Possible 3rd Party Candidate Rumors Whirl

Bipartisan Okla. Caucus Aims To Influence Current Candidates, But What If It Doesn't Work?

(CBS)  Next week, an intriguing caucus at the University of Oklahoma could be an important detour on this year's road to the White House.

It was the idea of Former Democratic Senator and Oklahoma Governor David Boren, who reached out to some former colleagues to push a bipartisan agenda ranging from energy policy to immigration.

"Partisan polarization has just been paralyzing this country," said Boren, now president of the University of Oklahoma.

Former Republican New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman ran the Environmental Protection Agency during President Bush's first term.

"This is not about 'how do you start a third-party insurgency'," Whitman said to CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.

"We continue to be loyal party members," Whitman said, "but the parties are in trouble right now, and we're not responding to the American people. We're not providing them with the kind of answers that they want."

Among other invitees are former Democratic Senators Sam Nunn and Bob Graham and former presidential candidate Gary Hart. Republicans include Senator Chuck Hagel and former Senators John Danforth and William Cohen.

Although he has stated that he is not a candidate, it's the inclusion of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that has given the gathering its buzz. The billionaire businessman-turned-politician, recently left the Republican Party to become an Independent, fueling speculation he might actually jump into the Presidential race.

"What we want to do is find a way to take an independent approach to government," said Bloomberg.

The timing may be good; Americans' allegiance to the two major parties is at an all-time low. According to a December 2007 CBS/New York Times Poll, 39 percent now call themselves Independent, 35 percent Democrat and only 26 precent Republican. That's a steady slide from two decades ago, when party members outnumbered independent voters. A 1988 CBS News Poll showed that only 31 percent of Americans called themselves Independents at that time.

"The very possibility of Bloomberg or someone else running and launching a really credible campaign will, I hope, serve as some leverage to bring the two parties back to the center," said Boren.

Miller reports that the primary goal of this meeting is to influence the current field of candidates. And if that doesn't work, some observers hint that if ever there was a year a third party candidate could run and win...2008 would be it.

[trinitron01]

Hello People! You have a real chance to get the best man in office with a perfect record in congress-- none of them come close to Dr. Ron Paul. I have compared them. I didn''''t know who was who and didnt trust the media machine. Look up ronpaul2008.com and his issues and record, and you will see for yourself. Don''''t be fooled by the imitators, there is only one guy that can really make a difference for the people. Also Dr. Ron Paul is on TONIGHT WITH JAY LENO - Tonight!!!

[candide777]

Gore is connected through the marriage of his kid to the banking family that in large part funded the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia that knocked an ally out of World War I . . .Posted by Prinzowhales at 01:43 PM : Jan 07, 2008

LOL -- you are not serious, are you? Did you ever see A Beautiful Mind? You are dead on the main character -- LOL!

[prinzowhales]

Candide777--Gore was a second generation step-and- fetch for the billionaire son of a founder of the US Communist Party, Armand Hammer, who himself was a communist agent of influence. Gore is connected through the marriage of his kid to the banking family that in large part funded the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia that knocked an ally out of World War I. I wouldn''t trust him any futher than I could throw him...His new personna--Fat Al--serves to promote him as a poster boy for man-caused global warming...a fraud being used to justify the call for a carbon tax. I would no more waste my vote on Gore than I would waste it on Bush!

[b-easy63]

Republicans are desperate. People are disillusioned with Democrats but they are infuriated with Republicans. In a lose, lose scenario--the new tactic appears to be to hitch a Republican to a Democratic wagon and thereby keep the Republicans relevant and solvent by taking away choice. Even the Republican leadership know that they are not wanted--so either they switch parties to run or decide this.

Voters should threaten to jettison any who join forces with the Republicans. After the Bush years, they deserve a thorough trouncing--if only to let them know what happens to a party that goes wild with our resources, our finances, our children and our government.

[indepundit]

A third party is not what is needed.

Statespeople and Problem Solvers are needed.

We are the Unaffiliated/Independent Voters Center and we use the power of one vote to make each elected official fight each other to be the best representative for us before they get our individual vote. We do not push a candidate nor do we sway a vote.

We use or collective ideas and discussions to help make our own individual decision.

Our motto is: Not a Color, Just A Voter!

Find us and join our voters think tank at www.DoesMyVoteCount.com or www.Unaffiliated.us

[candide777]

I voted for Nader--and I voted for him because he was a man of integrity...Posted by Prinzowhales at 02:59 PM : Jan 06, 2008

You threw your vote away. Gore also has integrity. When it was painfully obvious that Nader had no chance to win, Nader should have done the honorable thing and stepped aside. Now we have an expensive, illegal and unconstitutional war, and two more Justices on the Supreme Court who I bet are more than willing to set aside this next election and hand the victory to the candidate of their choice.

[cfin5]

"There are two methods, or means, and only two, whereby man''s needs and desires can be satisfied. One is the production and exchange of wealth; this is the economic means. The other is the uncompensated appropriation of wealth produced by others; this is the political means." - Albert Jay Nock

[cfin5]

"''Need'' now means wanting someone else''s money. ''Greed'' means wanting to keep your own. ''Compassion'' is when a politician arranges the transfer." - Joseph Sobran

[prinzowhales]

This article gives a fairly good description of the incident between Rep. McKinney and the officer.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/06/mckinney/index.html

Notice that it is Tom DeLay and Dennis Hastert who are chastising her...an Enron crook and a supporter of the child molestor, Tom Foley, who has also been named as one as well.

http://freedom4um.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=36442

[cfin5]

We have ALSO made SERIOUS committments to our SENIORS, promises THEY have a right to expect. Paul proposes to TRASH those PROMISES... maybe in your world THAT is okay but to REAL American''''s that''''s not going to happen. WE BECAME the greatest on earth BECAUSE we cared about each other, let''''s not trash all our fathers have built because SOME are just plain Greedy.

Posted by skyk at 01:04 PM : Jan 06, 2008----------------------There''s not an ounce of truth to what you just posted. Go to his website and check what he has said regarding this issue. (ronpaul2008.com)