McKinney Goes Green [Will a third-party candidate be a 'spoiler'?]

Newsweek ^ | July 15, 2008 | Katie Paul

[Berlin_Freeper]

Controversy has always been Cynthia McKinney's trademark. This election season, she may have finally found her perfect political home. Last weekend, the 53-year-old former Georgia congresswoman clinched the Green Party's presidential nomination; 35-year-old hip-hop artist and activist Rosa Clemente will be her running mate.

A firebrand politician best known for her impolitic statements during her more than 20 years in public life, McKinney has had a mixed electoral record as a Democrat in her district in recent years. After 10 years in office, she was upset in 2002 by fellow Democrat Denise Majette, re-elected in 2004, and ousted again in 2006 by the 4th District's current Democratic congressman, Rep. Hank Johnson. Most commentators point to her altercation with a U.S. Capitol police officer and her accusations that the Bush administration covered up its role in the 9/11 attacks to explain the losses, but McKinney cites voting irregularities like those highlighted in "American Blackout," a 2006 documentary that focuses on her career.

McKinney's nomination brings some name recognition to the Green Party, but it's unclear how far that will take them this election cycle. The Green Party barely made a dent in the 2004 election, picking up only 119,859 votes, or 0.1 percent of the total. The specter of Ralph Nader's more successful 2.8 million vote bid in 2000 looms large for Democrats determined to prevent another third party spoiler. McKinney is joined as a non-major-party contender this year by both Nader, running as an independent, and another former U.S. House member from Georgia, Bob Barr, the Libertarian nominee. The troika may increase the number of votes that go to "spoiler" candidates--or merely splinter it.

McKinney's goal: a full 5 percent of the vote.

[Berlin_Freeper]

FReepmail me to be added or removed from this PING List.

[Celerity]

I wonder if Cynthia McKinney is on a Cynthia McKinney watch ?

[AnAmericanMother]

I guess old Jihad Cindy will do less harm as the nominee of a fringe party . . . just keep her out of the Congress!

[vox_freedom]

The Green Party is going from very bad to worser. All in favor of Rosa and Cynthia raise your right fist in the air and yell together, “Our society is racist!”

[Lizavetta]

She is one scary looking broad.

[KevinB]

A firebrand politician best known for her impolitic imbecilic statements during her more than 20 years in public life

There, fixed.

[mnehring]

Run crazy lady run...

[libs_kma]

Mckinney is a complete lunatic. But she is entertaining.

I'd love to see her corner John Francois Kerry after the election and say "Hey Johnny boy! How about that? We both ran for POTUS and lost! We're practically the same!"

That would be priceless.

[umgud]

She may collect some of those far left voters who are pissed at Obama for now campaigning to the middle. She may get the kucinich crowd.

[DJ Taylor]

The exceedingly large “idiot” wing of the Democrat Party now has a choice of idiots to vote for: an obvious idiot, McKinney, and an idiot in hiding, Obama.

[HarleyLady27]

I wouldn’t be as worried about this nut case running anywhere; whereas, the pic on Drudge of McPain and Romney could bring ulcers to McPain....and bama....I for one, would vote for Romney anytime over bama and McPain or the nut case.....

[Berlin_Freeper]

“Mckinney is a complete lunatic. But she is entertaining.”

I am expecting that she will say many things the Media won't cover now that she is in the Green Party and no longer a Democrat.

Thus I put her on WATCH and will try to search up the goods for us.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Her target is 5% of the vote. That would certainly hurt Obama if it is a tight election.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

35-year-old hip-hop artist and activist Rosa Clemente will be her running mate.

Too funny! Mark Levin played some of her acceptance speech last night on his show. She's an out and out Communist.

[Berlin_Freeper]

I am currently taking excerpts from the CSpan video to put on Youtube and hope to get that done and posted soon. Should be good.

[bert]

Now thass what i’m takin bout...

She’s the genuin article, all black, all corrupt, AtLanta Gawga street girl....

No half breed, no ex mosque goer, no funny ears.

[JewishRighter]

Couple of ways to deal with this:

1. She’s such a lunatic, the looney left will flock to the Greens, drawing from Obamanation;

2. She’s such a lunatic, even the looney left will run away from the Greens, and running to Obamanation.

Can’t make up my mind.

[sheik yerbouty]

I always knew she was some sort of fungus..