The Jim Rutt Show

EP 204 Matt Bennett on the Case Against No Labels

Oct 19, 2023

Jim Rutt talks with Matt Bennett about his arguments against the third-party political campaign No Labels. They discuss Matt's steelman of the campaign, being politically homeless, nuclear energy & the American left's unrealistic energy policies, the problem with No Labels' theory about moving candidates in their direction, the credibility of winning the election, two theories of preventing another Trump presidency, the 1992 Ross Perot campaign, candidates for the No Labels ticket, growing disgust with the political establishment, and much more.

01:03:55

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Episode guests

Matt Bennett

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

No Labels' proposal to run a third-party centrist candidate in the presidential election faces challenges in moving major party candidates, winning the election, and their idea of a contingent election is undemocratic and irresponsible.

Historically, third-party candidates have struggled to gain traction and win presidential elections due to structural barriers, early voting, and the overwhelming advertising power of major party campaigns.

No Labels' theory of swaying major party candidates and attracting support for a third-party candidate faces limitations, including the lack of a credible candidate, limited appeal, and the overwhelming presence of major party campaigns.

Deep dives

The Challenges of No Labels' Insurance Policy

No Labels' proposal to run a third-party centrist candidate in the presidential election faces several challenges. First, their theory of moving major party candidates in their direction is flawed, as Biden is already a centrist and there is limited room for him to move further. Second, their claim that the third-party candidate could win the election is highly unlikely, as historical examples and polling data show that third-party candidates rarely come close to winning. Third, their idea of a contingent election, where they could spoil the race and potentially deny either candidate 270 electoral votes, is undemocratic and irresponsible, especially in the context of Trump's presidency and the aftermath of January 6th. Overall, their insurance policy is flawed and does not offer a credible alternative to the major party candidates.

Introduction

2min

No Labels: A Third Party Effort

19min

Preventing Trump's Re-election: Two Theories

11min

Debating the Effectiveness of No Labels' Policy Platform and Bipartisan Commissions

3min

The Strategy of Running Third-Party Candidates for Congress

23min

Challenges of Polls and Influence of No Labels Leadership

2min

Complications of Multiple Candidates

4min

Jim talks with Matt Bennett about his arguments against the third-party political campaign No Labels. They discuss Matt's steelman of the campaign, being politically homeless, nuclear energy & the American left's unrealistic energy policies, the problem with No Labels' theory about moving candidates in their direction, the credibility of winning the election, two theories of preventing another Trump presidency, the 1992 Ross Perot campaign, candidates for the No Labels ticket, growing disgust with the political establishment, the No Labels policy platform, the epistemology of the decision, independents as leaners, Teddy Roosevelt's third-party bid, the difficulty of finding a candidate more appealing than Trump to Trump supporters, the plausibility attractor, consequences of Robert F. Kennedy & Cornel West's decision to run as independents, and much more. Episode Transcript No Labels Policy Booklet Matt Bennett is Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and a co-founder of Third Way. He previously served in the White House as a Deputy Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs for President Clinton, where he was the principal White House liaison to governors and covered a wide range of issues, including disaster response, Medicaid, immigration, education and others. Prior to that, he served in Vice President Al Gore’s office. He was Communications Director of the Clark for President Campaign in 2004, and from 2001-2004 was Director of Public Affairs for Americans for Gun Safety. Mr. Bennett appears frequently as a political commentator on television and radio and is quoted frequently in newspapers including The New York Times and The Washington Post. He has appeared on 60 Minutes, Today, Good Morning America, Meet the Press, NPR and almost all major cable political programs. Mr. Bennett practiced law in Washington D.C. from 1993-1997. He earned his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law and has a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Pennsylvania.

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The Jim Rutt Show

EP 204 Matt Bennett on the Case Against No Labels

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Challenges of No Labels' Insurance Policy

The Challenges of Third-Party Success

The Limitations of No Labels' Appeal

Differences between No Labels and the Perot phenomenon

Disgust with the political establishment and the deficit as a core issue

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts