From the Petersen campaign:
Hello to the volunteers for the Petersen 2016 campaign.
Today it was announced that former Governor Gary Johnson will enter the race for the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President of the United States. Some have asked what this means for the Petersen campaign. Today I issued a formal statement, which you can click to view on video, or read my words below.
As you may have heard, today former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson has entered the LP race for president. Governor Johnson is an old friend, and a good man, who I admire and have looked to for guidance in the past. This morning, I called him personally and welcomed him to the race. I supported Johnson in 2012, even though he was a Republican, and while I was working as a producer at Fox, I did my utmost to make sure that he received the exposure necessary to help him spread the ideas of liberty across the United States. Then, when Governor Johnson left the Republican Party, and joined the LP, I was glad to welcome him to the party of principle, where all libertarians should come home. In the past I have been criticized for supporting Republicans such as Johnson, Ron Paul, and Rand Paul, due to my faithful allegiance to the Libertarian Party since 2008. Still, I believe it’s important for us to be welcoming, so that we can convince men like this to join us in the Libertarian Party, as Johnson has done. And as we’ve seen how the Republicans have treated men like Johnson and the Pauls, it’s clear that the only real home for libertarians is in the LP. That’s why today I’m also calling on Senator Rand Paul to follow in his father’s footsteps and to abandon his fruitless quest to reform the Republican Party. I’m asking Senator Paul join myself and Johnson in the Libertarian Party, where we can all work together to provide a clear alternative to the two big government parties. While I believe Johnson is a good man, I believe that I would make a better candidate for the following reasons. First, Governor Johnson’s vote total, while impressive, was not substantially different than any other candidate in the past. I believe that I can do better. If madness is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result, than the Libertarian Party should not retread the same tired, old campaign. We need new ideas, and fresh blood to advance the principles of economic freedom, and personal liberty into the future. Second, while I may be young, I am far from inexperienced. In fact, it was my experience in television that showed me that Johnson lacked the critical skills necessary to sway people to our ideas. That is in part why I am running, because I believe I have what it takes to actually win the hearts and minds of the American people. And we MUST win, in order to prevent the disaster that could accompany a Trump or Clinton White House. Third, as I have been campaigning, I have heard the frustrations of my fellow libertarians that Johnson has ignored the needs of the parties in the many states, and the party is not better off than when he left it in 2012. I have proven that not only am I dedicated to growing the libertarian party, but the movement as a whole. While my supporters have expressed to me that they also like Governor Johnson, they demand that I stay in the race, and fight for this nomination, as I represent a new face for libertarians, and the future of this movement. That is why I’m asking that Governor Johnson not rule out a consideration as my vice president. While I respect him greatly, I believe that we would accomplish greater things if we work together in this way. But since I believe I have the qualities necessary to be the leader of this party, Governor Johnson should step aside, and support my campaign to take over the government, and leave everyone alone. If you agree, please visit austinpetersen2016.com, send us a donation, and register to volunteer today. Your friend in liberty, Austin Petersen
I think they would. Of course, that assumes many of them wouldn’t be getting behind an “independent” candidate themselves, in which case all bets are off. So, you’re right, it’s not impossible, just very unlikely.
I agree, it’s very unlikely. Somebody asked me about it and I thought about it, and realized I couldn’t quite dismiss it as completely impossible. I’d say 5% chance at best. I do think there’d be a limit to how much the GOP could hold it against Rand; as they both make a point of saying, they’re different people. Ron has also not always been on the same page as Rand publicly— Tom Cotton’s Iran letter was a particularly telling moment, because Ron was out there quite loudly condemning the Senate Republicans for it and promoting peace with Iran, without noting that Rand was one of the signers. Ron also always talks positively (or at least sympathetically) about third-parties and the LP, whereas Rand has a history of explicitly condemning third-parties and defending work-within-the-GOP-only in a way Ron never did.
I don’t think Ron would actually do it if Rand considered it too harmful to his own career, but if he did Rand could step back and plausibly say “not my doing, he’s always been more of a loose cannon, and I don’t agree with giving up on the GOP, i’m my own man not my father,… who am I going to vote for? No comment, but of course I can’t endorse against my dad…” etc. His 2016 re-election is in the bag, and 2020 is six years and another presidential cycle away.
But like I said, I agree it’s 95%+ unlikely, and probably just a passing musing….
Agreed, I don’t see it happening.
Well, “the road” to Ron Paul being the LP’s presidential or vice-presidential candidate is certainly an easy one. If he says he wants it, he’ll get it. I don’t have to like that to admit that it’s true.
But I can’t see any reason on Earth why either he or his son would want him to do that.
Paul The Younger isn’t going to be the GOP’s presidential candidate, but since kissing and making up with Mitch McConnell after beating McConnell’s primary favorite in 2010, he probably HAS secured himself a US Senate seat for as long as he cares to sit in it … provided he doesn’t flip the party establishment off completely with some cheap stunt like “yeah, my dad’s running for VP as a Libertarian.”
That Senate seat is a powerful political position in its own right and is a place from which he can aspire to other things — future cabinet posts, VP nods, presidential campaigns, runs for governor, etc. He’d be an idiot to endanger it or to connive with his dad in endangering it. And I don’t think they’re idiots on that kind of thing.
“Randal Paul says he will endorse Trump if Trump is the nominee.”
Yes but like I said, he’s got the he’s-family out if his dad is on the LP ticket. He’s not going to endorse against Ron, and he can say exactly that, but he can still run for re-election himself as a Republican. That’s what he would stand to gain from the scenario, which is what I think takes it from “totally impossible” to “just barely plausible.”
I agree it’s not likely, but I can see the road to him doing it. It’s looking like Trump will have the GOP nomination locked up before the LNC, or at least close to it, which opens up some other interesting possibilities.
Just speculation, though. u.e. is correct, both Ron and Rand have been signaling some more mentions (and more positive mentions) of the LP in response to the RNC shenanigans, particularly his debate exclusion. What if anything comes of that, who knows. Most likely not much.
I think in all likelihood it will be Judge Gray again, and I don’t have any problem with that, but we’ll see. I do hope the Johnson campaign is shopping around their options to see who, if anybody, else might be even remotely interested. I don’t think we’re going to see any of the currently declared Pres. candidates put on the ticket either, but I could be wrong about that.
That’s all assuming, of course, that it isn’t Feldman/West or Freeman/vin Diesel 2016. 😉
Randal Paul says he will endorse Trump if Trump is the nominee. And presidential candidates are not the leaders of the party; parties have party chairs for that.
Ron Paul could easily capture the LP nomination for President or Vice President if he showed up at the LP National Convention in Orlando, without even campaigning or announcing that he was running prior to the convention.
I’d love to see him do either, but I doubt it is going to happen.
Interesting point, @u.e., and I think you are right about that, and I think Ron also talking up the LP recently was part of the same calculation.
If the Pauls (or at least the elder one) want to stick it to the GOP for its treatment of Rand, here’s a thought: Ron could accept the nomination for VP. Ron is still seemingly interested in having his own political voice, and is pretty active in doing interviews and his daily YouTube videos and podcasts (and trying to get an audience for them), from his home studio in Texas. Being the VP nominee for a few months wouldn’t really involve doing much more than he already is anyway, if he didn’t feel like taking up a heavy travel schedule, and it lets the top of the ticket do the heavy lifting. On Rand’s side of the calculation, it gives him an instant out for not endorsing Trump and at least remaining on the sidelines, which he probably desperately wants.
Obviously, that only plays out after Rand drops out, but I could actually see it happening. I wouldn’t bet on it– maybe a 5% chance– but I think there’s a decent political-calculus argument to be made for Ron doing it and Rand not objecting.
Should the LP go for it in that scenario? I see precisely no likelihood that the LNC attendees wouldn’t jump at it if they had the chance, but there would be the usual objections to Ron Paul, and I don’t entirely disagree with a lot of them. There’d be a stink over it from some quarters in the party, for sure. On balance though, I’d be willing to support it, for the same reasons I was, on balance, able to support Ron in 2008 and 2012.
Sen. Paul talked up the LP in several interviews during his media blitz after/because the RNC froze him out of their most recent debate.
And I really seriously hope everyone listened particularly to that second audio. This is about THREE WEEKS before declaring for the LP.
I see a candidate that succeeds (as in who actually gets to be President) to be the leader of the Party. In no sense are the defeated Republicans the leaders of their party.
Harry Browne passed away in 2006, nearly 6 years after his 2000 presidential campaign ended. He remained politically active until the fall of 2005.
” the presidential candidate (even a successful one) is not the “leader of the party.” ”
Yes, in real political parties they are, unless they created a total disaster (Goldwater, Mondale, Dukakis). However in our party we have recently had Barr (enough said), Johnson (working on PAC not party), Badnarik (gave NatCon speech saying we were not good; skip Congressional campaign), Browne (in fairness, was seriously ill and tragically died within a few years of his second campaign).
Dedicated to growing the libertarian party one year ago by saying “I don’t really care about political parties.” https://independentpoliticalreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/idontcareaboutparties.mp3
Dedicated to growing the libertarian party in August 2015 (he declared in September 2015) by raising money for Purple PAC to “get Rand Paul elected.” https://independentpoliticalreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/getrandpaulelected.mp3
Hmmmm…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF2ayWcJfxo
I got even more curious on Petersen’s rewriting of history because I had recollections of things from when I listened to his podcast in the past. So I went back and did some re-listening. And as recently as January 2015 (less than a year ago), his podcast intro proudly proclaimed “I don’t care about political parties.” How is that being “dedicated to growing the libertarian party”?
Also in the MONTH prior to declaring, he was raising money for Purple PAC for Rand Paul. In fact, he was still supporting Rand Paul in the podcast in which he declared.
NOW…. I am not one of those people who say libertarians can’t be trying to change the duopoly from within. Or that they can’t support Rand Paul. I know plenty of real true dedicated libertarians who do. But that is not being DEDICATED TO GROWING THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY.
It is the re-writing of history of object to.
It really does look like he’s trolling half the time.
What a freaking idiot.
Obviously.
Amen, Mr. Whitfield.
I think Austin Petersen should be the one to consider dropping out of the race.
LOL
“In the past I have been criticized for supporting Republicans such as Johnson, Ron Paul, and Rand Paul, due to my faithful allegiance to the Libertarian Party since 2008. ”
In what universe does that sentence make any fucking sense at all? Supporting candidates of Party A is not “faithful allegiance” to Party B.
Nobody’s going to drop out because you say to, and especially on the day they announce. Frankly, it sounds a bit dumb to even ask. And Jed’s right, look away from that script!! An Ipad makes a TelePrompTer anyway these days.
==But since I believe I have the qualities necessary to be the leader of this party,===
First, the presidential candidate (even a successful one) is not the “leader of the party.” Second, belittling and juvenile name-calling of fellow Party members is not a quality of leader.
I see that Mr. Petersen is re-writing his history.
After he left his employment with the LP in 2009, he was not ?dedicated to growing the libertarian party? as he states. He advocated for Republican causes and a libertarian takeover of the Republican party. I am not saying that is a bad strategy or that someone is a terrible libertarian for advocating that–I obviously don’t agree, but that’s me. I know a lot of people, solid libertarians, who are still doing that?and that is their path. Ron Paul went back to the Republican Party. But that is not being ?dedicated to growing the libertarian party.? This resume padding is disingenuous.
Do an IPR search? Where are all these articles about these dedicated efforts to grow the Libertarian Party before he declared? I?ll wait.
Mr. Petersen is not a new figure to me as to many. I was a fan of his website and podcast right after I became a Libertarian. His ?dedication to growing the libertarian party? was noticeable only by its absence. That is quite simply not what he did. Go back and listen to the episodes for yourself. Prove me wrong. Show this dedication. He had a wide audience, is a dynamic speaker, and could have been growing the Libertarian Party. But he wasn?t. He was too busy advocating for Rand Paul or debating the merits of other Republican candidates. Again, I am not condemning that, I still have friends?libertarian friends– who are doing that. But they are not claiming to have been ?dedicated to growing the libertarian party.?
This is an inflated narrative at best, and a false one at worst. Yes, he worked for HQ up to 2009. Yes he has worked for liberty causes. No, he has not in the past six years been ?dedicated to growing the libertarian party? and certainly not in the year leading up to his declaring. Not even in the days following his declaring for the nomination where he was still promoting Rand Paul. Here is Austin Petersen being ?dedicated to growing the libertarian party? May 2015.
Again, not condemning that path. Not saying there are libertarians who believe in this method. I am challenging the narrative above.
I wonder what John McAfee’s response to Johnson jumping in is?
Wouldn’t a producer know better than to read from a script on camera?
He also has a lot of nerve to invite Rand Paul over to the LP.
Rand is still young. I’d be surprised if he’d consider burning bridges with the GOP at this point of his political career. I’d also be surprised if the LP would welcome him in 2016.
The hubris of this young man continues to astonish me.
I also think that his lack of capitalizing “libertarian” when talking about the actual party is deliberate and telling. I have grown a tremendous dislike for Austin, besides the fact that he doesn’t properly believe or represent Libertarian ideals. It seems I’m not alone, since he doesn’t poll at the top of anyone’s polls except perhaps his own.