Posted on 07/24/2012 6:28:39 PM PDT by xzins
While many on the right fear that Constitution Party presidential candidate Virgil Goode might just draw enough votes in his native Virginia to tip the Old Dominion’s 14 electoral votes from Mitt Romney to Barack Obama, the former six-term congressman made it clear he doesn’t care.
Goode, in fact, feels that “in many ways, for conservatives, it might be better to have Obama as president next year rather than Romney.”
The 65-year-old Goode spoke to Human Events last week as he and his supporters were in the process of gathering the 10,000 signatures they need to submit before the Aug. 24 deadline to qualify for Virginia’s November ballot. Founded by Conservative Caucus chairman and venerable conservative leader Howard Phillips, the Constitution Party is so far on the ballot in 17 states. Right now, Goode told us, the party is making attempts to secure ballot positions in other key states such as Arkansas, Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania — the home state of the Constitution Party’s vice presidential nominee Jim Clymer.
But what has clearly set off alarm bells among conservatives lately is the scenario of Goode making the ballot in Virginia — where he won the 5th District U.S. House seat as a Democrat, Independent, and Republican from 1996 until his narrow defeat in 2008. Polls show the state, which Obama narrowly carried over John McCain in 2008, seesawing between the president and his Republican opponent in 2012. A just-completed Quinnipiac Poll showed Obama and Romney tied among likely Virginia voters, with each getting 44 percent — down from Obama’s 47 to 42 percent edge in the same poll in June.
Of particular concern to Republicans is Goode’s strength in his home turf: the Danville-Charlottesville area that he represented in Congress and previously as state senator. Four years after he lost the closest House race, the former congressman remains popular in his former turf. In addition, his hard-line stance on immigration, strong emphasis on limited government and focus on following the U.S. Constitution seems more likely to woo Virginians who would otherwise vote for Romney than those inclined to Obama.
“If I’m on the ballot in Virginia, I could cost Obama a lot of votes — possibly as much as or even more than Romney,” Goode told us, repeating a line that many third party contenders have taken over the years. “There are a lot of life-long Democrats (in the Fifth District) who say they’ll hold their nose and vote for Obama. But as the fellow in the filling station up the road told me, ‘I’m a Democrat, but if you’re on the ballot, Virgil, I’m voting for you.’”
We recalled how much as it was widely interpreted that Obama’s victory by a plurality over John McCain in North Carolina in 2008 was due to votes for Libertarian Bob Barr. We then pointed out to Goode that, regardless of his interpretation, pundits and political analysts would almost certainly interpret a narrow Obama win in Virginia to a strong Goode showing and asked how he would feel then.
“In many ways, for conservatives, it might be better to have Obama as president next year rather than Romney,” replied Goode, explaining that “it would be tougher to get through Congress some bad things under Obama than it would under Romney.”
“Take one for the team? Not me brother!”
Recalling how the president announced earlier this year his order not to pursue deportation of illegal aliens who complete high school or join the military, Goode noted that “Romney wouldn’t come out against the short-term amnesty. He was just going with the wind. If Obama were president, Republicans in Congress would oppose him on things like this on principle and almost unanimously. But if Romney were president, he would probably get it through (Congress).
“Remember how (Republican presidential candidate Rick) Santorum explained his vote for the No Child Left Behind (federal education program under George W. Bush) by saying: ‘Sometimes you’ve got take one for the team.’ That’s the argument Romney would use with Republicans to get them to pass things they normally wouldn’t oppose.”
As a Democrat in Congress in the 1990s, Goode pointed out that he voted a strong right-to-life line despite the fact that the Democratic leadership was in the other camp on the abortion issue. As a Republican from 2002-08, he said, “I was urged to ‘take one for the team’ and vote for CAFTA (a free trade agreement). I didn’t think it was good for the country and I opposed it. Sometimes you have to show some backbone.”
As a Democrat, Goode in the House scored unusually high ratings of 84 percent and 83 pe cent with the American Conservative Union; as an independent and later a Republican, his ratings went higher and his lifetime ACU average in 96 percent.
In carrying the banner of the Constitution Party, Virgil Goode is again not “taking one for the team.” Whether he qualifies for the Virginia ballot Aug. 24 and how well he does in his home state will surely be watched there, as well as by Republicans nationwide.
Sorry to be late to the dance. Looks like all the usual folks are here.
Bow to your partner, bow to your own....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIXf1A1erX4
“That’s an idiotic and irresponsible statement. Obama has been a disaster for conservative policies on so many levels, it will decades to clean up what Obama wrought, and I believe in fact that we will never be able to undo some of Obama’s damage from 4 years. 8 years?!?!”
And willard will somehow help conservative policies?
This election is a disaster for conservatives. We lost the election the day Sarah decided not to run, and now we’re debating which left wing candidate would do less harm? It’s a suckers game and I’m done playing it. I’m going to vote for the conservative candidate I agree with. And that just happens to be a 3rd party candidate. All the better that I live in Virginia and will have a good amount of company.
“Hint: 3-4 SC judges.”
David Souter, Sandra O’Connor, and John Roberts? Gee. Those were a real prize for conservatives. So we should vote for a candidate that will give us a few more?
“We can’t survive another 4 years of O. And if Obama is elected again we probably won’t survive another four years!”
Say what? Virginia will still be here, the Federal government will still be broke, the political class will still be ignoring the Constitution, and our liberties will be further eroded. How would that be all that significantly different under willard? Other than we’d have to listen to a bunch of gop hacks tell us it’s raining while they urinate on our backs.
If you assume as I do that The Divorce is probably coming whether we like it or not, then which of these candidates win is not all that important. The real contests of importance will be at the state and local level.
Romney is many things - a liberal, effeminate, metro-sexual but homosexual - nope.
“Goode and anyone planning to cast a vote for him are co-conspirators with Obama.”
Well then using that logic it could also be said that those who are planning to vote for willard are collaborators with abortionists and gun grabbers.
It cuts both ways.
“Moronic. Perot gave Clinton the presidency.”
Actually George HW Bush did.
Awesome. I want Bugs as campaign manager!
-—”There are more than two choices. I am sorry you live in a state that is so limiting in its choices. “
No, given that Romney has the R-nomination in the bag, there really are only TWO REALISTIC choices.
Yes, there are independents, libertarians, green party candidates and communist candidates that we could vote for, but the reality is: A vote for them is wasting an anti-Obama vote.
From your perspective, this should boil down to a lesser of two evils. I see Obama as extremely evil and anti-freedom.
The Romney position recently on abortion is mixed. You’ve got articles like this that don’t support your belief that “Romney is now a supporter of abortion.” At least this is what he says currently:
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/06/29/romney-pounds-pro-life-themes-against-abortion-obama/
“It’s both amazing and appalling over how many former “nose-holders” are now full-throated Romneyites.”
There has always been a sort of twisted co-dependency relationship going on between conservatives and the gop. The gop will screw conservatives over 364 days out of the year. But should you suggest voting for an actual conservative running on a third party ticket, you’ll see the wide eyes and foaming at the mouth rage that is usually only seen in rabid animals.
Nope. Debunked every which way there can be a debunking.
“Yeah, but they’re fun to play with once in a while...”
The “conservative” willard apologists are fun to play with as well.
“Third party candidates: Cutting off your nose to spite your face.”
Major party candidates: selling your soul cheap.
“Yes, prove what a conservative you are by voting for the guy who was a Democrat representative during Clinton’s second term.”
So by your logic, we should never, ever vote for someone who was a former democrat or the head of a labor union.
Someone like...Ronald Reagan perhaps?
-—”The people in those states who waste their Romney votes should discuss whether the consequences of a second [Obama] term can ever be undone by our descendents.”
Well said. I don’t see how else to view it that not-voting is throwing away a vote that could unseat King Obama. Not voting IS A VOTE FOR OBAMA. What’s with these people??
Romney’s not the ideal candidate by any means, but if there are any conservatives who would rather have Obutthole in office for 4 more disastrous years, they must not find Obutthole so objectionable after all.
There’s a certain stubborness I’m seeing where these people obviously aren’t asking themselves some hard questions (e.g. how would they REALLY feel if Obutthole is allowed to ravage this world as we know it.
For me, it’s unthinkable.
Good photoshops....but that one is awesome. Thanks!
Huh?
I live in California I get to vote for anyone one I want, since BHO has already bought this state.
Where do you live that the vote is so close that if you don’t vote for the liberal R over the liberal D the liberal D will win?
“Major party candidates: selling your soul cheap.”
That is not an instance of a Faustian bargain.
So you’re indicating that your vote is meaningless anyway?
In 1992 when I wasn’t paying attention to the reality of Politics, I Voted for Perot.
I will not make the Third Party Candidate mistake again.
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