New York Times analysis: [Libertarian] Badnarik's impact could be 'critical'

LP ^ | 10/29/04 | NY Times via LP.org

[freedom44]

WASHINGTON -- Move over, Ralph Nader: A New York Times analysis says that Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik could be 'critical' to the outcome of the 2004 election, and that the party's 2000 candidate may have cost Bush at least four states.

In the Sunday, October 24 "Political Points" column, New York Times writer John Tierney asserts that in 2000, Bush "could have won Florida easily, and possibly several other states, if the Libertarian candidate, Harry Browne, was not in the race," assuming that Browne's votes would have gone to Bush.

In Florida, Browne earned 16,415 votes, while Bush defeated Al Gore by just 537 votes.

In three states won by Gore -- New Mexico, Oregon and Wisconsin -- Browne won more votes than the difference separating Bush and Gore, the article notes. In New Mexico, for example, Gore prevailed by 366 votes while Browne earned 2,058, and in Wisconsin, Gore beat Bush by 5,708 votes while Browne garnered 6,640.

With New Mexico, Wisconsin and other battleground states too close to call again in 2004, Libertarian Badnarik has the potential to "Naderize" Bush by attracting conservative votes, according to Tierney and other analysts.

A recent Zogby/Reuters national poll shows Badnarik tied with Nader at 1 percentage point, which is "not much, but possibly critical" to the outcome on Election Day, Tierney says.

Rasmussen polls have put Badnarik as high as 5 percent in New Mexico and 3 percent in Nevada, which Bush won by just 4 percentage points in 2000.

Increasing Badnarik's impact, according to Tierney: "Unlike Mr. Nader, Mr. Badnarik is on the ballot of every battleground state except New Hampshire."

Nader will be absent from the ballot in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Oregon, Missouri and other key states, prompting many analysts to predict that Badnarik will have a bigger impact on Bush than Nader will have on Democrat John Kerry.

In an attempt to attract votes from fiscal conservatives, the Libertarian Party has launched an advertising blitz on the conservative Fox News Channel -- a campaign that is "aimed directly at Mr. Bush's Republican base," notes the Times article.

Responds Joseph Seehusen, executive director of the Libertarian Party: "Fiscal conservatives aren't abandoning the Republican Party; the Republican Party has abandoned fiscal conservatives. Bush has fattened up the government far more in percentage terms than Bill Clinton did, and responsible voters don't want to reward that behavior. So they're sending a message by voting Libertarian."

[clee1]

Yeah right.

[aft_lizard]

I saw the first libertarian commercial of the season today in phoenix

[The South Texan]

While I agree with Libertarians much more than the with the Rats, they would be just as bad on the war on terror if not worse than the Rats.

[Tribune7]

They are grasping at straws. LOL.

[ikka]

The NYT would endorse Badnarik for President if they felt it would hurt Bush enough.

[jneesy]

its nice for the folks at the nyt to have dreams. what they dont see is there was nothing on the line in 2000

[MJY1288]

ROFLMAO

[kingattax]

[Callahan]

I saw one in Philly. The commercial was really cheesy. I agree with many Libertarian ideas (save the national party's nutty foreign policy) but this guy has no chance in hell of getting my vote in 2004.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"In an attempt to attract votes from fiscal conservatives, the Libertarian Party has launched an advertising blitz on the conservative Fox News Channel -- a campaign that is "aimed directly at Mr. Bush's Republican base," notes the Times article. "

I've seen it. It is the most amateurish, low-cost production that I've ever seen. Try again, New York Times.....

[FlipWilson]

The MSM has swung into the home stretch mode. It is more than obvious that the MSM will target Bush directly with some shocking story. What is not as obvious is the stories that are clearly designed to depress the Republican base. In my opinion, this story is a perfect example of the latter.

[gop_gene]

I never even HEARD of this guy until not long ago . . . and I'm quite a political junkie. In fact, just a few days ago I got him mixed with with that other Michael of the Constitution Party--Peroutka I think it is. In fact, if I'm not fully alert I get them mixed up--that's how much of a nonentity they are.

[datura]

Losertarian delusions of grandeur. The similarities between conservatives and losertarians disappeared back during Afghanistan. They won't be taking 'conservative' votes from the president.

[Stonedog]

[Libertarian] Badnarik's impact could be 'critical'

Legalize it. That's the Libertarian campaign slogan, right?

[Ex-Dem]

I've seen Badnarik's commercial twice, came across as quite the pacifist. Next to him, Kerry almost looks like a warmonger...

[ScottM1968]

Unfortunately, we don't know what his impact will be until Election Day.

The polls only include Bush, Kerry, and Nader.

With that, libertarians would tend toward Bush and fill in his numbers.

[HereComesTheGOP]

LETS END THIS!
Libertarian pioneer endorses Bush
Former presidential candidate says too much at stake not to support 'W'

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41116

PS This can be found on millions of websites~!

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Bush has fattened up the government far more in percentage terms than Bill Clinton did

So let's help elect a traitor who will cast away all the gains we've made against Terrorists. I know the Libertarians don't give a rat's ass about the War on Terror. (see Harry Browne's statement on how we should have dealt with Afghanistan after 9-11).

[AHerald]

I bet more voters would guess that Badnarik was some type of Eastern Euorpean pastry than a presidential candidate.