On the campaign trail, February 2012

Saturday, March 3, 2012 

The following is the fourth in a monthly series chronicling the U.S. 2012 presidential election. It features original material compiled throughout the previous month after a brief mention of some of the month's biggest stories.

In this month's edition on the campaign trail, the Libertarian Party holds a primary in Missouri, Wikinews interviews a lesser-known Republican candidate focused on the nuclear situation in Iran, and a Democratic candidate disputes a "one-dimensional" label.

Summary

In February 2012, three well-known figures announced third party runs. Comedienne Roseanne Barr announced she would seek the Green Party's presidential nomination. Former Congressman Virgil Goode opened a Constitution Party campaign. And former Louisiana governor Buddy Roemer proclaimed he would seek the Reform Party presidential nomination in addition to Americans Elect.

Santorum bows his head to pray during a February fundraiser in Arizona.
Image: Gage Skidmore.

Mitt Romney won the endorsement of businessman Donald Trump, and was victorious in the February 4 Nevada caucus. Three days later, Rick Santorum gained momentum with a sweep of three non-binding contests in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri. Though Romney gained a victory in the Maine caucus, Santorum's momentum pushed him ahead. He led the polls in Romney's former homestate of Michigan, shot to first place in national opinion polls, and won the endorsement of former Senator and current Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, who retracted his support for Romney. Talk increased of someone else entering the GOP race if Romney lost Michigan.

Santorum's rise and the Obama administration's new contraceptive mandate brought social issues to the forefront of the GOP race. The role of church and state gained prominence as Santorum remarked that hearing President John F. Kennedy's 1960 speech on separation of two, "makes him throw up". After a poor performance in the month's final GOP debate, Santorum began to fall in the Michigan polls. However, members of the Democratic Party planned to vote for Santorum in the open primary, and Santorum ran robo-calls to Democrats asking for their support. In the end, Romney won in both Michigan and Arizona.

Newt Gingrich, who largely skipped Michigan and Arizona, focused early on the Super Tuesday states, which hold their primaries in the first week of March. Ron Paul continued his run as well following a close second place finish in Maine. At the end of the month, rumors spread of a Paul-Romney alliance after an analysis of previous debates showed that Paul never attacked Romney directly, and after Paul's son Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said "it would be an honor to be considered" as Romney's running mate. A spokesman for Ron Paul's campaign denied the rumors.

Missouri Libertarian Party primary results

In Missouri, the Libertarian Party held its first primary of the 2012 election cycle. Parliamentary advocate James Ogle, the only candidate listed on the ballot, edged "uncommitted" 52.7 percent to 47.3 percent to win the majority of votes. This was something a Libertarian candidate could not accomplish during the 2008 primary, when "uncommitted" won a plurality.

██ James Ogle

██ Uncommitted

Image: William S. Saturn.

Ogle has operated and promoted a fantasy government project based on the Sainte-Laguë method of voting since 1993. It is known as the USA Parliament. Ogle believes his username for the project — Joogle, a combination of his surname and first and middle initials — served as a basis for the name of the search engine Google; for his campaign, he uses the slogan "Go Ogle".

To appear on the Missouri ballot, Ogle paid a filing fee of $1000. He was the only Libertarian candidate to do so. Ogle thinks this happened because he is "accessible" in comparison to his opponents, "perhaps the other candidates couldn't be reached, and since there was about a 48 hour deadline to file the papers, they either didn't want to spend the $30 on overnight postage, they simply didn't know or else they didn't want to file." Other candidates for the Libertarian Party nomination, who missed the ballot, include former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson, former air traffic controller RJ Harris, and activist R. Lee Wrights.

Just before the primary, an article in the Missourian newspaper chronicled Ogle's campaign. He believes this contributed to his victory. In the story, he "was able to explain about ranked choice voting, the Libertarian's philosophy of the non initiation of force, smaller government and more liberty." In addition, the report mentioned Ogle's desire to be the running mate of Green Party presidential candidate Roseanne Barr.

According to Ogle: "the combination of all these events, somehow could have prompted more to ask for the Libertarian ballot when they went to the voting booth."

The non-binding primary is the only contest the Libertarian Party will hold before its nominating convention in May. California is also to hold a primary, but it is scheduled after the nomination. Ogle is to appear on the California ballot.

Republican focuses on Iran

Republican presidential candidate Hugh Cort, a psychiatrist and President of the non-profit American Foundation for Counter-Terrorism Policy and Research, describes his campaign's status as "wait-and-see". In December, he participated in the Republican Party's lesser-known candidates forum, and was included on the New Hampshire Republican primary ballot. He received a total of three votes.

Nevertheless, Cort's main area of concern is the nuclear situation in Iran, which garnered significant press in February. Iran, which claims it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, blocked International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors from monitoring a site suspected of containing nuclear weapons research. Increasing western sanctions against the country have resulted in threats from the government that it will cut off oil exports to Europe and/or close the strategic Strait of Hormuz. This talk has affected the price of crude oil. Commentators have suggested that war is looming.

Republican Hugh Cort
Image: Marc Nozell.

Cort, who has written a book entitled The American Hiroshima: Iran’s Plan for a Nuclear Attack on the United States, which he gave to Mitt Romney, believes Iran already has a nuclear weapon and that an attack on the United States is "very likely to happen in the very near future." He tells Wikinews that if "Iran does detonate some nuclear bombs in American cities, I would consider continuing my run for President, under the assumption that perhaps America would like to elect someone who knows something about counter-terrorism."

((WSS)) How should the president address the nuclear situation in Iran?

Hugh Cort: The President should say that America will help Israel to take out Iran’s nuclear sites. He should also prepare America for the possibility that Iran may have nuclear bombs already here, giving instructions on how to cope if a nuclear bomb should go off. Although some would say not to take out Iran’s nuclear sites for fear of retaliation from Iran, if we let Iran get nuclear weapons, they will then make much more devastating nuclear bombs, such as plutonium bombs with a 5 Megaton yield (350 times the size of a Hiroshima blast). With the bombs that Iran may already have now, they could damage America, but America would survive. If they are allowed to make the bigger bombs (for example 100 Megaton bombs) they would destroy America. Remember, Iran’s leaders have a suicide bomber’s mentality—they do not fear death. In fact, Ahmadinejad has said the role of Iran is to be a martyr, in order to bring about the destruction of America and Israel which will usher in the coming of his messiah, the "12th Imam", or "Mahdi". The leaders of Iran are religious fanatics who will not listen to reason.

((WSS)) How did Mitt Romney react when you handed him your book?

Hugh Cort: I did not personally give my book to Mitt Romney—a friend of mine in Florida did. She said he took it seriously, as have two Governors of Alabama, several Senators, and many others. When I met in the Eisenhower Office Building in the White House compound with the Senior Director for Counter-Terrorism of the National Security Council, Nick Rasmussen, he took our research very seriously.

((WSS)) Which of the presidential candidates is best equipped to handle the Iran situation?

Hugh Cort: I believe the Presidential candidate best able to handle the Iran situation, other than myself, is Newt Gingrich, closely followed by Rick Santorum, closely followed by Mitt Romney. All three would do a much better job than Obama. Ron Paul, unfortunately, although he is good on the economy, is a dismal failure in foreign policy and is totally naïve on the very grave threat of the Iran situation.

More than one-dimensional?

Democratic presidential candidate Randall Terry is best known as an anti-abortion advocate. However, he says he is not the "one-dimensional" character portrayed in the press. He tells Wikinews that in addition to his activism, he has experience in theology, foreign policy, and music.

Randall Terry
Image: Marc Nozell.

Terry finished second in the Missouri Democratic primary in February and ranks above all primary challengers to President Barack Obama. He received some media attention this month for attempting to run Super Bowl advertisements in Chicago that showed aborted fetuses. A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling prevented him from showing the ads since he is not on the Illinois Democratic primary ballot. However, after the Super Bowl, Terry was able to target the ads in Oklahoma. He will be on that state's March 6 primary ballot, and federal law requires stations to show paid advertisements for "legally qualified candidates".

After this and a February 22 Daily Caller report that conservative icon Ann Coulter planned to speak at a Terry fundraiser, Wikinews caught up with Terry.

"I have obtained a one-dimensional personality in the news", says Terry, "I have a Masters in Diplomacy and International Terrorism from Norwich University...I have a BA in Theology. A BA in Communications from the SUNY [State University of New York]. A daily TV show seen in 44 markets. [And] I have lectured at the Vatican."

He mentions that he authored two papers on Islamic terrorism, which are accessible from his campaign website. These are titled, "How do the words and deeds of Islamic terrorists, or Muslims who call for acts of terror and violence, emulate the words and deeds of Muhammad?" and "Is Islamic Shaira [sic] Law Incompatible With International Laws of Human Rights for Freedom of Thought, Conscience, Religion and Expression?"

Terry adds, "I used to be an accomplished musician." His songs "I'm Cryin for you Baby", "I Do", "Te Deum", "United We Stand", and "Let Those Cookies Burn" can be heard on his website.

Related articles

• "Buddy Roemer ends Republican presidential bid to seek Reform Party nomination" — Wikinews, February 23, 2012
• "Former Congressman Virgil Goode enters race for Constitution Party presidential nomination" — Wikinews, February 18, 2012
• "Rick Santorum sweeps three non-binding GOP presidential contests ‎" — Wikinews, February 9, 2012
• "Mitt Romney wins 2012 Nevada caucuses" — Wikinews, February 5, 2012
• "Mitt Romney wins the 2012 New Hampshire Republican primary" — Wikinews, January 12, 2012

Sources

• "Randall Terry: for President" — Randall Terry for President, March 2, 2012 (date of access)
• "Democratic Convention 2012" — The Green Papers, March 2, 2012 (date of access)
• "The American Foundation for Counter-Terrorism Policy and Research" — AFCPR.org, March 2, 2012 (date of access)
• "Go Ogle for President 2012" — USParliament.org, March 2, 2012 (date of access)
• Steven Nelson. "Ron Paul: Santorum an ‘addict of conspiracies,’ alliance with Romney pure fiction" — The Daily Caller, February 29, 2012
• "Romney Wins Arizona and Michigan Primaries" — Fox News, February 29, 2012
• Aaron Blake. "Rick Santorum seeks Democratic support in Michigan robocalls" — The Washington Post, February 27, 2012
• USA Today. "Santorum: Church-state separation not absolute" — Tucson Citizen, February 27, 2012
• Paul West. "Michigan polls show Romney gained after GOP debate" — Los Angeles Times, February 24, 2012
• Ewen MacAskill. "Romney heads to Michigan as GOP figures lament dismal Arizona debate" — The Guardian, February 23, 2012
• Kyle Leighton. "Polls: Santorum Opens Up A Lead Nationally As Romney Leads In MI, AZ Primaries" — Talking Points Memo, February 22, 2012
• Caroline May. "Ann Coulter to campaign for Democratic presidential candidate Randall Terry" — The Daily Caller, February 22, 2012
• Sarah Huisenga. "Gingrich to skip Mich., focus on Super Tuesday" — CBS News, February 21, 2012
• "Iran nuclear talks a failure, says IAEA" — The Guardian, February 21, 2012
• Michael Calderone. "Iran Nuclear Coverage Echoes Iraq War Media Frenzy" — The Huffington Post, February 17, 2012
• Dan Balz and Rosalind S. Helderman. "Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine endorses Rick Santorum, rescinding support for Mitt Romney" — The Washington Post, February 17, 2012
• Randy Krehbiel. "Tulsa TV stations likely required to run graphic anti-abortion ads, parties say" — Tulsa World, February 16, 2012
• Beth Fouhy and Steve Peoples. "Maine Caucus Results 2012: Mitt Romney Wins Contest" — The Huffington Post, February 11, 2012
• Kasie Hunt and Laurie Kellman (AP). "Social issues rule busy day in presidential race" — Fox News, February 10, 2012
• "James Ogle edges ‘Uncommitted’ to win Missouri Libertarian Presidential Primary" — Independent Political Report, February 8, 2012
• "Unofficial Election Returns" — Office of Secretary of State, Missouri, February 7, 2012
• Andrew Miga (AP). "Roseanne Barr seeks Green Party presidential nod" — Yahoo! News, February 3, 2012
• Mark Preston and Alan Silverleib. "Trump endorses Romney" — CNN, February 2, 2012
• "Libertarian primary choice describes himself as 'outsider' in own party" — Columbia Missourian, February 2, 2012
• "Feb 5, 2008 Presidential Preference Primary" — Office of Secretary of State, Missouri, February 5, 2008