BOSTON — The other night while attending the world premiere of
a PBS documentary on the trials and tribulations of third party
presidential candidates it became glaringly obvious why none of
them have a shot in America today: Everybody seems to love the
somewhat cosmopolitan concept of a viable third party, but
finding someone who is actually voting for a particular candidate
or supports the emergence of a particular party is a daunting
task.
On the walk to the small theater just outside of Boston where
the film, Crashing the Parties: 2004, was being screened,
I actually prepared myself for uncomfortable small talk with the
filmmakers if I was the only one who showed up. Instead, the
theater was filled nearly to capacity with 300 energetic and
talkative people. Along a buffet spread of vegetables and dip,
small throngs lamented the poor ballot options available to them
and the sorry state of politics today. But ask them who they were
voting for and with the exception of a few Naderites and one Bush
supporter, all I found were supporters of John Kerry.
The successful third party these folks envision is not really a
third party at all, but a utopian view of the party they are
currently supporting. It ties in with the age-old American
tradition of government bashing. When Democratic partisans describe
their perfect alternative party, it sounds like the Green Party.
With fiscal conservatives it sounds like the Libertarian Party. The
Constitution Party, with its unabashed focus on religious issues
and a clear pro-life stand, looks to be manna from heaven for
cultural conservatives.
And yet none of these parties enjoys widespread support. The
only recent third party that actually garnered a substantial number
of votes was the Reform Party, which didn’t really stand for
anything much in particular. Except, of course, the one thing even
most partisan, party-line folks can get behind: The whole system is
screwed up, and we need somebody to get under the hood and fix it.
Think about it: When Pat Buchanan tried to infuse a pesky
message-based agenda into the Reform Party the whole thing went
down in a contentious, writhing ball of fire.
FURTHER, IF ANYONE WAS inclined to consider voting for a third
party candidate on the way into Crashing the Parties, it
is unlikely they still felt that way walking out. Directors Al Ward
and Peter Koziell have done a brilliant job of capturing the
presidential candidates of the Green, Constitution, and Libertarian
parties, along with Mr. No Party, Ralph Nader, in their natural
habitats. Most of them come off as lovable idealists, and there is
a sense that their commitment and utter disregard for the odds is
quite special. But none of them look like individuals ready to lead
the most powerful nation in the world.
At one candidate forum during the New Hampshire primaries, for
example, the film captures Libertarian contender Gary Nolan
fielding a question from a college student as to what he would do
as president to end human rights violations in China.
“Nothing,” Nolan answers. “If you want to do something about it,
buy a plane ticket, grab a rifle and go to war. I know you don’t
like my answer, but I refuse to pander.”
Another libertarian candidate, Aaron Russo (a big-time Hollywood
producer, who counts the Eddie Murphy/Dan Aykroyd classic
Trading Places among his credits) shouts at an audience,
“I own me, you own you, and we can do whatever the hell we want to
do!” It’s an appealing sentiment for wackos like myself to be sure,
but not likely to play well with swing voters and soccer moms.
Green Party candidate David Cobb is seen attempting to make the
best of a nationwide campaign, solo in a compact car — no
staffers, no press secretaries, no advance team. “When you travel
alone, there is time for genuine thought and contemplation,” he
explains hopefully. A few minutes later he is railing to a roomful
of bored schoolchildren (clearly NOT of voting age) about the woes
of America’s “racist, classist, sexist system.” Once again, not the
most marketable slogan.
THE FEISTIEST MOMENTS OF THE FILM, however, come when people
challenge the candidate’s right to run at all. At one Nader house
party, a Kerry supporter pickets outside with a sign that reads,
“Don’t Pillage Dem Votes.” Meanwhile, back inside the house Nader
seethes in that low key way of his, calling the Democrats “whiners
and carpers” and labeling their efforts “the signs of a decadent
party.”
Nader later finds a friendly audience with Neighborhoods Against
Subsidizing Stadiums. How much pull this group has nationwide is an
open question. Well, no, it isn’t actually. They have none, but
don’t tell Nader! He’s in a bad mood and needs to be soothed by
friendly voters!
The presidential candidate libertarians finally settle on,
Michael Badnarik, likewise becomes colorfully animated when it is
suggested a vote for him is a wasted vote.
“If you were in prison and you had a 50 percent chance of lethal
injection, a 45 percent chance of going to the electric chair and
only a 5 percent chance of escape, are you likely to vote for
lethal injection because that is your most likely outcome?” he asks
one audience.
No matter how much the majority of Americans enjoy complaining
about the two-party system, it is unlikely that they will come to
view voting Republican or Democrat as a national “lethal injection”
anytime soon. This suggests that third parties find themselves in a
bit of a catch 22. They won’t find a wide audience until they
moderate their views, but no true moderate candidate with the
burning desire to be president is going to run on a third party
ticket while the prospects for those parties are so poor.
But even if they can’t win in 2004, Crashing the
Parties, shows that they are nevertheless able to put on one
hell of a show.
(Crashing the Parties will air on PBS just ahead of the
first presidential debate at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, September
30.)
