Like the Georgia peanut farmer before him, Florida dairy farmer and optician Jimmy Carter is a long-shot seeking the U.S. presidency in 2008.
James Harlin Carter is running under his self-created Real Food Party. He talks about raw milk, rock concerts, and Rockefellers in this episode of Third Wheel Politics.
Making a run at the presidency is difficult; if you're an independent or third-party candidate, it approaches impossible.
In this episode, political guru Jim King of the University of Wyoming breaks down the long odds faced by candidates like Ralph Nader, Michael Bloomberg, and Mickey Mouse.
Nearly 4 years ago, I had the opportunity to cast my first presidential ballot. When I looked it over, I have to say I felt a little over-matched - not because of a complicated system of chads, but because of the candidates.
I knew - at least a little - about George W. Bush, John Kerry, and Ralph Nader. However, my Wyoming ballot also included a pair of guys I had never even heard of - Michael Badnarik and Michael Peroutka. Maybe I was just out of the loop, but I think it's safe to say those aren't household names.
I later learned that hundreds of people seek the U.S. presidency each election cycle - and a goodly number of them do not drop out until the final results arrive in November. In 2008, more than 250 people are seeking our nation's highest office. However, I think it's safe to say that only a small handful make it onto our political radar.
That's part of the reason I started this podcast.
Third Wheel Politics is my attempt to tell the stories of the rest of the people running for our nation's highest office. Obviously, I won't get to them all, and I know some of these folks have some unorthodox political ideas, to say the least. But that's part of the reason I'm so excited about this project.
This project will evolve as things progress. As I go forward, I would love feedback in the form of questions, comments, suggestions, or biting criticisms, or whatever you've got. Feel free to leave comments, send me an email or leave me a voicemail at (208)906-3313. You can use the "Call Me" box below to do it for free.
Ultimately, I hope Third Wheel Politics helps us better understand our ballots - helping us make sense of who's on there, whose not, and why they're not.
I hope it's an educational experience for both of us.
Each election cycle, in the face of impossible odds, hundreds of people declare their candidacy for the United States Presidency.
Despite the high numbers, only a handful of the most famous candidates ever enter the public consciousness.
Third Wheel Politics is an attempt to tell the stories of those left out of the spotlight. More...