We interviewed Buddy Roemer a lot during this primary season; he was a hoot to talk to and did have some interesting ideas. But given that he is the former Governor of LA as well as one of its former Congressman (and building a billion dollar bank is no small feat), I always scratched my head wondering why he didn’t get even a wee bit more traction in the Republican field. Then he decided to switch to that online “Party”, Americans Elect, and he kinda dropped off the radar screen. But apparently, he kept us on his email list (emphasis mine):
Roemer Refuses to Play Spoiler
Baton Rouge, LA – Governor Buddy Roemer issued the following statement in regard to speculation of him being a “spoiler” for Governor Romney and/or President Obama:
…I run to win. I am not a single-issue candidate or someone who is merely trying to make a statement. I am not Ralph Nader. I am a former Governor of a corrupt state that I helped clean up; I am former four-term Congressman who worked closely with President Reagan to help our country; and for the last twenty years I have been a successful businessman creating jobs.
I am currently polling at 7% in the most recent national survey and I am confident once I receive the Americans Elect nomination that I can attain 15% standing which will then qualify me to participate in the national debates this fall. Obama, Romney and Roemer. Again, I run to win.
If, during the last month of the campaign I discover I have no realistic chance of winning, I will ask my supporters to vote their conscience or for their second choice so the issue of spoiler can be dropped once and for all.
Let’s face it, anyone who REALLY wants to do the work, spends the time, and the money to run a serious (albeit it, a shoestring budget) campaign has to have a big ego. A massive ego, even. Yet, Buddy is staying true what he told me on several ocassions – he believes that he is the best candidate to be the next President, but it is all about making Obama a one terms and being first place in front of Jimmah Cahtah as being the worst President evah! It will be interesting to see if Gary Johnson, who just became the Presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party, has the same outlook, or whether it is a case of “it’s is all about me”. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good dude too – I simply disagreed with him on some of his social issue stances. But at what point does one really say to themselves – this ain’t happening?
However, the more important one to watch is the outlook of Ron Paul – both for himself as well as the future of his son, Senator Rand Paul. In the latest polling I saw, he had 13% in the same poll with Obama and Romney. Given the “proceedings” of some of the actual delegate counts from the recent caucus state, who knows what will happen at the Convention, and what would happen if he does not become the nominee? I don’t believe he will be unless the behind the scenes processes are so behind the curtains are hidden that even the normally factoid impressive Romney staff can’t see it (and leak something).
Will he endorse Romney, as Santorum and Gringrich, et al have done for the sole purpose of removing Obama? And more importantly still – will his supporters, even if he asks them to? At 13% strong, they can have a material effect on the outcome of the race for the Electoral Votes in some states (like here in NH where there is an outsized proportion of Libertarian / Libertarian-leaning voters who will vote / write in Paul even if he asks them not to. To a point I can understand a principled vote – in a primary we all do. I admit – I wanted Herman and voted for Newt (and yes, even as I was marking the ballot, Santorum was almost the one). Yes, I wanted someone more aligned to my thinking and my political philosophy; didn’t happen.
Make no mistake, however, Job One was always to get Obama out as quickly as possible (and his non-passable posse of Progressives & Communists, too) out of the Oval Office and continue the process of returning this country back to its Constitutional values set out by our Founders.
Make no mistake, however, even if Obama gets the lifetime retirement I want him to have, and the House stays Red and the Senate goes Red, the job will not be done – there are lots of Republicans that have grown too cushy in the DC bubble – may we all continue to ensure that those that deserve it end up like Senator Lugar (who hopefully will now have a long enjoyable retirement, courtesy of the TEA Party).
