BREAKING: Hosts of Presidential Debates Advised to Prepare 3rd Podium

[ABX]

Breaking from Politico Tuesday morning is the news that the Commission on Presidential Debates is advising debate host sites to prepare with a third podium. Commission on Presidential Debates co-chair Mike McCurry stated:

    With Gary Johnson polling in some places more than double digits, they might have, some of our production people may have said, ‘Just in case, you need to plan out what that might look like.’ We won’t know the number of invitations we extend until mid-September.

While the Commission has indicated that this is more a cautionary step than one which indicates a definitive inclusion of Johnson, this news is certainly welcome to Libertarians. Johnson has made qualifying for the debates a central part of his early campaign, often admitting that if he cannot make the debates, he will not have an opportunity to win the presidency. Though Johnson’s lawsuit challenging the Commission on its criteria failed, he still has the ability to succeed by achieving 15% in the polls.

Read more: http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/debates-hosts-advised-prepare-podium/#ixzz4GqhMPs81
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[musiclady]

I'm not a Johnson fan, but this would be a positive development, IMO.

[r9etb]

If true.... gotta wonder about the source of this rumor.

Let's suppose it is true, though.  The introduction of a 3rd candidate into the debates could (depending on the candidate) be catastrophic for both Trump and Clinton.

The bar for such a person would be pretty low: to earn votes, he'd only have to present himself as sober, responsible, and reasonably honest; and have a reasonably good grasp on the issues.

Now.... would I vote for Gary Johnson in preference to Trump or Clinton?  Hell, yes. 

Not too happily, mind you -- the guy's got plenty of problems of his own.  But he's better than either of the others; and if he has a legitimate shot at affecting the election results then I'm for him.

[Bigun]

I'm not a Johnson fan, but this would be a positive development, IMO.

A hugely positive development for sure!

[don-o]

I'm not a Johnson fan, but this would be a positive development, IMO.

Hillary and BJ agree. Maybe they will hang Johnson's pic next to Ross Perot's.

[sinkspur]

[sinkspur]

If Trump spurns the debates, he's throwing in the towel. 

[Wingnut]

If Trump spurns the debates, he's throwing in the towel.

He could hold his own debate....  with himself.

Or I hear he's good at holding charity events for Vets and can raiseYuge sums...so he could do that.

[ABX]

He could hold his own debate....  with himself.

Or I hear he's good at holding charity events for Vets and can raiseYuge sums...so he could do that.

I could see him doing that as a publicity stunt. He doesn't show up, letting Hillary and Johnson debate an empty podium. Then he buys airtime for the next night and issues a statement for each question. This keeps him from facing any cross examination questions or having to come up with answers on the fly- and allows his writers to focus group and come up with the best response after the debate. He can also use it as another way to claim a conspiracy against him.

[musiclady]

Hillary and BJ agree. Maybe they will hang Johnson's pic next to Ross Perot's.

It is beneath you, @don-o to equate my opinion about adding Johnson to the debate with being in agreement with the left.

I will be interested in seeing if your "odyssey" toward supporting Trump (which I read, and do not agree with) also brings your ethical standards down to a Trump level.

It has with most who make the choice to support a corrupt candidate. 

I hope you're not going there.....

[Wingnut]

I could see him doing that as a publicity stunt. He doesn't show up, letting Hillary and Johnson debate an empty podium. Then he buys airtime for the next night and issues a statement for each question. This keeps him from facing any cross examination questions or having to come up with answers on the fly- and allows his writers to focus group and come up with the best response after the debate. He can also use it as another way to claim a conspiracy against him.

Diabolical! 

[musiclady]

I could see him doing that as a publicity stunt. He doesn't show up, letting Hillary and Johnson debate an empty podium. Then he buys airtime for the next night and issues a statement for each question. This keeps him from facing any cross examination questions or having to come up with answers on the fly- and allows his writers to focus group and come up with the best response after the debate. He can also use it as another way to claim a conspiracy against him.

I know!  I know!!

He can do a fundraiser for vets at the same time, and keep all the money for himself!!

[ABX]

Hillary and BJ agree. Maybe they will hang Johnson's pic next to Ross Perot's.

Except, if you haven't noticed, Johnson hasn't been making a play for disgruntled Republicans, he has been going after disgruntled Democrats/Bernie Supporters. The shift has been frustrating for many of us who were hoping for a decent Libertarian option- but instead, he is pulling support from Hillary.

I can't think of a single pitch he has made that was to pull anything from the Right.

[Wingnut]

I know!  I know!!

He can do a fundraiser for vets at the same time, and keep all the money for himself!!

He could hold his own debate....  with himself.
Or I hear he's good at holding charity events for Vets and can raiseYuge sums...so he could do that.

Hmmm... great minds think alike!   

[musiclady]

Hmmm... great minds think alike!   

 

(I promise I didn't copy your paper.  ^-^)

[Wingnut]

(I promise I didn't copy your paper.  ^-^)

 

[guitar4jesus]

He could hold his own debate....  with himself.

Boy, ain't that the truth!

[musiclady]

 

OK............... now you're scaring me, Wingnut! 

[catfish1957]

He could hold his own debate....  with himself.

.

With a siren breaking alert on Drudge an hour before the debate....

Tump Crushes the Competition.

[Wingnut]

OK............... now you're scaring me, Wingnut! 

 
 

:)

[unknown]

Hillary and BJ agree. Maybe they will hang Johnson's pic next to Ross Perot's.

Exactly.

It is a positive development for Hillary, who is losing badly, and will lose the election badly. She needs another Ross Perot to help her get elected.

[musiclady]

Told you so.

Yep.  You did.   

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Exactly.

It is a positive development for Hillary, who is losing badly, and will lose the election badly. She needs another Ross Perot to help her get elected.

Johnson could pick up an awful lot of disgruntled Bernie supporters. I would need to see some polls on the matter, just because Johnson leans pretty far to the left on a lot of issues. I know I've seen at least one where Hillary support drops substantially when 3rd party candidates were included.

[musiclady]

Johnson could pick up an awful lot of disgruntled Bernie supporters. I would need to see some polls on the matter, just because Johnson leans pretty far to the left on a lot of issues. I know I've seen at least one where Hillary support drops substantially when 3rd party candidates were included.

Bernie supporters hate Hillary.

Johnson is more likely to pick up their votes than Trump, since Trump is clearly insane.

I still like the idea of a third choice in the debate.......... even though I'm not voting for any of the three of them.   

[cato potatoe]

Hillary and BJ agree. Maybe they will hang Johnson's pic next to Ross Perot's.

Ross Perot has been used as a scapegoat in Republican circles.  In actuality, Bush was losing by tremendous margins after Perot dropped out of the race, and the polling only tightened when he reentered.  Exit polls showed Perot did not alter the electoral college in any significant way. 

I think Gary Johnson is making a concerted effort to avoid the spoiler role.  Everybody knows he and Weld were Republicans.  That's why he spends more time speaking about civil liberties and less emphasis on the spending cuts he also wants.