David Boren, OU and a third party for President

[RecycleMichael]

This story from the Tulsa World...

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=071230_1__WASHI40351

Bipartisan group to meet at OU to discuss 2008 race
By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
12/30/2007  4:30 PM


WASHINGTON -- University of Oklahoma President David Boren said Sunday he will co-host a meeting next week with other prominent Americans to try and refocus the 2008 presidential campaign on restoring the nation's standing in the world and end the partisan bickering at home. Boren emphasized his support for the nation's two-party system but left the door open to supporting an independent candidate if the current presidential hopefuls fail to embrace a more bipartisan approach.

He said his co-host for the OU event will be Sam Nunn of Georgia, like Boren, a former Democratic U.S. senator. "Our political system is, at the least, badly bent and many are concluding that it is broken at a time where America must lead boldly at home and abroad," the two men stated in a Dec. 18 letter to expected participants. "The next president of the United States will be faced with what has been described as a 'gathering storm' both at home and abroad."

Their letter listed a range of challenges the nation faces such as energy, education and the environment. In a telephone interview from his office at OU, Boren used even more pointed comments to describe how serious the current challenges are for the nation. "People are truly frightened by what is happening to our standing in the world," he said. Boren cited polls that show for the first time a large number of the American people are pessimistic about the nation's future. Much of that, he said, can be blamed on partisan bickering.

"Watching the things like the YouTube debate just depressed me because there was so little focus on the things that will affect our future," Boren said. He said the goal of the OU meeting, which will begin the evening of the Jan. 6 with the main event the next day, is to come up with brief joint statement covering a number of issues and then challenge the current presidential candidates to respond. Boren said the candidates would be challenged to be specific. One of the commitments he hopes to get from those now running is to form a truly bipartisan administration, one that will go well beyond tokenism.

"We don't need a Republican administration or a Democratic administration. We need an American administration," Boren said. Those expected to attend include former U.S. Sens. Bill Cohen, a Maine Republican who also served as Defense secretary in the Clinton administration; John Danforth, a Missouri Republican; Bob Graham, a Florida Democrat; Chuck Robb, a Virginia Democrat; and Gary Hart, a Colorado Democrat; and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican who led the Environmental Protection Agency under the current President Bush.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is another invitee, and his attendance has led some to speculate the event will boost a Bloomberg campaign for the White House. "This is definitely not a Bloomberg for president meeting although he is attending," Boren said. "Bloomberg did not schedule the meeting." Boren said some of those at the meeting may be open to a Bloomberg candidacy, adding others will continue to support their own nominees.

[sgrizzle]

Bloomberg also gave the last OU commencement.

Bloomberg/Boren 08 is sounding closer than ever.

[Conan71]

Not terribly surprising for Boren to come up with this (I almost said "come out") [].  He was incredibly popular amongst Republican voters when he was a Senator, and he earned it by being a pretty moderate voice of reason.

[Chicken Little]

I thought Chuck Hagel was supposed to be the other half of the independent Bloomberg ticket.

[we vs us]

The real question is, to what degree is the country ready to reconcile?  

I'll admit that I spend too much time amidst the firebreathers of both poles -- in addition to being waaaaay too immersed in political media -- to have an accurate idea of what regular ole America thinks of our hyperpartisanship.  I know that between slim Congressional majorities and the Prez's veto pen, nothing's getting done at all.  And one way or the other, both sides seem to agree that we need something done. Do y'all think there's a market for a party or movement like this one?

[rwarn17588]

<we vs. us said:

Do y'all think there's a market for a party or movement like this one?

<end clip>

No, simply because there are strong indications that the GOP is self-immolating. Young voters are avoiding the Republicans in droves, the current president is very unpopular, and the evangelistic and corporate wings of the party (of which there's been an uneasy truce) are starting to clash. The GOP is probably going to need to make big changes to make itself more relevant to future generations.

Case in point: I saw in a poll where voters are blaming the GOP for the inactivity in Congress by a 2-to-1 margin over Democrats. That doesn't bode well in future elections. And that doesn't bode well for third-party candidates when the voters are clearly blaming one side.

When political parties take a beating, they're forced to make changes. If not, they simply die out like the Whigs did. Changes are likely to come regardless, with or without the so-called Unity party.

That said, a 2008 presidential candidate with a somewhat different approach could salvage things for the Republicans somewhat. Whether such a candidate exists is another matter.

[Rico]

So this is one step off of this topic

http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8337

But this would not be called "       a thread.......?

Was FOTD late to the channel 8 line up.?

[}:)]

[we vs us]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

<we vs. us said:

Do y'all think there's a market for a party or movement like this one?

<end clip>

No, simply because there are strong indications that the GOP is self-immolating.

Yeah, I think you're definitely right about that.  I have no idea where it will end, but it seems like the entire party -- even the entire idea of modern conservatism -- is in freefall.

And since I think that's one of the most important things happening this election season, I'm inclined to see this unity movement as an impediment to progress rather than a grand centrist bargain that will save us all.  One blogger I read suggested that our hyperpartisanship exists because there're real policy differences between the parties, and that a Third Way would have to offer more than simply the idea of compromise alone.  It would have to actually offer middle ground that "everyone could agree on." Of course, we'll see what course the election takes, but if you're right about the Republicans (and I think you are), then we might actually be past that partisanship and not actually know it until the votes are counted.

[tim huntzinger]

We need another 'party' like a frog needs a skateboard (is that plagiarism if I do not hyperlink Steinhem?).  I cannot see what Bloomberg has to offer that Giulliani does not already.  So if Rudy loses the GOP primary I could see Bloom enter the fray but not if Rudy wins.

Teddy Roosevelt, a former President, hugely popular, lost an independent run after leaving office.  An independent is not the answer or the GOP would have learned after Perot's runs and the Dems after Nader's runs.  An indie is only good as a spoiler and to influence the debate.

[FOTD]

Well, looks like  Michael Bloomberg, Billionaire, surrounded by a lot of has beens who want to get back into the game...


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/us/politics/08bloomberg.html?th&emc=th