Pat Buchanan Chokes on Deadline!
Posted Friday, Oct. 27, 2000, at 3:40 PM ETWith Pat Buchanan now hovering between 1 and 2 percent in the polls, you'd think he'd jump at the chance to write an op-ed touting his candidacy for the Wall Street Journal. But when the Journal ran an editorial-page roundup by third-party candidates on Oct. 25 under the rubric, "The Other Choices," Buchanan was missing in action. Tucked among the pieces by Libertarian candidate Harry Browne and Green Party candidate Ralph Nader was the following Editor's Note:
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StumbleUponThe Wall Street Journal asked the three minor-party nominees to write articles making the case for their candidacies. Reform candidate Patrick Buchanan was unable to accept the invitation.
Chatterbox called the Buchanan campaign to demand an explanation. "He was in Alaska at the time, and he wasn't able to complete it," said Buchanan's press secretary, Brian Doherty. "However, I did submit it today. They may be running it, they may not be." Wasn't able to complete it? Isn't this what Buchanan does for a living when he isn't running for president? How long did they give him? "It was about five or six days," Doherty said. "But he was on the road for the entire time. And Mr. Buchanan feels most comfortable writing in front of his computer at home." Of course, this seeming display of writer's block may in fact be a crafty way to get onto the Journal editorial page as a solo act as opposed to getting on as a member of a multifringe-candidate forum. Was that the play? "That's pretty good," answered Doherty. "But no, we weren't thinking in that frame."
E-mail Timothy Noah at .
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Reader Comments from The Fray:
[Note from the Fray Editor: You could never normally accuse the Chatterbox Fray of speaking with one voice, but in this case one view prevailed: Buchanan is taking a dive.]
For those who are inclined to believe that anything in politics is possible: four years ago, Pat Buchanan was a real popular Republican. In the last two presidential elections, conservatives believed they lost because of Ross Perot and the Reform Party. Now Buchanan has taken the wind (and money) out of the Reform Party sails, and alienated most conservative voters with what many would consider harsh rhetoric. As a consequence, a conservative (Bush) has a much better chance of being elected because Nader can siphon Democrat votes, and the Reform Party will not siphon Republican votes.
I think it is a great strategy
--RB
(To reply, click here.)
It seems obvious to me that Buchanan has cut a deal with the Bush camp. Buchanan recently got over 12 million dollars in federal funds which he is sitting on as the clock runs out. What on earth is he doing in Alaska? You guessed it: he is keeping a low profile. The fix is in. Nader and Buchanan have one thing in common: they both do not like the official position Democrats have on the Middle East. Gore represents the status quo in the Middle East. Could be that the Bush camp has made assurances to the Buchannanites that they would stop tilting so heavily pro-Israel. Just a theory. Nader might have his own deal with the Bush camp. What else would explain his absurd contention that there is not a lick of difference between the Republicans and the Democrats. Nader is not a dummy. He knows better, but for him, possibly, the Middle East struggle trumps whatever affiliations he might feel towards the Gore camp. Again, just a theory.
--Andrew Straticzuk
(To reply, click here.)
(10/28)