The Constitution Party is petitioning for status as a qualified party for 2010 in both Wyoming and Arizona. The Wyoming drive, which could not legally start until April 1, 2009, already has 250 volunteer signatures.
The Constitution Party is petitioning for status as a qualified party for 2010 in both Wyoming and Arizona. The Wyoming drive, which could not legally start until April 1, 2009, already has 250 volunteer signatures.
They had a chance to get on the ballot in Arizona in 1992, however Howard Phillips, the founder and nominee for president, refused to work with Governor Evan Mecham’s Independent campaign for Senator against John McCain. Another one of Phillips’ bad decisions.
That does not really matter because that was then, this is now and it may go differently.
Take it from me. A lot of people in Arizona have very long memories.
Michael,
Do you have more information on that episode? I’d love to read more on it.
Here’s the story on the episode and I’ll take an oath on it. (Paragraph) I was the person who was suppose to be in charge of the Arizona petition drive for the U.S. Taxpayers Party (the name of the Constitution Party then) to take place in mid- late September, 1992. At the founding national convention of the USTP, I was convention manager and a delegate from the District of Columbia and voted for Arizona Governor Evan Mecham for president instead of Howard Phillips, the founder and national chairman. Up until that time there had been many plans, phone calls, and discussions for a major petition drive in Arizona that was to be done with the help of Governor Mecham and his backers to get Phillips and the USTP on the ballot. Mecham, who was running as an Independent for United States Senator against John McCain, had said he would be there with any help should it be needed by Phillips and the USTP. To have gotten on the ballot there would have been a major coup considering how few states we were on the ballot at the time and the number of petition signatures which were needed. It would have been quite a newsworthy achivement, gaining the USTP not only media notice, it would have gotten us votes not only from Arizona, but from other states where, using Arizona as a secured political base, we could have gotten on the ballot. (Paragraph) All the plans and work ended almost immediately with my vote for Governor Mecham at the 1992 New Orleans convention. Not only was I fired because of my vote, all plans to get on the ballot in Arizona for 1992 were cancelled by Phillips and his second in command, Mark Weaver, because I had alledgedly embarrassed Phillips by my vote. Phillips talked about my “having my own agenda” (which was only to lead the effort to place Phillips on the Arizona ballot!) and he also took it out on the voters of Arizona as well because since then the only work ever done in Arizona has been has been to place the party on the ballot as a write-in. Other than that, nothing has been done in Arizona!! It was amazing behavior on the part of Phillips in view of the fact Governor Mecham told me Phillips had asked to get him to accept the USTA presidential nomination that year!!(Paragraph) I had dozens of telephone conversations with Governor Mecham from 1988 until his health failed in 2004, the only time he mentioned to me about Phillips and the CP was in 1996 when he told me there was a “Draft Mecham” effort for the USTP nomination for president and that he would be speaking at the San Diego convention. (Paragraph) I later read and heard from others that Governor Mecham became the point man for the party in Arizona and joined it in 2002. From the way Phillips treated the backers of Governor Mecham and the voters in Arizona who were desperate for a constitutional candidate for president, for the life of me I don’t understand why he joined. (Paragraph) To Howard Phillips, Governor Mecham was good enough to have around, just as long as everything remained in Phillips vest pocket. (Paragraph) Like I said, I’ll take an oath on it.
Dear Michael,
That story was of interest, I would like a longer
version to pass on to the Chairman of the American
Independent Party, viz., Markham Robinson of Vacaville, California.
It was on June 27, 2008 that the AIP state central
committee (in California) vote to affliate with the
America’s Independent Party of Fenton, Michigan as
our national affiliate. I was chairman of the
California delegation to the Constitution Party
Convention in Kansas City in April, 2008. After
Howard gave his trash speech about Dr. Alan Keyes,
the American Independent Party, which was the major
factor of that party, wanted nothing to do with Howard. So a vote was taken on June 27, 2008 and AIP joined up with the America’s Independent
Party of Fenton, Michigan.
Michael, thank you for offering to take an oath
on it. The AIP might need your help with a volentary statement on just that.
Sincerely, Mark Seidenberg, Vice Chairman, American
Independent Party
Dear Mr. Seidenberg, the story I posted above is pretty much my entire story. Feel free to go ahead and send it out to whoever might find it of use. I still stand by it.