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Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior White House Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
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Tucker Carlson for President? Regrettably, No
May 23, 2008 12:20 PM
Via Brendan Nyhan, we learned today that in anticipation of the current Libertarian Party Convention in Denver someone is polling delegates about possible presidential preferences -- and in addition to declared candidates one name being bandied about is Tucker Carlson's.
Nyhan got the news from his colleague Mike Munger, chair of Duke University's poly sci department and also the Libertarian Party's gubernatorial candidate in North Carolina.
Munger reports after the pollster made sure he was a delegate to the convention, he asked him his preference.
The choices: former Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga. (who partied with the Marijuana Policy Project in Denver yesterday. Good times); former Sen. Mike Gravel, D-Ala., Mary Ruart, Wayne Allen Root and...Tucker.
Munger says that the rumor in Libertarian circles is that "Carlson has apparently decided to think about it. And Carlson may be funding the polling of Lib Nat Conv delegates."
Others in the Libertarian world have been hearing the rumors as well.
The story is now starting to be picked up by conservatives like Jonah Goldberg at National Review to liberals at the New York Times, and everyone in between.
Tucker, whom I should disclose is a good friend, would be loads of fun to cover on the stump, but he is probably too honest to actually win an election. As long as I've known him, his politics have never fit neatly in with the Republican party. He really came to oppose the war in Iraq, for instance. And his journalism was never quite what the "Right" wanted it to be. Because it was honest. (As when, in a generally positive piece on then-Gov. George W. Bush for TALK Magazine in 1999, he showed Bush mocking Karl Faye Tucker, then on death row.)
He is probably truly a libertarian, though I would think some of that party's more conspiracy-minded elements would irritate him (The 9/11 deniers, etc., etc.) Though maybe not -- one of the most fun stories to run this year was when Tucker joined Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, in Nevada. Read it HERE.
In any case, Carlson tells me he was never running.
He's right now with his family in Maine rather than in Denver with the Marijuana Policy Project and the like.
"I probably should have done it," Tucker emails me." Imagine the bus trip."
Shoot.
Oh, well.
- jpt
May 23, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (8)
Tucker, who said he felt castrated by HRC on national TV? This kind of honesty is about as valuable to me as GWB's uncompromising steadfastness.
Posted by: JSF | May 24, 2008 10:05:27 PM
I'll vote for Tucker over Obama any day. I certainly do not want to be forced to vote for McCain.
Posted by: p | May 23, 2008 6:33:54 PM
hE SHOULD RUN BUT THE GOOD GUYS NEVER DO..
Posted by: older person | May 23, 2008 1:50:01 PM
Although I would not vote for him, I sure would like more choice.
Posted by: tww | May 23, 2008 1:36:14 PM
I stopped watching Dancing With The Stars when Tucker got booted.
Not only is he honest he has a great sense of humor.
If he is not running I hope that he has an important role in covering the elections.
Posted by: Smith | May 23, 2008 12:47:10 PM
We see how far honesty has gotten Paul. At least we see close to 10% of the republican base appreciates it.
Posted by: Ben Straub | May 23, 2008 12:40:11 PM
Tucker is a good guy. It is a sad realization that someone that is too honest stands no chance. I have heard this Wayne Root guy, and he is a pretty good speaker with good ideas. I also like Gravel and Paul who both seem honest to the core, but maybe honesty is a hindrance.
Posted by: Huh | May 23, 2008 12:36:50 PM
jpt says: "he is probably too honest to actually win an election."
tapper, I can't believe you would actually hint, subtlety suggest, or even outright state that candidates have to lie in order to win elections. unbelievable.
~pdt
Posted by: -pdt | May 23, 2008 12:34:34 PM
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