Does anyone have any information on the American Elect Party? Earlier this week, my father in California was approached by a petitioner, who said the party wanted to get on the ballot there.
They have a web site that doesn’t tell you anything.
Slate links them to the “Draft Michael Bloomberg” movement:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/tags/American+Elect+Party/default.aspx
Because of that Supreme Court case, it’s hard to tell who’s behind this so far. Connecting the dots together at this point, it looks like it’s either Donald Trump or Ron Paul - as the two candidates with the most to gain from running as an independent if they don’t get the Republican Nomination.
Trump said yesterday that he’d throw in 600 million of his own cash to run, and that he’d go independent if he decides to run without Republican support.
does anybody know what would be the point for Trump to do that? Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to simply throw his weight behind a more established, good street cred candidate (whether establishment or “anti-establishment”, depending on his views and goals) and then hope for whatever spoils and influence if it works? Or is he too optimistic for his own wallet?
Looks like Trump got talked out of running as an independent a week or two ago, because he didn’t want to split the conservative vote. The only one who appears to fit now, is Bloomberg, but he said on the Tavis Smiley show that he is not a candidate. Ron Paul wants it bad too, but as of today, he’s still running as a Republican.
Sense often loses when it comes up against a gigantic ego.
I would love to see Trump blow $600 million (which he doesn’t have). Would he sell “Trump Bonds” to raise the money then take the fund into bankruptcy? Probably.
Isn’t $600 million down from the $2 billion that he earlier said he would pump into his campaign?
How can anyone do anything but laugh at the clown?
Trump has bowed out of the race. He said he could beat Obama, but he’d rather stick to what he liked better (what he’s doing now).
Americans Elect expanded their website, there’s a lot more online. They look like they have a legitimate purpose for existing, at least.
With Bloomberg telling Tavis Smiley on his show that “I’m not a candidate”, it now looks like the Tea Party would be a possible beneficiary for something like Americans Elect. And popular-wisdom would hypothetically conclude that a Tea Party candidate would split the conservative/Republican vote in 2012 - thereby making it easier for Democrat Obama to win re-election.
The Los Angeles Times published two stories on them on July 28.
I don’t know how long until they’re archived
Americans Elect seeks to upend primary system
The names behind online 50-state presidential push