cannabisnews.com: Libertarians Court Johnson As Candidate





Libertarians Court Johnson As Candidate
Posted by FoM on October 03, 1999 at 11:30:29 PT
The Associated Press 
Source: Amarillo Globe
 Republican Gov. Gary Johnson's stance on drug legalization may be an embarrassment to the GOP, but the Libertarian Party sees the outspoken governor as its possible presidential candidate for the 2000 election.
"They think he's an embarrassment," said Joe Knight, state chairman of the Libertarian Party. "We're cheering him."Knight said Libertarian state party chairmen from around the country contacted him about Johnson and are seriously courting the governor to run on the party's presidential ticket."It's a chance for the Libertarian Party to have a Jesse Ventura of our own, and we're quite excited about it," said Knight, referring to Minnesota's ex-wrestler governor who is a member of the Reform Party.Knight said he has not talked with Johnson personally about switching parties or running for national office as a Libertarian.Johnson was unavailable for comment but said in the past that he will never run for elected office again.His second four-year term concludes at the end of 2002.Johnson said last week that he personally supported legalization of some drugs - including marijuana and heroin - as a national policy but has no plans to propose legislation to make drugs legal in New Mexico.Johnson's controversial drug stance has drawn criticism from most state Republican leaders, including Lt. Gov. Walter Bradley, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and state Sen. Skip Vernon, R-Albuquerque, the GOP's leader in the Senate.Barry McCaffrey, director of the White House Office of National Drug Policy Control, said Friday that Johnson's "actions serve as a terrible model for the rest of the nation."McCaffrey plans to visit New Mexico this week.Knight said he plans to write a letter to Johnson asking the governor "to come home to his philosophical base" by leaving the Republican Party and joining the Libertarians.Bruce Bush, a member of the Libertarian Party's state central committee and a one-time Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate, said a formal announcement of the "Draft Johnson for President Campaign" could come this week.Bush said he supports Johnson's position on drugs.He "wants to try for what I call true freedom, and what he calls the Big Enchilada," he said. Sunday, October 3, 1999Libertarians Say Governor Is Their Guy - 10/02/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3118.shtmlThe Libertarian Partyhttp://www.lp.org/Governor Gary Johnson's Home Pagehttp://www.governor.state.nm.us/
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on October 03, 1999 at 13:02:21 PT:
Libertarians Eye Johnson for Presidential Push
Sunday, October 3, 1999 ABQ Journalhttp://www.abqjournal.com/Libertarians Eye Johnson for Presidential PushGov.'s Stance on Drugs Draws Party's Attention Journal Staff and Wire Report Gov. Gary Johnson laughed and blushed Saturday at the idea that the Libertarian Party could draft him as its presidential candidate in the 2000 election. "I'm a Republican and honored they would do that," Johnson said. Joe Knight, state chairman of the Libertarian Party, said Libertarian leaders from around the country have contacted him about Johnson and are seriously considering the governor as a potential candidate. Bruce Bush, a member of the Libertarian Party's state central committee and a onetime Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate, said a formal announcement of a "Draft Johnson for President Campaign" could come this week. As Johnson headed to address the crowd at opening ceremonies for the Kodak Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the governor said he hasn't taken seriously the Libertarian pitch that he run for president. "I've had a few people come up and jokingly say that," he said. "If they've really done that, I haven't seen it. I can't believe that." Knight said Libertarians like the governor's stance on drug legalization, even though many Republicans "think he's an embarrassment." "We're cheering him," Knight said. He said he has not talked with Johnson personally about switching parties or running for national office as a Libertarian. "It's a chance for the Libertarian Party to have a Jesse Ventura of our own, and we're quite excited about it," Knight said, referring to Minnesota's ex-wrestler governor who is a member of the Reform Party. Johnson has said in the past that he never will run for elected office again. His second four-year term concludes at the end of 2002. He has said he personally supports legalization of some drugs, including marijuana and heroin, as a national policy, but he said he has no plans to propose legislation to make drugs legal in New Mexico. Johnson's controversial drug stance has drawn criticism from state Republican leaders, including Lt. Gov. Walter Bradley, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and state Sen. Skip Vernon, R-Albuquerque, the GOP's leader in the Senate. Barry McCaffrey, director of the White House Office of National Drug Policy Control, said Johnson's "actions serve as a terrible model for the rest of the nation." McCaffrey plans to visit New Mexico this week. Knight said he plans to write a letter to Johnson asking the governor "to come home to his philosophical base" by leaving the Republican Party and joining the Libertarians. Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999 Albuquerque Journal
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