Statement from Russ Verney responding to Gingrich remarks
April 11th, 2008 by StaffAtlanta, GA - In a speech at Mercer University yesterday, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich was dismissive of Rep. Bob Barr’s efforts to seek the Libertarian nomination. He also mischaracterized the nature of Ross Perot’s 1992 campaign. In response, Russ Verney, the former campaign manager for Ross Perot who is advising the Bob Barr 2008 campaign, issued the following statement:
The attraction of Ross Perot’s candidacy in 1992 was that he was not a part of the Washington establishment. Public sentiment was strong for a ‘change from politics as usual’. In the 2008 presidential campaign the buzz word from each candidate is ‘change’. But, the eventual Republican and Democratic nominees are not credible agents to change the Washington establishment each candidate has benefited from.
The public clearly wants ‘change’. According to recent poll data, Congress’ approval rating hovers around the miserably low 20 percentile; the President isn’t faring much better with the public, his approval rating is around 30%. In the April 3, 2008 CBS/New York Times poll 81% of the public thinks our country is headed in the wrong direction.
Change, meaningful change, from politics as usual can only come from outside the two political party system. Otherwise, a Republican President has to be stymied by the Democrats in Congress and a Democratic President has to be stymied by the Republicans in Congress. A third party President is free to build different coalitions to support each policy proposal from both the Republican and Democratic members of Congress.
In 1992 Ross Perot received almost 20% of the vote when just 34% could have won the election. Additionally, exit polling conducted by the news media asked voters leaving the polls who they voted for. Voters who responded Perot were then asked, “If Perot wasn’t in the race who would you have voted for?” The result of that question is that Bill Clinton would have won if Ross Perot was not in the race on election day. Ross Perot was not a spoiler, he was a contestant.
However, the voters who responded to the exit pollster that they voted for Bush (41) and Clinton were asked a follow-up question, “If you thought Perot could win, would you have voted for him?” The analysis of the responses to that question is that Perot would have won the 1992 election if the voters thought he could win: To the voters Perot was the preferred candidate not the spoiler.
In the 2008 election which will focus on the economy, the war in Iraq and runaway government spending, there is presently just a choice of which Washington insider moves to a different chair.
I urge Bob Barr to run for President and give the voters a real choice between ‘politics as usual’ and real ‘change’.
Tags: Bob Barr, Newt Gingrich, Ross Perot, Russ Verney, Speech
April 11th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
From Drudge, this just in from Harvard educated, United Church Of Christ pastored, Obama on small town America:
“And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more patronizing, elitist comment from a politician than this one. Obama, the typical liberal, we-know-what’s-best-for-you Democrat, increasingly showing himself as disdainful and arrogant toward average Americans just may have cost himself the election with that crack. Oh, he’ll beat Hitlery, its too late for her. But I’ll bet McCain just sticks that one right down his throat in the Fall and justly. From what I now read, he already has.
The heart betrays itself everytime. This guy has all the instincts of a red-lining insurance executive. Bob Barr should comment on this remark.
April 12th, 2008 at 2:33 am
even though i dissagree with barr’s impeachment work against bill clinton, he has every right to run.
April 12th, 2008 at 3:50 am
John L, what does Obama and his comments have to do with the price of tea in China?
April 12th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Bob Barr is a champion of the principles of freedom.It is alarming that men like Newt Gingrich and Sean Hannity have lost touch with these principles.If there has ever been a need for a third party revolution it is now.
April 12th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I must admit I know very little about Barr. It does appear after reading some details about Barr he most closely mirrors the taft wing of the GOP or more of a Ron Paul flavor which by all accounts is a breath of fresh air.
In regard to Newt I wanted to share a few points that few people realize about Newt. As a Christian I will state I oppose the leadership style of Newt for many reasons. For one Newt was having *** with another lady while at the same time he was leading the charge to impeach Clinton for his behavior and spoke often about Clinton’s sexual behavior. So there is no reason for James Dobson to give so much support and attention to this mans so called Christian leadership. Also, I attended a special dinner where Newt was guest speaker and I have on tape where he does support what he termed as “limited free speech” and he also supports “Marshall Law.” I have played this tape over and over for my friends who have supported Newt and it’s always received with a cold but near silent reply. No sir, Newt supports the global agenda of the Rockerfeller wing of the GOP and as far as I’m concerned his own statements have betrayed the American people and out founding document. So, when I hear the GOP offering an ear to Newt it makes me sick.
I think I will have my web guy who works for my small company edit the recording and send it to Barr so he can hear Newt’s comets and to help dismiss Newt as a traitor.
April 12th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I can live with replacing the income tax with the fair tax. I agree with Ron Paul that it should be replaced with nothing. But if that is what it takes to bring the old right back together so be it. But Bob Barr needs to explain to me why he isn’t calling for the end of the fiat system and the return of the gold stand. Does he know a part of history that I don’t? A history that stretches back to ancient china when the paper currency was first introduced. That ended like every other paper currency, in monetary hyperinflationary collapse. Why does he think this time it will be different?
April 13th, 2008 at 2:37 am
Mark,
Understand your objection to the digression, Mark. As my last sentence indicated, I’d hoped that the post might elicit something from Barr’s campaign about the matter. Obama’s gaffe is very much in the news and if Barr is to be a player, he’s going to have to start acting like one, commenting on such things rather than climging to some Olympus-like obscurity. And in doing so, might we hope that he comes over better publically than did Ron Paul who all-too-frequently gave the impression of someone in the throes of a manic attack who’d gotten hold of a tank full of helium? Anything would be better than that.
July 5th, 2008 at 3:27 am
Could someone please remind everyone of this? I think it is time for the world to know that Ross Perot was not a spoiler. Too many times, people continue to think it, and it simply is a lie.