Gary Johnson officially announced his presidential candidacy on Fox Business Network today. From Andy Cush at Gawker:
Former New Mexico governor and big cannabis CEO Gary Johnson is running for president as a Libertarian, he announced today. He’s not going to win, but he will probably make Rand Paul even less of a viable presidential contender than he already is.
Johnson also ran for president in 2012, initially declaring his candidacy as a Republican, then switching to the Libertarian ticket. He didn’t do so well back then. In October, he teased a 2016 run onhis blog, rehashing his long-held support for a very small federal government and calling out Paul for abandoning his own Libertarian principles.
Paul, of course, is the scion of Ron Paul, the most recognizable Libertarian in America. The elder Paul’s own failed but energetic presidential bids demonstrated the awkward position of official Libertarianism in national politics: a movement that walks a fine line between rejecting the existing political system and trying claim influence over the mainstream Republican Party.
Johnson’s campaign site is https://www.garyjohnson2016.com
“The only debate Barr participated in was the official CSPAN debate with all questions known in advance, ”
The questions were not known in advance, at least not to all participants.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/331865903604426/
Libertarians against LINO Gary Johnson
Ban the Burka Banner
He announced an exploratory committee shortly after the February meeting and went around to state conventions making solo speeches but did not debate any other candidates at any state conventions or at any of the unofficial debates at the national convention. The only debate Barr participated in was the official CSPAN debate with all questions known in advance, and he was the only candidate to duck every other debate. He did not formally announce that he was actually running until the day after the last state convention (but I’m sure the timing was pure coincidence, LOL).
Barr announced on May 12th. He was nominated on May 25th.
Ruwart announced in March. I don’t recall the exact date, but I think it was toward the end of the month.
I recall Barr announcing after the last state LP convention prior to the national convention took place.
Both announced after the LSLA that year, which was probably in late January/early February. I can’t recall exactly when. Dr Ruwart announced, and then I believe that Bob Barr’s announcement was about a month later.
Only if she would agree to wear a burka made out of a Confederate battle flag!
Hmm … Draft Ruwart 2016, anyone?
@ 13:43 in 2008, at this point of the year, the Ruwart and Barr declarations were months in the future.
Derrick Michael Reid: The Libertarian Party members should be appalled that someone thinks so little of their time, energy, hopes, and aspirations, to attempt to waste it all away, by one who actually believes he has no chance. I can not support blatant defeatism.
I am not appalled. I find it refreshingly honest whenever a politician admits that he’s not going to win.
The purpose of an LP presidential campaign is not to win — which is impossible, at this time — but to educate the public, to promote libertarian ideas, so that libertarian victories might become possible in the future.
There are things I dislike about Johnson, but this isn’t it.
GP, for sheer foolishness, banning burqas in 2016 tops the list. Past support for DOMA in a time when marriage was still defined by most as between dude and dudette seems understandable. I’m not really up on neopaganism or moves to block neopagans from the military, but that doesn’t seem as alarming to me on its face, since the military’s purpose is to defend the nation, and to do so requires maintaining discipline in the ranks. Regardless, it’s a tiny subset of society.
Anyone might choose to wear a burqas. What clothes one wears is a personal choice that affects no one else.
Now, if GJ called for reversing the Supremes on same-gender marriage or banning the practice of neopaganism, that would be worse still.
GJ’s lack of discipline as a politician is on display. Even if one believed (somehow!) that burqas should be banned, to reveal that on Day One to a L news outlet is sloppy at best, but reckless might be the more accurate characterization.
Most disappointing.
I can grant you the “I’m Not Winning” Line,
I can give a different way of phrasing it that “I may not be elected, But I’ll do everything I can…”
I am Not Delusional???? To say Bad Phrasing… On the First Day.
And, The Burqa line. For the Libertarian Nomination. IS he trying to back door his way to be Trump’s Running Mate? How can you persuade Right Wingers outside the Party to vote for this guy?
Robert,
Barr gave us DOMA. Barr and Paul were both involved IIRC at some level in the call to purge the military of Neopagans. (Just think: “Your religion [Asatru] promises that if you die in battle meritoriously, with wisdom and heroism, you will be summoned to paradise? So we don’t want want you as a soldier, young lady”?]
Your call on which is worse in your mind.
George
“Mr. Hill, I thought you were with the Constitution Party?”
No sir. I’m a registered Republican, though I maintain a strong interest in third parties and often vote for their candidates as well as independents.
Yep, that’s it. Thanks Thane!
Jill and Jed,
A search on the quote above has this as the first hit.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/gary-johnson-president-announcement-2016/422964/
I saw that quote too, don’t remember where though. Politico?
Where did that quote come from, Derrick? People will be saying all kinds of things, true or not, to make sure no one notices him and votes for him.
I have no idea if this is true.
“Gary Johnson wants you to know that he’s not delusional. The former New Mexico governor knows that his campaign for the presidency, which he announced Wednesday on the Fox Business Network, won’t end with him in the White House.”
If one already deems himself a loser, why would he waste people’s time and energy, if not for just self glorification? This is absolutely amazing, if true. I guess some are running just for the heck of it, which is shameful, if true. A run for the presidency is a serious act, as the country needs salvation and a leader, not clowns running around for no purpose. Why would anyone take an admitted loser seriously? The Libertarian Party members should be appalled that someone thinks so little of their time, energy, hopes, and aspirations, to attempt to waste it all away, by one who actually believes he has no chance. I can not support blatant defeatism. I can not support a useless national convention. This is less than honorable.
Bob,
The WAR statement that came to mind when I saw this from Johnson was Root’s claim that if a mosque received foreign funding it would be “unconstitutional” to allow it to be built.
Did/does WAR advocate banning burqas? I’m not sure even he is that unwise.
My take (from over at my blog):
Mr. Hill, I thought you were with the Constitution Party?
“Surprisingly for a libertarian, Johnson, who recently resigned as the CEO of Cannabis Sativa, a marijuana marketing form, said that he would sign a bill banning the wearing of burqas in America. Sharia, he insisted, was not an expression of religion but of ‘politics’ and hence many of its practices could be banned or limited without running afoul of the Constitution.”
That’s really stupid. Like, REALLY stupid. This one quote might cost him my vote.
IF there’s a good counter, I’ll listen. But sharia jag he’s on is for the birds.
At least the FAIR tax has some positives. Banning burqas sounds about as unwise as it gets.
if GJ doesn’t walk back the burqas view, I’m very likely to not vote in 16. I can overlook many things, but telling people what they can’t wear isn’t one of them.
This is about as disappointing as it gets!
Jed,
Well, I didn’t need any more reasons to not support him, but that would certainly make the list if I did.
Thanks for posting that, Mr. Knapp. That’s why I no longer support Gary Johnson.
I can’t wait until McAfee, Feldman, or Perry beat Johnson at the national convention.
I am so glad that Gary Johnson has officially announced and is running for the Libertarian nomination. I saw his appearance on the Neil Cavuto tv show and thought Gary did well.
Reason, 01/06/16
New email from GJ16 to GJ12 list:
Friends,
If Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are the Republican and Democrat presidential candidates, a historic 22% of voters say they will vote for “some other candidate”. That’s what a Rasmussen poll released last week found.
By the time you receive this email, I will be announcing to the media that I intend to be that “other candidate”. That’s right. I AM RUNNING for President of the United States.
I wanted you to be among the first to know. Your friendship and the support you have always provided mean a great deal to me personally, and I’m counting on you to join me as we seek to provide the American people with a real choice in the presidential election.
In 2012, I received more votes than any Libertarian candidate in history — and built a nation-wide network of support that is not only still in place, but has grown into a team of political activists that are having an impact at the state and local levels in every corner of the nation.
This year we are seeing even mainstream commentators and political analysts predicting that a “third party” candidate could have unprecedented success attracting the support of those millions of independent voters who are finally fed up with the status quo. One need look no further than Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders to see that America is more than ready to try a new approach.
In short, 2016 is shaping up to be a year when the conventional rules of politics are thrown out the window. It’s about time, and I’m ready to offer voters a credible, serious alternative to the broken system that has given us a national debt that will reach $20 trillion by the time Barack Obama leaves office, foreign policy chaos that is putting us ALL at risk, and a federal government that is no longer a defender of liberty, but rather a threat to even our most basic constitutional freedoms.
Yes, America is ready for a serious alternative to the worn-out politics and policies they see embodied in the Republican and Democrat parties. That’s why I am announcing my candidacy for the Libertarian Party nomination for President, and that’s why I am writing you today to ask for your support.
During my 8 years as Governor of New Mexico, I proved that governing on the basis of the principles of liberty works. We restrained the growth of government, cut taxes, cut regulation, reduced the number of government employees — and did all those things successfully in an overwhelmingly Democrat state. When the legislature passed laws that cost too much or intruded on freedom too much, I just said “No”, exercising my constitutional veto power 750 times.
America is ready for a President who will do the same.
Likewise, America is ready for a President who will, once and for all, declare the interventionist policies of the last two Presidents to be failures. The fundamental purpose of our foreign and military policies is not nation-building, “regime change”, or imposing “values” on other cultures. Rather, the government’s most basic responsibility is to defend us from real threats to our safety and our property. Can anyone reasonably say that we are safer today than we were before sacrificing thousands of lives and trillions of dollars in failed foreign interventions?
America is ready for a President who will keep us safe, not try to reshape a world that doesn’t want to be reshaped. Violent, murderous extremists are a real threat — and are determined to destroy our liberties. Our government must deal with that threat, but must do so wisely and precisely.
Somehow, the simple notions that less government is better, that we shouldn’t spend money we don’t have, and that a free market will better serve ALL Americans than government ever will have been lost. I am committed to restoring those simple notions as the true American “values”, an d showing voters that they don’t have to “settle” for slightly differing versions of the same big government, small freedom politicians who have pushed us to the brink.
I’m also committed to reversing the policies that have, sadly, made government the “enemy” to far too many Americans. Young people — of any ethnicity — should not live in fear of the police, unless they are committing real crimes. A nation founded on individual rights and liberty should NOT have the highest incarceration rate in the world. Millions should NOT be labeled criminals in a War on Drugs that is a spectacular and costly failure. And, Am erican citizens should not be required to play a never-ending game of cat-and-mouse in order to prevent the government from spying on our every move, financial transaction and communication.
Liberty must once again be something more than a word politicians throw out while waving a flag.
In 2012, I learned a lot about running for President. We were more successful than any Libertarian presidential candidate in history. We learned what works…and what doesn’t. Being an entrepreneur, I will take those lessons and tackle 2016 both smarter and more effectively — just as I have done in business and as I did as Governor.
The first lesson I learned in 2012 is that I can’t do it alone. I need your help. Social media and technology have opened opportunities to communicate with voters, particularly young ones, that didn’t exist even 4 years ago. As many of the major party candidates are painfully finding, spending tens of millions on TV advertising simply doesn’t do what it used to do.
We will put our resources into communications channels that actually work. We will engage voters on a personal level, and make them part of the process — not victims of it.
But to do those things, I must depend on supporters such as yourself. I will make the speeches, do the media interviews and reach every voter I personally can, but it is your support that will truly make it all work. I’m counting on you to join me.
Please take a moment today to go to http://www.GaryJohnson2016.com and make a contribution that will go a long way toward launching what I believe will be a historic campaign.
America’s ready. I’m ready. Libertarians and independents across the country are ready. It is up to us to give them the choice they want and deserve in November. Together, we can be that “other” candidate voters are so desperately seeking.
I look forward to hearing from you, and to seeing you on the campaign trail!
Thank you,
Gov. Gary Johnson
I doubt it. I don’t think anyone except Tom Knapp still had doubts that Johnson would be running.
I wonder if any of the lesser-known candidates will leave the race now
We will.
You should keep them both.
I honestly didn’t see you had already posted, and had the video links I wanted to include. *Shrug* It happens, it’ll work itself out.
I see AC put that in his thread. Why do we have two threads? Lol
Campaign announcement press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe Hunter
[email protected]
(801) 303-7922
GOVERNOR GARY JOHNSON ANNOUNCES 2016 CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT
Two-term New Mexico Governor to seek Libertarian Nomination
January 6, 2016, Santa Fe, NM — Former New Mexico Governor and 2012 presidential candidate Gary Johnson announced today that he is seeking the 2016 Libertarian nomination for President of the United States.
Johnson made the announcement during an appearance Wednesday on Neil Cavuto’s “Coast to Coast” on the Fox Business Network. Johnson placed third in the 2012 presidential race, receiving more votes than any Libertarian candidate in history.
Announcing his candidacy, Johnson said, “One need only to look at the Republican and Democrat nomination races to see that 2016 may very well be a ‘tipping point’ election year. The American people are clearly fed up and running out of patience with the status quo. I’m fed up with it also.
“By the time Barack Obama leaves office, the national debt will have reached $20 trillion. It has doubled while he has been in office, just as it doubled while George W. Bush was President. Obviously, it doesn’t really matter which of the two so-called ‘major’ parties is in control of the White House or Congress. The government just keeps growing, the spending just keeps increasing, and the debt keeps piling up.
“After two wars, seemingly endless foreign interventions and failed attempts at nation-building, can anyone credibly suggest that we are somehow safer today than we were 15 years ago? To the contrary, the threats to our safety and our liberty from violent jihadists are increasing, and if anything, we are less safe. The American people are tired of chaotic foreign and military policies that are obviously not fulfilling the government’s fundamental duty to keep the homeland and our freedoms secure. Voters are correctly demanding that their leaders focus on that most basic responsibility of the federal government.
“And the American people are fed up with politicians — both Republican and Democrat — who are determined to replace liberty with government overreach, control and intrusion into our daily lives. The United States was founded on a rejection of warrantless searches, oppressive taxation, and government interference with the free exercise of speech, religion, and personal choices. Today, we have a generation of young people growing up believing their own government to be the greatest threat to their privacy and their freedom to pursue their dreams.
“Our politicians and their refusal to abandon failed policies have sadly turned the governance of America into something the Founders would hardly recognize, much less embrace.
“America needs a President who will push back against the growth of government — and mean it. That begins with proposing a federal budget that doesn’t spend more than it takes in, and using the veto pen to enforce it if necessary. Government spends too much because it does too much, and a President who is serious about making government do and spend less can make it happen.
“America needs a President whose idea of national security isn’t to spy on American citizens and pry into their personal and financial lives without warrants or due process. The failed War on Drugs needs to end, along with the surveillance, incarceration rate and needless prosecution it has given us.
“And we need leaders whose idea of immigration reform consists of something more thoughtful — and effective — than building bigger walls, imposing unconstitutional religious tests, and militarizing our borders.
“Our system is broken. The two ‘major’ parties have become slightly different shades of the same big government, big debt and ineffective status quo. I am convinced that Americans are ready to send Washington, DC, a message, to reject the status quo and break up the political duopoly that can’t even come up with a real budget and that is fundamentally incapable of change. What is missing is a belief that there is an alternative, a belief that the rigged game can, indeed, be broken up.
“As a successful former Governor, an entrepreneur and a proven advocate for smaller government and greater freedom, I intend to offer Americans the alternative they seek.
“Liberty and the freedom to succeed are the real American values, and I’m running for President to restore those values, make America genuinely safe, and put an end to a tired status quo that has given us nothing but debt, less freedom and well-founded fears about the future we are creating for our children and grandchildren.”
###
tk: At worst, he gets to use us AGAIN.
me: “Use” to what end? Are you implying a lack of sincerity on GJ’s part, that he has an ulterior motive? If so, what is his motive?
Somehow I doubt it.
Sad day for the Libertarian Party. At best, we beat him back with some effort. At worst, he gets to use us AGAIN.
A million plus of us weren’t too busy in 2012.
Did everyone hear the commenter say that Libertarians will be too busy smoking pot to vote?
LOL
I think this will be the last announcement. We’ve got a large and varied field of candidates now, so everyone who is going to run has probably announced at this point.