to throw together a press conference with leaders of the three minor parties tomorrow in Washington at the National Press Club.
He also said he called Kevin Sheekey's office to let him what what's afoot.
Stay tuned.
Gene Berkman|8.20.08 @ 5:32PM|#
This is further proof that Ron Paul's popularity crosses party
lines. Libertarians love him, of course, as do all the activists in
the Constitution Party.
Frank McKay, Chair of the New York Independence Party and the IP of
America has urged Ron Paul to run on a third ticket for President,
and former IP Governor Jesse Ventura will speak at Ron Paul's Rally
for the Republic
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog/?p=275
If Only Ron Paul were 20 years younger.
Mad Max|8.20.08 @ 5:39PM|#
This Campbell guy has achieved the impossible - he has come up with a scenario in which I would vote against Ron Paul.
|8.20.08 @ 5:45PM|#
Campbell: They agree on the most important issue: Our money. Just think of the two of them as stewards of our tax dollars.
reason: It doesn't quite make sense to me.
Campbell: It made a hell of a lot of sense to the people who signed these petitions
1) Bloomberg as a steward of our tax dollars?!
gtthscchchhhvvv.... sorry, my brain shorted out for a second.
2) He responded to you saying that you didn't understand by saying
that a bunch of people signed a petition. Is he mentally retarded
or something?
Elemenope|8.20.08 @ 5:49PM|#
This Campbell guy has achieved the impossible - he has come
up with a scenario in which I would vote against Ron
Paul.
Fucking A. I had a similar reaction.
|8.20.08 @ 5:53PM|#
PLEASE! This is a SICK, SUBVERSIVE JOKE.
Using Ron Paul to promote the UN/CFR/elitist Bloomberg is about as
low as these greenies could go.
Bloomberg stands for everything evil, Ron Paul everything
good.
This is a move to discredit Ron, nothing more.
I will NOT vote for this combo....if you want to vote for Ron,
WRITE HIM IN SEPARATELY.
Do not be tricked.
|8.20.08 @ 5:58PM|#
Furthermore, to Gene Berkman who said:
"This is further proof that Ron Paul's popularity crosses party
lines."
Excuse me? Bloomberg may as well be on the moon, let alone across
party lines. This is nothing more than the greens trying to steal
some votes for Bloomie by using Ron Paul's popularity.
Do they think that some of his supporters don't know the Bloomie
agenda well enough to figure it all out?
Please folks, the fastest way to usher in the global government is
to vote for Bloomberg....who is NOT a conservative and NOT his own
man.
Travis|8.20.08 @ 6:01PM|#
Campbell is just exploiting the name recognition of Paul & Bloomberg to get his name in the paper.
No Comment|8.20.08 @ 6:04PM|#
What the hell? "I'd be angling for a job as comptroller..." or
whatever Campbell's exact words are.
Nothing is more inspiring than CPA getting involved in politics
with the dream of becoming a comptroller on a national level, or in
other words, being a really, really prestigious bureaucrat.
That sounds about like the Ron Paul message.
#2 What the Hell moment from Campbell's interview: how does the
fact that registered voters signed Campbell's petition prove that
Bloomberg and Paul make an ideological sense together on a ballot?
A lot of people watch American Idol, and that shit makes no
sense.
Question #3:
Hey Dave, do you really think showing up at Reason World HQ is
sufficient for being labeled a "stand-up guy?" All the guy did was
answer some questions and state that he'd like a job. I mean, shit,
he could have at least done your taxes or shown some of his
accounting expertise by showing some ways how Reason could save
some money and raise its productivity (I personally suggest sending
all of Sullum's cannabis - an enormous amount, granted - to me
before Gillespie and Welch get to it and start turning all of your
staff meetings into in-depth "reflection sessions" on: Ziggy, and
of course, games of pin the tail on the Mark Kirkorian. The only
other way to end these cannabis-fueled reflection sessions would be
to have an unidentified editor, Badley Ralko, give D.C. police a
tip on the massive distribution operation that I KNOW Sullum is
running - somehow from Houston.)
Now that I've said some stupid shit (I'm serious about the pot
shipments, though), may I please have a comptroller job, too?
Travis|8.20.08 @ 6:06PM|#
"Please folks, the fastest way to usher in the global government
is to vote for Bloomberg....who is NOT a conservative and NOT his
own man."
Bloomberg is diffently an asshole but not his own man?
Is he trying to steal our bodily fluids?
No Comment|8.20.08 @ 6:11PM|#
Maybe I meant Dallas.
Then again, since when does accuracy in being a drug informant
matter?
|8.20.08 @ 6:31PM|#
I wish McCain would ask Ron Paul to be his VP. Any nut can be
vice-president, it'd give him a good podium from which to beat the
liberty drum, and it'd reduce the chance any hippie'd try to shoot
McCain.
Maybe he'd get to cast some tie votes, too.
Orange Line Special|8.20.08 @ 6:53PM|#
Carey Campbell, like most libertarians, doesn't have a
clue.
If Carey Campbell had a clue, he'd encourage his followers to
ask
the candidates real questions.
Good questions - with the answers promoted on Youtube - will reduce
the chances of the front-runners.
When their chances are reduced, the chances of a third party
becomes greater.
If Carey Campbell had a clue, that's what he'd do. What he's doing
now has no chance of success, so whether he actually wants what he
claims to want is open to question.
MJ|8.20.08 @ 7:32PM|#
"Campbell: It made a hell of a lot of sense to the people who
signed these petitions. The reaction was nothing like anything I'd
ever seen. More positive even than when I was getting signatures
for Perot."
Who are these people and shouldn't the institution be missing them
by now?
Seriously, aside from the fact that both men have run as
Republicans is there any reason for them to want to run together?
Furthermore, assuming that this could be viable, anyone with any
political savvy would know that putting Paul in the VP slot
effectively negates whatever he brings to the table. A President
Bloomberg would just nod politely at Paul and do whatever nanny
state fad was occupying his mind. That's presuming he even lets
Paul into the cabinet meetings.
Warty|8.20.08 @ 7:50PM|#
But what happens if somebody asks a third party candidate a real question(tm)? Does it create a paradox and rip open the fabric of spacetime?
GILMORE|8.20.08 @ 7:57PM|#
Orange Line Special | August 20, 2008, 6:53pm | #
Carey Campbell, like most libertarians, doesn't have a
clue.
The real ones or the fake ones?...
Oh, forget it. just go eat a warm plate of dogshit.
you sad sad person. Has anyone ever told you yourself have "no
chance at success"...? not because of tactics or Teh Real Real
Magical Questions That Will Turn The World Into My Hordes Of
Admirers, but because you're a feckless boob?
|8.20.08 @ 9:02PM|#
All these trollish posts make me think it is a green plot to steal votes. They won't get mine.
Jerry|8.20.08 @ 9:34PM|#
Wait. If a Bloomberg/Paul ticket is all about making the Bloomberg brand less credible, I am all for it.
|8.20.08 @ 9:39PM|#
For what it's worth, libertarian non-favorite Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones is dead.
No Comment|8.20.08 @ 9:53PM|#
I think I'm one of the good libertarians, Orange Line. Please
spare me if you ever plan on staging any sort of "missions" in my
area, which for fear of being placed on some crazy immigration
Gestapo watch, I'd prefer not disclose. How about you just send me
the dates, times, and addresses of your PATRIOT militia's missions,
and I'll make sure I'm not there/will buy lots of life insurance
(policy beneficiary: National Council of La Raza) before
hand.
Moreover, I promise you that I am not hording nor do I know any
UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS (I use this term purely out of spite, as I
know it annoys the fuck out of the Russell Pearce crowd). I promise
to help with your "attrition" efforts by shooting any non-WASP I
see at first sight.
Joe Arpaio for Maricopa County Sherriff!
Orange Line, are you Kirkorian? Awesome blog and election ideas,
man. Keep it up with your valuable contributiosn to our fragile
(thanks to the Mexicans and those other Latino wannabe's)
democracy.
Here's what I consider to be a decent question for the pres.
candidates: TO CONFORM WITH YOUR CORE POLITICAL VALUES, IN WHICH
FUNDAMENTAL WAYS WOULD YOU CONSIDER CHANGING OUR CURRENT
CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT OR OTHERWISE IMPROVE THE AMERICAN
POLITICAL PROCESS?
(Sorry for the Caps.)
Eric Dondero|8.20.08 @ 10:39PM|#
That's the other guy with the stache. While I do like breasts, I'm not a fan of breast cheese. Not even sure what it is?
|8.21.08 @ 1:19AM|#
"Bloomberg-Paul Ticket in Virginia Won't Happen"
http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/08/20/bloomberg-paul-ticket-in-virginia-wont-happen/
So now what? The comments on that blog make it seem like the story
might not be true...but who knows anymore? Is Bloomberg-Paul even
going to be on the Virginia ballot or not?
|8.21.08 @ 8:37AM|#
Well, the way I see it is ANYONE can do better than Dictator
Bush and his Regime! Spongebob, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Homer
Simpson.. Anyone!
RJ
http://www.decrypt.net.tc
B|8.21.08 @ 11:48AM|#
" You'd need $500 million to make a go at this, and who has $500
million to spend?"
Ron "I hate the jews and the blacks" Paul couldn't win a single
fucking state if he had $500 trillion to spend.
|8.21.08 @ 12:02PM|#
How about a Paris Hilton/Phelps ticket. If they win I got dibs
on FCC chair since I watch TV a lot.
See I can play this game too.
Site comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245