McManus: The third-party wild card

[katty]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-mcmanus-column-third-party-americans-elect-20111027,0,4671890.column

EXCERPT:

Until now, handicapping for next year's presidential election has focused on how President Obama might fare in a two-candidate race. Could Obama beat Mitt Romney? Rick Perry? Herman Cain? (In all three cases, the answer is probably yes.)

But there's likely to also be a wild card in this election. Americans Elect, a well-funded "virtual third party," plans to put a centrist presidential candidate on the ballot in all 50 states, and while he or she is unlikely to win the presidential election, the presence of a third candidate could still have a major impact on the outcome.

Americans Elect is a collection of Republicans, Democrats and independents who say they're fed up with the polarization that has poisoned American politics

[Enrique]

1. lol, a "wealthy banker"

good timing, greedheads!!!

[JustAnotherGen]

2. I see it as Buddy Roemer

With the exception of repealing the Affordable Health Care act - he has a strong populist anti-corporate message . . . and that's why the Koch Brother's and AFP aren't letting him anywhere near the debates.

[arcane1]

3. Oh boy, a centrist!

I knew something was missing!

[MineralMan]

4. It remains to be seen whether Americans Elect is even close

to being viable. Information is very spotty about the organization, so there's no way to tell where they are in their plans, assuming that the plan isn't just to collect a bunch of donations and pay them out to the organizers in salaries. I'd hold off on really considering them a serious group for now.

[MineralMan]

5. Here's who's behind Americans Elect, or as I like to call it,

American Select. Lots of work for Republicans in their resumes, it seems:

http://www.americanselect.org/who-we-are

[Andy823]

6. Yep,

It sounds like just another attempt by republicans to try and steal the election next year. They know that the only way any of the morons they have running stand a chance of winning.

[MineralMan]

7. It sure seems like you're correct.

I've seen a number of posts on DU sending people to that website. Nobody seems to bother to look at who's behind it, though. I predict that nothing will come of it.

[katty]

8. another wedge and distraction