Detroit News Dumps Trump, Endorses Gary Johnson
First time in its 143-year history that it endorsed someone other than the Republican candidate. Their views mirror mine -- that Donald Trump is, as they put it, "unprincipled, unstable and quite possibly dangerous."
They acknowledge that Hillary Clinton "has the temperament to be commander-in-chief and leader of both a diverse nation and the free world."
However, they add: "Character matters. Her career-long struggles with honesty and ethics and calculating, self-serving approach to politics trouble us deeply."
Some of their reasoning for endorsing Johnson:
Fit for the presidencyGary Johnson has excelled at public service. In his eight years as the Republican governor of New Mexico, he cut taxes while balancing the budget, and left the state in better fiscal shape than when he arrived. He also was a champion of school choice, and the state under his guidance made great strides in improving education.
Johnson is joined on the ticket by William Weld, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts, who likewise posted a record of good government and fiscal discipline. Johnson says he and Weld will govern as a team. That is encouraging. These are two honest, principled politicians who would put the interests of the nation first.
With a few significant exceptions, the Libertarian candidate shares our views on the important issues.
Like this newspaper, he holds that an individual should have maximum freedom to navigate his or her personal decision-making, with little meddling from the government.
His position on trade is the most responsible of any of the candidates in the race. He voices a healthy respect for free markets, and recognizes that unrestricted trade -- absent crony capitalism -- is a boon to the economy. He is the only candidate who would sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal negotiated by President Barack Obama.
"Ultimately (the TPP) is going to result in more and higher paying jobs for the United States," Johnson told The News' editorial board. "China is not a part of this, and that is an advantage to the U.S."
I'm also with them here -- on their "apprehension" about Johnson on foreign policy:
He holds to conventional libertarian non-interventionism. But he understands America's position in the world, and we are certain that once the weight of leadership is on his shoulders, he will meet that responsibility.He pledges to honor all existing treaties and obligations, and supports NATO, though he wants the European nations to live up to their commitment to pay 2 percent of GDP for the common defense; a reasonable expectation.
Watch and listen -- worth the time -- to Ingrid Jacques and Nolan Finley, Detroit News editorial board members, discussing why they endorsed Johnson. It's an interesting window into how editorial boards make decisions about the paper's position:
Is it possible Gary Johnson could have a chance?
A bit from a comment I posted at The Detroit News:
Let's hope more papers follow your lead -- and that citizens see this as a sign that maybe a vote for Johnson will mean something. And maybe it will. Like that we keep both Trump and Clinton out of the presidency. My opinion is in keeping with that of the editorial board here: In short, as I've been putting it, "at least Clinton's a corrupt adult." It would be great to get a good guy in the presidency like Johnson -- which isn't to say I agree with him on everything.
"Is it possible Gary Johnson could have a chance?"
In a nutshell, * no*
Isab at September 29, 2016 12:18 AM
I love how the media is desperately trying to shove the idea of anyone BUT Trump down our throats. Like these ppl are essentially saying vote for Hilary but they dont have the balls to outright say it so they'll endorse a dude that has zero chance of winning, and takes votes away from Trump. When this is over they'll be able to wipe their hands off the whole situation and whatever the outcome blame the rest of us right? No you dont get to do that! Sorry! It's one or the other because that's the reality of the situation and we all got to live in the present reality.
One thing I've loved about this election is how clearly the media is pro Hilary and yet no matter how hard they try they cant close the sale. The desperation of not getting the public to buckle the fuck down and do as they're told is fun to watch.
Also not that it matters cuz Im a resident of Cali but I'm voting for Hilary. Come at me with the hate yo' I am not shying away from my choice. You vote for Trump if you want to booboo dont let those in the media shame you and bs you with how much we are gonna change the world with third party options that cant even get elected on the local level. At least we've got the balls to accept it's one or the other and if shit hits the fan well I can at least say I fucked up.
ppen at September 29, 2016 1:17 AM
After this is over I am not gonna be a teenager and whine "Well I voted third party"!!!
ppen at September 29, 2016 1:30 AM
There is nothing adult about her.
momof4 at September 29, 2016 5:09 AM
Scene from Presidential Jeopardy;
The answer is "Site of years of genocide and war crimes against a civilian population supported by a major military power."
"I'm sorry, Governor Johnson, the question is ' What is Aleppo'?"
Wfjag at September 29, 2016 5:09 AM
Wfjag, do you really think Trump has knowledge of the world beyond his bank books?
Presidents get briefed about things by experts.
Trump is an immature brat who has never held the same position on anything for very long and who has cheated contractors far and wide.
Explain this one:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/09/28/i-sold-trump-100000-worth-of-pianos-then-he-stiffed-me/
Amy Alkon at September 29, 2016 5:59 AM
Trump violating US Cuba trade embargo, secretly conducting biz there, and lying about it -- pledging that he wouldn't do business there to Cuban Americans (just after he already had):
http://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/14/donald-trump-cuban-embargo-castro-violated-florida-504059.html
Amy Alkon at September 29, 2016 6:19 AM
> In a nutshell, * no*
Nutshell thinking is how apparently how some voters want the world to work:
> At least we've got the
> balls to accept it's one
> or the other
...So cowardice can be described as courage.
> do you really think Trump has
> knowledge of the world beyond
> his bank books?
The guy's squandered fortunes and spent his life losing in court. He doesn't read anything, especially "bank books.
Crid at September 29, 2016 6:55 AM
Every time Crid pops in to offer no solutions, I make another donaton to Trump. Trump thanks you, Crid.
momof4 at September 29, 2016 7:01 AM
No problem, little muffin.
Crid at September 29, 2016 7:07 AM
Too bad the Governor can't name a favorite current foreign leader:
http://hotair.com/archives/2016/09/29/gary-johnsons-latest-aleppo-moment-cant-name-single-foreign-leader/
And probably can't find Aleppo on a map. After the Aleppo moment, a smarter candidate would have worked on that whole "foreign affairs" thing. Especially since that's the knock on governors: no foreign experience.
I R A Darth Aggie at September 29, 2016 7:10 AM
Wfjag, do you really think Trump has knowledge of the world beyond his bank books?
I don't know. Do you?
I suspect that if geo-political repercussions can affect his bottom line, he pays attention to them. He might be a news junkie, and finds such things of interest.
I R A Darth Aggie at September 29, 2016 7:15 AM
After working in newspapers for 25 years, I can say their political endorsements are a joke.
lsomber at September 29, 2016 7:38 AM
Johnson's had way too many "Aleppo moments" - considering this is his second run for president.
Weld thinks Hillary is well-qualified to be the commander-in-chief, this despite her reckless interventionist past.
My affection for these two is souring rapidly.
Conan the Grammarian at September 29, 2016 7:56 AM
Two idiots who didn't even make good Republicans put up by the Lib party idiots who think that they can win if only they abandon Libertarian principles and talk like the same pile of idiots who have put our country in this situation in the first place. Harry Browne should have been horsewhipped and rode out of the LP on a rail, we wouldn't be in this mess now.
I would rather have a REAL LP candidate who stood for something other than the Peter Principle, that I would vote for. Dumb and Dumber? Not happening!
Warhawke223 at September 29, 2016 8:45 AM
Cowardice to not consider someone that can't convince the public to vote for him? Why do people assume I would prefer him over Trump? What about him is "good"? Johnson supporters in this election strike me as teenagers reminding us that they didn't create this mess but we're assholes for trying to figure out the best outcome given the options.
Johnson couldnt even pull a Bernie Sanders. Yet I am supposed to go out there and vote for him and after the election is over I am to remind everyone how I didn't have anything to do with the outcome because I voted third party.
You can have libertarian beliefs but consider the party itself a stupid joke. I remember when they tried distrubiting toy guns to local black children in a Chicago community, to prove the importance of gun rights. This was after a drive by shooting. At a school.
ppen at September 29, 2016 9:29 AM
I have loved Johnson and Weld, and they're still my candidates, but...
What the fuck. His ongoing gaffes are just unfathomable to me. I know he knows living foreign leaders, because he's talked about them, but he freezes up way too easily. He just needed to name someone he respects. He doesn't even have to AGREE.
I kind of get it, because I've been in situations where someone will say, "Who's your favorite actress?" and I'll say Barbara Stanwyck. And they'll say, "Favorite film?" and I freeze up and can't recall one film, even though I have seen almost all of them, and have Double Indemnity and Christmas in Connecticut practically memorized.
But he is running for president! Come on! Why isn't he working day and night with professional coaches "shark-tanking" him? (That's what we call the grueling prep for the sales aspect of my job, which obviously is far, far less important than running for president. We grill each other with the toughest questions we think a prospect might ask and make sure we have responses at the ready. Hell, he should do the equivalent of what Jeopardy contestants do!)
God damn, I was devastated last night.
Insufficient Poison at September 29, 2016 10:02 AM
Also, when you have a brain freeze, you stall by questioning the question. You don't make an explicit callback to your last mortifying incident.
Insufficient Poison at September 29, 2016 10:03 AM
Regarding Libertarians (and Greens): They might actually get somewhere if they did grass-roots organizing on positions like city councils, small-town mayoralties and even state legislatures.
Oh, I know they're frequently on those kinds of ballots. But they're invisible. They have zero organization. They run no ground game. They're just another token name on the ballot.
Then, every four years, these people who can't get their shit together to get a school board seat expect to skip every step up the ladder. Prove to me you can represent me at City Council — where you have a far greater chance of being heard and winning — and start from there. Don't spend your life as a member of one of the two major parties and then put an L or a G after your name for the attention.
Kevin at September 29, 2016 10:57 AM
Hi, Mom4! TIME TO CUT ANOTHER CHECK to the incompetent businessman who's never shown a moment of notice for charity, his own debts, or his campaign obligations.
...Because you said you send a donation every time I "pop in offering no solutions," and I'm certainly doing that now. So go ahead and get your checkbook.
Leave it on your desktop instead of putting it in a drawer, because I'll be back later. And if one of the kids picks it up and loses it, no matter, because if you're sending checks to Trump, you weren't concerned about their financial well-being anyway.
(I don't believe for a New York minute that you've made so much as a single contribution to Trump's campaign.)
(Har! This is totally fun!)
(Hi Mom! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$)
Crid at September 29, 2016 2:33 PM
As he so often has, Iowahawk nails it to the wall.
Crid at September 29, 2016 4:46 PM
As he so often has, Iowahawk nails it to the wall.
Crid at September 29, 2016 4:46 PM
I want to encorage as many people as possible to vote for Johnson, or Jill Stein. Especially if they live in California, or in a swing state if their second choice is Hillary.
Isab at September 29, 2016 5:46 PM
"TIME TO CUT ANOTHER CHECK to the incompetent businessman who's never shown a moment of notice for charity, his own debts, or his campaign obligations."
Truly amazing, the number of people who simply start frothing at the face when they hear the name, "Trump".
Hey, here's a measure of relative worth:
"Donald Trump has an estimated net worth of $4.5 billion as of September 2016, according to Forbes."
$4.5 billion smackeroos. Not the most, not the least, but a damn fine thing to count in front of critics.
What are YOU worth, genius? When will you get to the point where you are worth one thousandth of a Trump?
And whose money does he have? Investors, most of whom have a vested interest in keeping their $$ or increasing them with an association with the Donald.
How about Hillary? Want to name what she's selling?
You think Trump's a dick, OK. $4.5 billion worth.
Radwaste at September 29, 2016 6:01 PM
A nine-year-old boy is in love with Donny Osmond, who has a wonderful head of hair and a toothsome smile.
We've offered links about Trump's millions of inheritance in the center of the postwar boom, him endless evasions of investigation, his bankruptcies, the squadrons of co-investors who've been cheated and the absence of business partners to sing his praises, but you didn't read those items before and you haven't read them now.
You're at the stage of life where you want this to be a dick-size contest... As if there's some expression of American excellence in deciding who has the most money and then granting them the most authority.
Raddy, it's pathetic.
Crid at September 29, 2016 9:59 PM
So, no, Crid - you haven't succeeded at anything to the degree a man working market strategies has. His IMDB credits are even longer than yours.
That was the foregone conclusion. Billionaires don't post here.
I note that I'm not an Internet sensation at all. No IMDB for me. Aww.
"Incompetent businessman" is the lead concept in your post. I suppose you could make a case for the Dad running a Mom-n-Pop grocery on a two-lane road somewhere as being "competent" while living month-to-month while Dollar General and WalMart move nearby -- but that measure just comes up short.
Hillary HAS shown great skill at selling speeches, collecting money for the Clinton Foundation and apparently selling influence overseas. Whose money is going back to those investors in her dream?
The issue this period clearly isn't about ethics. If you want Obamacare continued, the 2nd Amendment attacked and Federal mandates for all employment, not just government jobs, by all means idolize Ms. Clinton (not that you have). That is why support for Trump is unflagging.
Pretty prose. Write a book.
Radwaste at September 30, 2016 7:57 AM
Those who failed to learn from H Ross Perot can try again. Tell yourselves this time it will be different, for real, honest.
MarkD at September 30, 2016 8:37 AM
Well, let's be fair, H. Ross Perot did go insane during the campaign. He fired his campaign manager for being a CIA plant. He accused the government of trying to disrupt his daughter's wedding. I vaguely remember something about squirrels.
Johnson may have his "Aleppo moments," but he's not certifiable. He's a lightweight, but a sane one.
Conan the Grammarian at September 30, 2016 12:02 PM
> The issue this period clearly
> isn't about ethics.
It's always, always about ethics.
You struggle mightily to share the constrained insights, social mechanics, and competitive furies of a 7th-grader. Please believe me, and I can speak for the group here: No one doubts the sincerity of your congestive incuriousity.
Crid at September 30, 2016 2:09 PM
> He's a lightweight
Name a heavyweight.
Matt, Mike and Kami got into this on today's podcast. They weren't especially clear about it, but they're never that clear about anything: A time-undbounded radio show means they're never concise about >anything.
...But they pointed out that all pretentiousness of voters and media types about competence, broad knowledge and thinking-on-their-feet has done precisely dick for us heretofore. Gould once noted that Carter was one of the most intellectual presidents of his lifetime.... And Carter is not remembered fondly. Reagan, with plainly declining capacities, thrived through his principles and accelerated the improvement of millions, if not billions, of lives.
I think the reason Johnson is being so grievously harshed for these 'gaffes' is that nearly no one, neither in the press nor the electorate, wants to have to investigate another identity in the election, so it's easy to work with the handiest headline: Aleppo, Babe! It means everything to everyone! It's all we need to know! (Even if we don't know anything!)
Reductive-to-binary thinking is what makes the Raddy's of our country so horny this year: The choice is simple!!! Can't you see?!?!?!
!!!!!
Crid at September 30, 2016 2:23 PM
Welch wrote it down.
Crid at September 30, 2016 5:39 PM
You may be right. The reason it means so much may be that they've already decided any third-party candidate is not intellectually fit, simply by virtue of not being one of the top two party candidates - sort of an "if you didn't go Ivy, you obviously aren't top tier." And the Aleppo incident merely proves it for them. With that, they don't have to dig up reasons to discount Johnson vs. Hillary because "Aleppo, dude."
Aleppo is indicative, however, of a candidate who didn't do his homework and study current events. If you're interviewing for a job, you do research into the company and the issues it's facing (if you want the job, that is). Johnson doesn't appear to have done his research. Nor does he appear quick enough on his feet to delay the answer (as someone pointed out earlier) or to use the question to segue to a topic on which he is more knowledgeable while thinking up an answer for the question if the moderator comes back to it. Not being up to speed or quick on things like that makes him a political lightweight.
Luckily for him, his opponents in this election, it would seem, are less qualified for the job than he is. Folks, he's made a payroll (started a construction company) and run an economy (two-term governor of New Mexico) and he can learn international affairs with a few days tutoring. Clinton couldn't learn to be ethical even if you gave her a few years. Trump can't become an adult and he's had 40+ years to do so.
Peggy Noonan interviewed an unnamed US senator and former governor about which made a better qualification for presidents, being a governor or being a senator. He replied being a governor. Being in the US Senate, he said, was an in-depth study session. One got to study politics, diplomacy, economics, etc. No other job offers that depth and breadth of study.
However, being a governor, while it offered less depth of study in the topics of government, economics, etc., it offered the office holder an opportunity to learn and exercise leadership and management skills, things a Senate seat does not provide.
A governor is responsible for the final decision in a way that a senator is not. Johnson has been a CEO and a governor. He's run something. Clinton has not. Trump has run a company, but his competence at doing so is legitimately in question. Johnson balanced New Mexico's budget in his two terms; and did so with lowered taxes.
While Trump's business record is being legitimately questioned, the media's (and the Democrats') standard practice is to virtually criminalize ordinary business experience (bankruptcies, layoffs, offshoring, etc.) while lionizing government and activist experience. They did it to Mitt Romney to spectacular effect and allowing them to do this to Trump is to further enable future such calumny. And, if Johnson becomes a threat, watch for them to do it to him.
So, Johnson may be an international lightweight, but he's still worth consideration. He can learn where Aleppo is and which world leader he admires. Clinton, it seems, cannot learn to be honest. Although, Johnson is not going to survive many more "Aleppo moments."
Conan the Grammarian at September 30, 2016 5:42 PM
The problem is the winner-take-all electoral practice in most states favors a binary election and cripples a third party. To get an influential number of electoral votes, a third party must win at least a few states.
Under a divided split, like New Mexico's, the third party would be a player in the election by winning districts, which are much more likely to winnable by a third party candidate than the entire state.
Third parties must qualify in an excruciatingly byzantine signature submission process every four years to be on the ballots of most states, whereas the two major parties automatically qualify.
Conan the Grammarian at September 30, 2016 5:52 PM
It's not a question of fairness. He has no chance. The next president will be named Hillary or Donald, and I'll take any odds you care to offer against.
You can vote yes, no or abstain. You're going to get Hillary or Donald.
MarkD at September 30, 2016 8:16 PM
> You can vote yes, no or abstain.
> You're going to get Hillary
> or Donald.
Like I said, people get horny about it... People get positively tumescent. They spazz. Like children chasing Halloween candy or something. But with a bogus, faux-professorial/hellfire condemnatory/metaphysical certitude: This is the way it will be.
It's possible to be to eager to be right about something, y'know? You can countermand your own interests.
Remember that person you cut out of your life after college because you noticed they took sadistic pleasure in passing along bad news? Remember the people on your staff who needed a private attitude adjustment session in the office because they were to eager to criticize company goals?
Remember Raddy telling us that the oil in ground was finite? And then we learned about Bakken, etc. "Finite" was true but irrelevant.
Crid at September 30, 2016 10:22 PM
"In a nutshell, no."
Crid at September 30, 2016 10:22 PM
From my observation point, admittedly a narrow one, the entire mission of the civil service, and the executive branch of the US government for the last eight years has been to cover Barack Obama's and now Hillary Clinton's asses.
I would just love an administration, however short, when the federal bureaucracy returned to the mission of covering their own worthless asses,
This is why I will do everything I can to stop that bitch's election.
For me this year, it is not about who is president, it is only about *who isn't president*
Its like beating back the bubonic plague.
Isab at September 30, 2016 11:23 PM
So put it in a sentence: "I don't support Donald Trump, I just don't want Hillary to be President."
Like that. You'll feel liberated, I promise.
Crid at October 1, 2016 1:32 AM
"It's always, always about ethics."
That you attempt this during the Obama Administration and in apparent support of its Secretary of State is simply amazing.
In de facto support of Hillary Clinton? Your Kool-Aid is a degree of magnitude more hallucinogenic than mine. You must be getting it from your healthcare.gov-approved physician.
Radwaste at October 2, 2016 8:56 AM
> That you attempt this during
> the Obama Administration and
> in apparent support of its
> Secretary of State is simply
> amazing
And yet again Raddy, you aren't being clear... What "this" am I attempting? Where did I say anything about a Secretary of State? For years, YEARS, you've posted impenetrable sentences crippled with randomized articles, followed always with a smirk of superiority. It might be fun if you were making your point. You're not.
> In de facto support of
> Hillary Clinton?
The fuck?
Crid at October 2, 2016 4:44 PM
He was quite clear Crid. If you can't understand that is on you, not Rad.
Ben at October 3, 2016 8:18 PM
It's perfectly plausible that the two of you gratify each other through private (and unlearned) code that means nothing to others, but it would be best if you then excluded the rest of us entirely.
Crid at October 4, 2016 10:54 PM
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