Richmond Times-Dispatch endorses Gary Johnson for president

[brooklynite]

In this autumn of our electoral discontent, hope springs, as it so often does in the American republic, from unexpected precincts. Much of the country is distressed by the presidential candidates offered by the two conventional political parties. And for good reason. Neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton meets the fundamental moral and professional standards we have every right to expect of an American president. Fortunately, there is a reasonable — and formidable — alternative.

Gary Johnson is a former, two-term governor of New Mexico and a man who built from scratch a construction company that eventually employed more than 1,000 people before he sold it in 1999. He possesses substantial executive experience in both the private and the public sectors.

More important, he’s a man of good integrity, apparently normal ego and sound ideas. Sadly, in the 2016 presidential contest, those essential qualities make him an anomaly — though they are the foundations for solid leadership and trustworthy character. (At 63, he is also the youngest candidate by more than half a decade — and is polling well among truly young voters.)

As the nominee of the Libertarian Party, Johnson is expected to be on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. He is, in every respect, a legitimate and reasonable contender for the presidency — but only if the voters give him a fair hearing. And that can happen only if he is allowed to participate in the presidential debates that begin on Sept. 26 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. If the Commission on Presidential Debates wants to perform a real service to its country, it will invite Gary Johnson onto the big stage.

http://www.richmond.com/opinion/our-opinion/article_b79cc2b6-8ed5-532c-92eb-4a37e779c433.html

[oasis]

1. "Legitimate and reasonable contender". Maybe a debate slot in 2020.

He can wrangle with what's left of the GOP.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. I believe this is the same paper that endorsed George Macaca Allen in his primary bid

years ago. They are shit heads.

[Jamaal510]

3. From what I

heard, this is a paper that typically endorses Republicans. It says something when papers like these choose not to endorse Trump.

[SaschaHM]

4. For the last 36 years, they've endorsed a Republican.

Trump is going to take to twitter once he finds out.

[dgibby]

5. I wouldn't use the RTD for toilet paper,

much less read it. Roanoke Times is a much better paper.

[Bucky]

6. "youngest by more than half a decade".... oh please.

That sounds so much bigger than five years