Chuck Baldwin presidential campaign, 2008
Encyclopedia
Chuck Baldwin
began his campaign for President of the United States
on April 10, 2008 as a candidate for the Constitution Party
presidential nomination. He was selected as the nominee of the Constitution Party on April 26 at the 2008 Constitution Party National Convention after a campaign touting his stands on civil liberties
, foreign affairs, and religion
against candidates including former ambassador
Alan Keyes
. He was previously the vice-presidential nominee for the party in 2004
, and considers himself a close ally of Republican
presidential candidate and Representative
Ron Paul
. He has expressed paleo-conservative
positions on a number of issues during the campaign including protectionism
on trade, nonintervention
in foreign affairs
, religion in the public and nativism
.
Baldwin finished fifth in the race, ahead of Green Party
nominee Cynthia McKinney
but behind both independent nominee Ralph Nader
and Libertarian
Bob Barr
. Baldwin received 199,314 votes, about 0.15% of the vote.
, which he believed was on a course of "self-destruction" and that was only kept afloat by the "absurd liberalism
of Democrats
." He praised Congressmen Tom Tancredo
and Ron Paul
as well as activists Pat Buchanan
and Alan Keyes, but stated that the Republican Party had steered too far to the left for him to support any of their candidates for president. He described the party as a "second big-government, big-spending party" that could be characterized as "more liberal than the Democratic Party...in practice" When asked if he would run for president in 2008 he stated that he had "no desire to run" but that he was "always open to God
's will." Baldwin endorsed Ron Paul for the Republican presidential nomination on a message sent to YouTube
on December 19, 2007.
During a March 25, 2008 interview with Miller politics, two weeks before Baldwin officially entered the race, he commended Alan Keyes as a possible Constitution Party candidate but stated that he "needs to clarify his foreign policy positions for the party." He described Libertarian Party
candidate Bob Barr
as a "very attractive candidate" whom he "like[s]...very much." When asked about his own presidential aspirations, he responded by saying that "There are many great people in our party that, in my opinion, are much more qualified [to be the presidential nominee] than I am. I have always tried to be open to God's will. At this time, however, I have no inclination that this is God's will for me."
Baldwin announced on April 10, 2008 that he would seek the nomination of the Constitution Party for the presidency at the party's convention on April 23–26 in Kansas City, Missouri
. His run was believed to have arisen from draft efforts
within the Constitution Party who feared of the prospect of a presidential candidate like Alan Keyes who supported the war in Iraq. Until the nomination, Baldwin did not campaign and in a follow-up interview with Miller politics on April 17, he stated that he was "not running" but merely placed his name into consideration, "trusting that God will reveal His will accordingly."
During the convention, the party's founder Howard Phillips gave a controversial speech in which he endorsed Baldwin and referred to Keyes as "the Neocon
candidate" who "lingered in the Republican Party
until a week ago." Baldwin defeated Keyes, 383.8 to 125.7, winning approximately 74% of the delegates. Baldwin received most of the delegates from all states that seated delegations, with the exceptions of Missouri
, Maryland
and Oklahoma
where Keyes narrowly edged Baldwin. Attorney Darrell Castle
of Tennessee was picked as his running mate at Baldwin's request.
Baldwin announced that he would use the Internet
in the same manner as Ron Paul "to circumvent the media." The candidate believed the media was responsible for holding back the prospects of third party
candidates. He stated back in 2004 as vice-presidential nominee that "the American people haven't rejected our message; they haven't heard our message." Following the nomination, Baldwin set up a campaign website and opened accounts on MySpace
and Facebook
. A MySpace account was also created that included former supporters of the former Arkansas
governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
.
who "coalesc[e] around John McCain
" despite his "twenty-plus year track record of liberal policies." Baldwin highlighted globalism
as the main threat to the nation stating that "Immigration, the U.N
...., NATO, NAFTA
, CAFTA, the North American Union
, the Superhighway
, the war in Iraq, China
's threat to our peace...are connected" through globalism. Baldwin stated that Iran
would only be a threat "by sneaking people into our country. And that would be far more difficult with a sealed border." He stated that the border could be sealed by deploying troops to those areas.
At the end of May and the beginning of June, several controversial developments concerning the Baldwin campaign hit the press. Comments surfaced that were made by Baldwin, raising the possibility of a 9/11 conspiracy theory
of a controlled demolition
stating, "I don't know whether there was any kind of an inside apparatus involved in this or not... If there's duplicity involved in some kind of conspiracy, then let's find out who it is and prosecute whoever's involved."
On June 6, it was reported that an internal conflict had erupted inside the campaign, stemming from a comment made by campaign manager Anita Andrews that the campaign belonged to Baldwin and not Ron Paul. It was later revealed that only one campaign member was disgruntled, Tyler Simms, an organizer for Ron Paul on the grassroots
level. Sources from within the campaign remarked that Andrews had stated that the campaign needed to focus on former Huckabee and Fred Thompson supporters, along with supporters of Paul. This report surfaced as campaign sources revealed that the anonymous "Ron Paul billionaire" had joined the campaign and was willing to give $2 to $3 million to fund Baldwin's efforts. The existence of a "Ron Paul billionaire" had been questioned.
Later in June, Baldwin took part in anti-illegal immigration
rallies while campaigning in southern California. He addressed the California Coalition for Immigration Reform
before attending the convention of the American Independent Party
of California. The party nominated Baldwin as its candidate at the convention. After this Baldwin was given a tour of California's southern border by Border Patrol Council president TJ Bonner
. Baldwin spent the next week campaigning in Utah, where he called for the eradication of abortion "under any circumstance" along with the elimination of the Internal Revenue Service
and the United States Department of Education
. During an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune, Baldwin proclaimed that he would end the "New World Order the day [he] get[s] into office [because] it threatens our [American] independence and sovereignty."
revealed a growing media interest in the Baldwin campaign. As Libertarian Party
nominee Bob Barr
's third party coverage accounted for less than 50% down seven percentage points in a month, Baldwin's coverage rose from 2.33% to 4.39%. Despite the rise Baldwin remained in fourth place among other third party candidates trailing Barr, independent Ralph Nader
and Green Party
nominee Cynthia McKinney
. The campaign also increased a drive for ballot access, appealing to supporters for help to get on the presidential ballot in Pennsylvania
, Massachusetts
, Maryland
, and West Virginia
. The campaign began August by announcing its plans to participate in a demonstration against illegal immigration in Denver during the Democratic National Convention
. Baldwin was joined by Bob Barr, Alan Keyes and Tom Tancredo at the "Rally Against Illegal Immigration" during the first day of the convention. Later in August, Baldwin campaigned in Spartanburg, South Carolina
where he criticized both party's presidential nominee's as "globalists." He declared his opposition to the Federal Reserve, whom he stated has "subjugated" the nation to "foreign dependence." He railed against the use of the National Guard in the Iraq War remarking that the forces should be used to "repel" the "invasion" of illegal aliens from the southern border, and described the United Nations
as "a sinister organization run by Marxists
, socialists
and communists
." Baldwin criticized both major parties for not cutting spending
stating that "the only difference between Democrats and Republicans is Democrats want to tax and spend and Republicans want to borrow and spend." He promised that slashing spending would be a priority in his administration.
On September 10, Baldwin appeared on the Lou Dobbs
Tonight
television program on CNN
where he proclaimed that if elected president he would release U.S. Border agents Jose Compean
and Ignacio Ramos
. The agents were sentenced to 11 and 12 year terms in prison, respectively, after shooting a drug smuggler on the US-Mexico border. Baldwin promised he would release the men during his first day on the job as President.
on the second day of its 50th anniversary. At the event he discussed the role of Christianity in the United States
public life and delivered his stump speech
. He attacked globalist entities such as NAFTA, the International Criminal Court
, the Law of the Sea Treaty and the Security and Prosperity Partnership as well as calling for the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations. Later in October, Baldwin was interviewed by NPR
where he discussed his opposition to the Federal Reserve, which he described as a "fraudulent system" and which he blamed for the 2008 economic crisis. He attacked Republicans for "reneg[ing] on their promises" in 1994's Contract with America
to "eliminate five federal departments, such as Department of Education, Energy, Commerce..." and to "slash spending." He also criticized Republicans' failure to criminalize abortion during their years in government. As president Baldwin stated he would eliminate the IRS and cut government spending as well. He stated that the "responsibility of government [is] to protect life, even life in the womb."
Baldwin participated in a third party debate with Independent candidate Ralph Nader
on October 23, broadcast on CSPAN-2. During the debate, Baldwin often agreed with Nader on as wide ranging issues as corporations and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He stood in solidarity with Nader in expressing the need to open the presidential debates to third party candidates. He emphasized his connections to Congressman Ron Paul throughout the debate, even suggesting that as president he would appoint "somebody like Ron Paul" as United States Secretary of Treasury. He articulated his opposition to the USA PATRIOT Act
and questioned how an ideological conservative could support the legislation. But, he marked a disagreement with Nader on health care, criticizing government involvement in favor of free market solutions but with use of regulation to lower health care costs. Baldwin stated that if elected his first priority would be to secure the border. Throughout the debate Baldwin repeated his party's pro-life platform and support for the right to bear arms.
On election day, Baldwin was on ballot in 37 states. He was a write-in candidate in eleven additional states including Montana
where Ron Paul was listed as the party's nominee. Baldwin was completely absent from ballots in Oklahoma
, North Carolina
and the District of Columbia.
. 14,865 of his votes were won in Michigan, but he won his largest percentage in Utah with 1.26% of the state's votes.
opinion poll taken in May 2008 showed that 47% of the public were open to voting for a third party presidential candidate such as Baldwin, compared to 39% who were not. A poll by Zogby
showed that among the conservative base that the campaign was targeting, 42% of respondents say they would never vote for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain and 86% of participants who described themselves as "very conservative" were displeased with the current candidates. An August 18 Zogby International
/World Net Daily poll included Baldwin along with other third party candidates. He finished in last place among names provided with 0.1% of the vote trailing the closest candidate, Cynthia McKinney by 0.1%.
Chuck Baldwin
Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004...
began his campaign for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
on April 10, 2008 as a candidate for the Constitution Party
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
presidential nomination. He was selected as the nominee of the Constitution Party on April 26 at the 2008 Constitution Party National Convention after a campaign touting his stands on civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
, foreign affairs, and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
against candidates including former ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
Alan Keyes
Alan Keyes
Alan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author, former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. A doctoral graduate of Harvard University, Keyes began his diplomatic career in the U.S...
. He was previously the vice-presidential nominee for the party in 2004
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, and considers himself a close ally of Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
presidential candidate and Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
. He has expressed paleo-conservative
Paleoconservatism
Paleoconservatism is a term for a conservative political philosophy found primarily in the United States stressing tradition, limited government, civil society, anti-colonialism, anti-corporatism and anti-federalism, along with religious, regional, national and Western identity. Chilton...
positions on a number of issues during the campaign including protectionism
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
on trade, nonintervention
Non-interventionism
Nonintervention or non-interventionism is a foreign policy which holds that political rulers should avoid alliances with other nations, but still retain diplomacy, and avoid all wars not related to direct self-defense...
in foreign affairs
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
, religion in the public and nativism
Nativism (politics)
Nativism favors the interests of certain established inhabitants of an area or nation as compared to claims of newcomers or immigrants. It may also include the re-establishment or perpetuation of such individuals or their culture....
.
Baldwin finished fifth in the race, ahead of Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
nominee Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia Ann McKinney is a former US Congresswoman and a member of the Green Party since 2007. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served six terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives. In 2008, the Green Party nominated McKinney for President of the United States...
but behind both independent nominee Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
and Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
Bob Barr
Bob Barr
Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of...
. Baldwin received 199,314 votes, about 0.15% of the vote.
Early stages
While considering a run for president in October 2006, during an interview with The Conservative President 2008 website, Baldwin expressed his frustration with the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, which he believed was on a course of "self-destruction" and that was only kept afloat by the "absurd liberalism
Liberalism in the United States
Liberalism in the United States is a broad political philosophy centered on the unalienable rights of the individual. The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion for all belief systems, and the separation of church and state, right to due process...
of Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
." He praised Congressmen Tom Tancredo
Tom Tancredo
Thomas Gerard "Tom" Tancredo is an American politician from Colorado, who represented the state's sixth congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009, as a Republican...
and Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
as well as activists Pat Buchanan
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
and Alan Keyes, but stated that the Republican Party had steered too far to the left for him to support any of their candidates for president. He described the party as a "second big-government, big-spending party" that could be characterized as "more liberal than the Democratic Party...in practice" When asked if he would run for president in 2008 he stated that he had "no desire to run" but that he was "always open to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
's will." Baldwin endorsed Ron Paul for the Republican presidential nomination on a message sent to YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
on December 19, 2007.
During a March 25, 2008 interview with Miller politics, two weeks before Baldwin officially entered the race, he commended Alan Keyes as a possible Constitution Party candidate but stated that he "needs to clarify his foreign policy positions for the party." He described Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
candidate Bob Barr
Bob Barr
Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of...
as a "very attractive candidate" whom he "like[s]...very much." When asked about his own presidential aspirations, he responded by saying that "There are many great people in our party that, in my opinion, are much more qualified [to be the presidential nominee] than I am. I have always tried to be open to God's will. At this time, however, I have no inclination that this is God's will for me."
Constitution Party Convention
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. His run was believed to have arisen from draft efforts
Draft (politics)
In elections in the United States, political drafts are used to encourage or pressure a certain person to enter a political race, by demonstrating a significant groundswell of support for the candidate. A write-in campaign may also be considered a draft campaign.-The movement to draft Dwight D....
within the Constitution Party who feared of the prospect of a presidential candidate like Alan Keyes who supported the war in Iraq. Until the nomination, Baldwin did not campaign and in a follow-up interview with Miller politics on April 17, he stated that he was "not running" but merely placed his name into consideration, "trusting that God will reveal His will accordingly."
During the convention, the party's founder Howard Phillips gave a controversial speech in which he endorsed Baldwin and referred to Keyes as "the Neocon
Neoconservatism
Neoconservatism in the United States is a branch of American conservatism. Since 2001, neoconservatism has been associated with democracy promotion, that is with assisting movements for democracy, in some cases by economic sanctions or military action....
candidate" who "lingered in the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
until a week ago." Baldwin defeated Keyes, 383.8 to 125.7, winning approximately 74% of the delegates. Baldwin received most of the delegates from all states that seated delegations, with the exceptions of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
where Keyes narrowly edged Baldwin. Attorney Darrell Castle
Darrell Castle
Darrell Castle is an American political figure, activist and attorney from Memphis, Tennessee, and was the vice presidential candidate of the Constitution Party in the 2008 United States presidential election.-Early life and education:...
of Tennessee was picked as his running mate at Baldwin's request.
Baldwin announced that he would use the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
in the same manner as Ron Paul "to circumvent the media." The candidate believed the media was responsible for holding back the prospects of third party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
candidates. He stated back in 2004 as vice-presidential nominee that "the American people haven't rejected our message; they haven't heard our message." Following the nomination, Baldwin set up a campaign website and opened accounts on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. A MySpace account was also created that included former supporters of the former Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
.
General election campaign begins
In an interview with Montana News on May 22, Baldwin expressed his discontent with the Republican Party on their positions and expressed his frustration with evangelicalsEvangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
who "coalesc[e] around John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
" despite his "twenty-plus year track record of liberal policies." Baldwin highlighted globalism
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
as the main threat to the nation stating that "Immigration, the U.N
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
...., NATO, NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
, CAFTA, the North American Union
North American Union
The North American Union is a theoretical economic union, in some instances also a political union, of Canada, Mexico, and the United States...
, the Superhighway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
, the war in Iraq, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
's threat to our peace...are connected" through globalism. Baldwin stated that Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
would only be a threat "by sneaking people into our country. And that would be far more difficult with a sealed border." He stated that the border could be sealed by deploying troops to those areas.
At the end of May and the beginning of June, several controversial developments concerning the Baldwin campaign hit the press. Comments surfaced that were made by Baldwin, raising the possibility of a 9/11 conspiracy theory
9/11 conspiracy theories
9/11 conspiracy theories are theories that disagree with the widely accepted account that the September 11 attacks were perpetrated solely by al-Qaeda. These theories arose because of what proponents of the conspiracy theories believe to be inconsistencies in the official conclusions or some...
of a controlled demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
stating, "I don't know whether there was any kind of an inside apparatus involved in this or not... If there's duplicity involved in some kind of conspiracy, then let's find out who it is and prosecute whoever's involved."
On June 6, it was reported that an internal conflict had erupted inside the campaign, stemming from a comment made by campaign manager Anita Andrews that the campaign belonged to Baldwin and not Ron Paul. It was later revealed that only one campaign member was disgruntled, Tyler Simms, an organizer for Ron Paul on the grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
level. Sources from within the campaign remarked that Andrews had stated that the campaign needed to focus on former Huckabee and Fred Thompson supporters, along with supporters of Paul. This report surfaced as campaign sources revealed that the anonymous "Ron Paul billionaire" had joined the campaign and was willing to give $2 to $3 million to fund Baldwin's efforts. The existence of a "Ron Paul billionaire" had been questioned.
Later in June, Baldwin took part in anti-illegal immigration
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
rallies while campaigning in southern California. He addressed the California Coalition for Immigration Reform
California Coalition for Immigration Reform
California Coalition for Immigration Reform is a Huntington Beach, California-based political advocacy group devoted to immigration reduction...
before attending the convention of the American Independent Party
American Independent Party
The American Independent Party is a right-wing political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill and Eileen Shearer. In 1968, the American Independent Party nominated George C. Wallace as its presidential candidate and retired Air Force General Curtis E. LeMay as the vice...
of California. The party nominated Baldwin as its candidate at the convention. After this Baldwin was given a tour of California's southern border by Border Patrol Council president TJ Bonner
TJ Bonner
T.J. Bonner was the president of the National Border Patrol Council until March 8, 2011 when the delegates attending the NBPC convention elected a new president. This organization is a union that represents over 16,000 United States Border Patrol agents....
. Baldwin spent the next week campaigning in Utah, where he called for the eradication of abortion "under any circumstance" along with the elimination of the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
and the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
. During an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune, Baldwin proclaimed that he would end the "New World Order the day [he] get[s] into office [because] it threatens our [American] independence and sovereignty."
Growing media interest
By mid-July, analysis of Google NewsGoogle News
Google News is a free news aggregator provided by Google Inc, selecting recent items from thousands of publications by an automatic aggregation algorithm....
revealed a growing media interest in the Baldwin campaign. As Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
nominee Bob Barr
Bob Barr
Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of...
's third party coverage accounted for less than 50% down seven percentage points in a month, Baldwin's coverage rose from 2.33% to 4.39%. Despite the rise Baldwin remained in fourth place among other third party candidates trailing Barr, independent Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
and Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
nominee Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia Ann McKinney is a former US Congresswoman and a member of the Green Party since 2007. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served six terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives. In 2008, the Green Party nominated McKinney for President of the United States...
. The campaign also increased a drive for ballot access, appealing to supporters for help to get on the presidential ballot in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. The campaign began August by announcing its plans to participate in a demonstration against illegal immigration in Denver during the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
. Baldwin was joined by Bob Barr, Alan Keyes and Tom Tancredo at the "Rally Against Illegal Immigration" during the first day of the convention. Later in August, Baldwin campaigned in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
where he criticized both party's presidential nominee's as "globalists." He declared his opposition to the Federal Reserve, whom he stated has "subjugated" the nation to "foreign dependence." He railed against the use of the National Guard in the Iraq War remarking that the forces should be used to "repel" the "invasion" of illegal aliens from the southern border, and described the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
as "a sinister organization run by Marxists
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
, socialists
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and communists
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
." Baldwin criticized both major parties for not cutting spending
Government spending
Government spending includes all government consumption, investment but excludes transfer payments made by a state. Government acquisition of goods and services for current use to directly satisfy individual or collective needs of the members of the community is classed as government final...
stating that "the only difference between Democrats and Republicans is Democrats want to tax and spend and Republicans want to borrow and spend." He promised that slashing spending would be a priority in his administration.
On September 10, Baldwin appeared on the Lou Dobbs
Lou Dobbs
Louis Carl "Lou" Dobbs is an American journalist, radio host, television host on the Fox Business Network, and author. He anchored CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight until November 2009 when he announced on the air that he would leave the 24-hour cable news television network.He was born in Texas and lived...
Tonight
Lou Dobbs Tonight
Lou Dobbs Tonight is an American editorial commentary and discussion program hosted by Lou Dobbs, previously broadcast on CNN and currently on Fox Business Network. The hour-long show aired live on evenings every weekday, and was replayed in the overnight/early morning hours. It covered the major...
television program on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
where he proclaimed that if elected president he would release U.S. Border agents Jose Compean
Jose Compean
José Alonso Compeán is a former United States Border Patrol Agent, convicted of shooting a non-compliant, illegal alien drug smuggler on the United States–Mexico border near El Paso, Texas, on February 17, 2005 and "obstructing justice by willfully defacing the crime scene"...
and Ignacio Ramos
Ignacio Ramos
Ignacio Ramos is a former United States Border Patrol Agent, who shot an allegedly unarmed illegal alien and drug smuggler on the United States–Mexico border. He was convicted of causing serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence,...
. The agents were sentenced to 11 and 12 year terms in prison, respectively, after shooting a drug smuggler on the US-Mexico border. Baldwin promised he would release the men during his first day on the job as President.
Final stages
On October 7, Baldwin addressed the John Birch SocietyJohn Birch Society
The John Birch Society is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism, limited government, a Constitutional Republic and personal freedom. It has been described as radical right-wing....
on the second day of its 50th anniversary. At the event he discussed the role of Christianity in the United States
Christianity in the United States
Christianity is the largest and most popular religion in the United States, with around 77% of those polled identifying themselves as Christian, as of 2009. This is down from 86% in 1990, and slightly lower than 78.6% in 2001. About 62% of those polled claim to be members of a church congregation...
public life and delivered his stump speech
Stump speech (politics)
A political stump speech is a standard speech used by a politician running for office. The term derives from the custom in 19th century America for political candidates campaigning from town to town to stand upon a sawed off tree stump to deliver a standard speech...
. He attacked globalist entities such as NAFTA, the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
, the Law of the Sea Treaty and the Security and Prosperity Partnership as well as calling for the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations. Later in October, Baldwin was interviewed by NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
where he discussed his opposition to the Federal Reserve, which he described as a "fraudulent system" and which he blamed for the 2008 economic crisis. He attacked Republicans for "reneg[ing] on their promises" in 1994's Contract with America
Contract with America
The Contract with America was a document released by the United States Republican Party during the 1994 Congressional election campaign. Written by Larry Hunter, who was aided by Newt Gingrich, Robert Walker, Richard Armey, Bill Paxon, Tom DeLay, John Boehner and Jim Nussle, and in part using text...
to "eliminate five federal departments, such as Department of Education, Energy, Commerce..." and to "slash spending." He also criticized Republicans' failure to criminalize abortion during their years in government. As president Baldwin stated he would eliminate the IRS and cut government spending as well. He stated that the "responsibility of government [is] to protect life, even life in the womb."
Baldwin participated in a third party debate with Independent candidate Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
on October 23, broadcast on CSPAN-2. During the debate, Baldwin often agreed with Nader on as wide ranging issues as corporations and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He stood in solidarity with Nader in expressing the need to open the presidential debates to third party candidates. He emphasized his connections to Congressman Ron Paul throughout the debate, even suggesting that as president he would appoint "somebody like Ron Paul" as United States Secretary of Treasury. He articulated his opposition to the USA PATRIOT Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
and questioned how an ideological conservative could support the legislation. But, he marked a disagreement with Nader on health care, criticizing government involvement in favor of free market solutions but with use of regulation to lower health care costs. Baldwin stated that if elected his first priority would be to secure the border. Throughout the debate Baldwin repeated his party's pro-life platform and support for the right to bear arms.
On election day, Baldwin was on ballot in 37 states. He was a write-in candidate in eleven additional states including Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
where Ron Paul was listed as the party's nominee. Baldwin was completely absent from ballots in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and the District of Columbia.
Results
Baldwin's campaign ended after receiving 199,314 or 0.15% of the popular vote on Election Day. He finished in fifth place, but won the largest percentage of votes for his party since Howard Phillips in 1996United States presidential election, 1996
The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Housing Secretary Jack...
. 14,865 of his votes were won in Michigan, but he won his largest percentage in Utah with 1.26% of the state's votes.
Polls
Chuck Baldwin was not included on many mainstream polls but his campaign emphasized polls that showed statistics favorable to the candidate. A Fox NewsFox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
opinion poll taken in May 2008 showed that 47% of the public were open to voting for a third party presidential candidate such as Baldwin, compared to 39% who were not. A poll by Zogby
John Zogby
John Zogby is an American political pollster and first senior fellow at The Catholic University of America's Life Cycle Institute. He is the founder, president and CEO of Zogby International, a polling firm known for both phone polling and interactive, Internet-based polling.-Early years:Zogby...
showed that among the conservative base that the campaign was targeting, 42% of respondents say they would never vote for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain and 86% of participants who described themselves as "very conservative" were displeased with the current candidates. An August 18 Zogby International
Zogby International
IBOPE Zogby International is an international market research, opinion polling firm founded in 1984 by John Zogby. The company polls and consults for a wide spectrum of business media, government, and political groups, and conducts public opinion research in more than 70 countries...
/World Net Daily poll included Baldwin along with other third party candidates. He finished in last place among names provided with 0.1% of the vote trailing the closest candidate, Cynthia McKinney by 0.1%.
Endorsements
- Peter BrimelowPeter BrimelowPeter Brimelow is a British American financial journalist, author, and founder of VDARE. Brimelow has been the editor of many publications, including Forbes, the Financial Post, and National Review...
, Founder of VDAREVDAREVDARE.com, or VDARE, is a website that advocates reduced immigration, especially illegal immigration, into the United States. Former Forbes editor Peter Brimelow supports the site through his VDARE Foundation, also known as Lexington Research Institute Limited...
. - Jerome CorsiJerome CorsiJerome Robert Corsi is an American author, political commentator and conspiracy theorist best known for his two New York Times bestselling books: The Obama Nation and Unfit for Command...
, author of The Obama Nation and coauthor of Unfit for CommandUnfit for CommandUnfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry is a 2004 book about then U.S. Presidential candidate John Kerry by John O'Neill and Jerome Corsi published by Regnery Publishing, a conservative publishing house. It was a New York Times Bestseller upon its release in August 2004...
; also a frequent World Net Daily contributor - Mark DiceMark DiceMark Dice is an author, pop culture critic, and political activist based in San Diego, California.Dice and his supporters have been reported to "flood the airwaves of call-in radio and television shows," a practice called phone mobbing, to promote these ideas. His first book, a 450-page manifesto...
, leader of The Resistance for Christ - European Americans UnitedEuropean Americans UnitedEuropean Americans United is a pro-European-American ethnic advocacy organization founded in January 2007. Professing to stress an incremental approach to social change and moderate stances, European Americans United rejects Nazism, fascism, and hatred...
, white nationalist organization - John HostettlerJohn HostettlerJohn Nathan Hostettler , was a Republican candidate for the open U.S. Senate seat in the state of Indiana held by retiring Senator Evan Bayh. On December 3, 2009, Hostettler announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, but lost to former Senator Dan Coats.Hostettler served in the U.S...
, former U.S congressman from Indiana - Alex JonesAlex Jones (radio)Alexander Emerick "Alex" Jones is an American talk radio host, actor and filmmaker. His syndicated news/talk show The Alex Jones Show, based in Austin, Texas, airs via the Genesis Communication Network over 60 AM, FM, and shortwave radio stations across the United States and on the Internet...
, paleoconservativePaleoconservatismPaleoconservatism is a term for a conservative political philosophy found primarily in the United States stressing tradition, limited government, civil society, anti-colonialism, anti-corporatism and anti-federalism, along with religious, regional, national and Western identity. Chilton...
radio host - Ron PaulRon PaulRonald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
, former Republican presidential candidate in 2008, and ten-term United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
man. - Howard Phillips, Chairman of The Conservative CaucusThe Conservative CaucusThe Conservative Caucus, or TCC, is an American public policy organization and lobbying group emphasizing grassroots citizen activism and headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1974 by Howard Phillips, who continues to lead it today...
and Constitution Party presidential candidate in 1992, 1996, and 2000 - Joel SkousenJoel SkousenJoel M. Skousen is an American conservative political commentator non-fiction Survivalist author, and retreat consultant who specializes in preparedness topics, particularly survival retreat and fallout shelter design and construction, as well as in what he calls "strategic relocation." Skousen is...
, a Howard Phillips associate and conspiracy theoristConspiracy theoryA conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
who claims that the dissolution of the Soviet UnionDissolution of the Soviet UnionThe dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
was a hoaxHoaxA hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British... - Joseph SobranJoseph SobranMichael Joseph Sobran, Jr. was an American journalist and writer, formerly with National Review and a syndicated columnist, known as Joe Sobran. Pundit Pat Buchanan called Sobran "perhaps the finest columnist of our generation", although Sobran was fired from National Review by his one-time mentor...
, PaleolibertarianPaleolibertarianismPaleolibertarianism is a school of thought within American libertarianism associated with the late economist Murray Rothbard, and the Ludwig von Mises Institute. It is based on a combination of right-libertarianism in politics and cultural conservatism in social thought...
Constitution Party member. - Thomas WoodsThomas WoodsThomas E. "Tom" Woods, Jr. is an American historian, economist, political analyst, and New York Times-bestselling author. He has written extensively on the subjects of American history, contemporary politics, and economic theory...
, Paleoconservative author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to American HistoryThe Politically Incorrect Guide to American HistoryThe Politically Incorrect Guide to American History, by Thomas Woods, was published in December 2004. This book was the first in the Politically Incorrect Guide series published by Regnery Publishing, who view the series as covering topics without consideration for political correctness. The book...
.
See also
- Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008This article compares the presidential candidates in the United States' 2008 presidential election. It does not cover previous elections. Because of ballot access restrictions in the United States, not all candidates appeared on the ballots in all states....
- List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2008
- Nationwide opinion polling for the United States presidential election, 2008
- Third party (United States) presidential candidates, 2008
External links
- Official campaign site
- http://www.Myspace.com/ChuckBaldwin2008Official MyspaceMyspaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page] - http://www.Youtube.com/user/ChuckBaldwin2008Official YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel]