Neoconservative writer Bill Kristol doesn’t like the prospect of Donald Trump running as the Republican presidential candidate this year. And Kristol’s not just going to talk about it. He’s trying to get something done.
But instead of doing the rational thing and lobbying each and every delegate to the Republican convention, pleading with them to vote their consciences, not their fictional primary “commitments,” he’s trying to recruit an independent candidate to run against Hillary and Donald. (Donald isn’t worried.)
At first he mentioned, in fleeting, Mitt Romney as the type of candidate “coming soon.” But in discussing his mission, he kept the candidate’s identity secret. He was trying to create a stir of interest.
Yesterday it was leaked that Kristol’s Great White Hope is … David French.
Writer for National Review.
And the American people say, together, Who?
No matter Mr. French’s many virtues, the truth is that he’s the darkest of dark horses.
I’m sure his principles align somehow with Kristol’s. But be realistic: the Libertarian Party ticket sports far more plausibility — two former two-term governors, former Republicans of blue states.
It’s still possible that this newest story is just a leak to get us to a false sense of … well, whatever this is.
After all, Kristol is a neoconservative. He has secrets and strategies above us mere mortals. Conspiracy buffs might contend that throwing another “right-wing” candidate into the mix is his way of splitting “the right,” allowing his real (if secret) favorite, Hillary Clinton, to squeak by. She is the one candidate he could count on to keep throwing money at the Pentagon — and dropping bombs overseas.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
Photo credit: Gage Skidmore on Flickr
5 replies on “#NeverTrump Red Herring”
As someone who decided early on to “major” in Ballot Access for the Libertarian Party. I have to laugh at the naivety of people who think it is a simple, inexpensive three month process.
Many will argue that the LP ticket now with CFR member William Weld is the neocons’ great blight hope.
If the Hilldog wins the election. Kristol can boast that he provided crucial benefit.
The tremendous disadvantage for the Libertarian Party caused by these arduous ballot access laws has now become a huge advantage for the LP, which has built up its ballot access through the years to a point that no new independent effort can catch up to.
Okay, French absolutely CAN NOT WIN. Too many states have already closed their ballot process and even if French somehow won all of the ones that are left (We are pretty much talking Divine intervention here) it still would not be enough. So why is he doing it? There are only two possible reasons that make any sense at all. Number one, Kristol hates Trump SO MUCH that he is willing to let Hell-ary win in order to keep Trump from getting elected. The word “Despicable” doesn’t even come close. The second reason is that he can see the Libertarian Party making massive inroads into American Politics and he is afraid that if they get into the televised Presidential Debates with 15% of the polls that they will bring up all of the foreign policy screw-ups that he and his little band of Neo-Cons have been trying to sweep under the carpet. I’m betting it’s the former rather than the latter because he doesn’t seen to me to be smart enough to see the latter.