Tea Party Nightmare:Third-Party Wild Card Candidate In 2012?

There is likely to be a wild card in the 2012 election with the group Americans Elect planning to hold a national primary election on the Internet.

American voters have fired two modern presidents after just one term, Jimmy Carter in 1980 and George H.W. Bush in 1992. Both suffered because the economy was in poor shape, and both faced disaffection within their own parties. But there was another thing those candidates had in common: They both faced relatively strong third-party candidates in the November election.

Until now, handicapping for next year's presidential election has focused on how President Obama might fare in a two-candidate race. Could Obama beat Mitt Romney? Rick Perry? Herman Cain? (In all three cases, the answer is probably yes.)

But there's likely to also be a wild card in this election. Americans Elect, a well-funded "virtual third party," plans to put a centrist presidential candidate on the ballot in all 50 states, and while he or she is unlikely to win the presidential election, the presence of a third candidate could still have a major impact on the outcome.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/com ... 890.column

Here's their website:

http://www.americanselect.org/

Not a chance......

Not a chance of what?

Conservation Voice wrote: Not a chance of what?

Of it happening.

The Viking wrote: Not a chance......

Conservation Voice wrote: Not a chance of what?

Of it happening.

It will be interesting to see if you're wrong. Drudge thought it was interesting enough to put on his front page.

Americans Elect is the first nonpartisan nomination. We're using the Internet to break the gridlock in Washington, open up the political process and give every single voter—Democrat, Republican or independent—the power to nominate a presidential ticket in 2012. Your voice matters. You decide the issues. You choose the candidates. And in a secure, online convention next June, you will make history by putting the Americans Elect ticket on the ballot in every state.

With Americans Elect, you have the power to choose leadership that puts country before party, and America's interests before special interests. You have the power to change politics as usual.

http://www.americanselect.org/about

Would a centrist hurt the Republicans or the Democrats more? It would sure make it interesting.

Hey, perhaps we'll fire a third president after his first time!

Just say NoBama!

SS109 wrote: Would a centrist hurt the Republicans or the Democrats more? It would sure make it interesting.

The better question is would this centrist candidate hurt the citizens of the US more or the current BS that passes for politics...

Considering how Obama has kept the Bush tax cuts and the Bush Doctrine, I am really suprised that Barack isn't facing competition from the LEft.

Regarding the Bush Doctrine, I believe that what President Bush attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell-bent in destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made, and with new leadership, and that's the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.