US ELECTION: A New Mexico pot stirrer
By Mark Scheinbaum
MIAMI (May 12—The key to a more orderly, sensible, reasonable, intelligent, educational, civic-minded and intriguing end to the presidential campaign season could be in the hands of three folks who have the honor of being called “Governor of New Mexico.”
Of course, this can only happen if Candidates Clinton and Trump have shrewd advisors and if the news media on both sides of the pendulum have some fun with a pot-loving third-party candidate.
Here are the folks who should be in “play:”
- Current New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, in her second term as the nation’s first Hispanic woman governor.
- Former NM Governor, UN Ambassador, member of Congress and the Cabinet Bill Richardson, and
- Former NM Gov. Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party candidate.
This is how my scenario runs…really not that complicated.
Donald Trump, needing someone with elected experience, and helped by a conservative Republican woman governor who is a former prosecutor gets a huge boost from Martinez. A former prosecutor who was super tough against spousal and child abusers but also a powerhouse on prosecuting all criminals, she is everything former Alaska Gov. Palin never was—controversial but electable. Even strong liberal Democratic pockets of Santa Fe and Taos and those opposed to her conservative views on abortion and gun rights cannot muster enough votes to defeat her. Gov. Martinez also brings longtime family roots from both New Mexico and Texas, a husband who had a career in law enforcement and growing national visibility in GOP and Hispanic circles. Donald, this is your running mate.
Richardson is the son of Mexican immigrants, fluent in Spanish and the only US diplomat who has had even an inch of success in untangling the puzzle of North Korea and its dynastic leadership. He split with friend Bill Clinton back when Hillary lost to Obama, but he also provided cover and apologies for Pres. Clinton during the Lewinsky Affair. He is a loyal liberal Democrat who knows his way around environmental and business issues, in part because he is from the fourth largest energy producing state in the union. Secretary Clinton, here is your Hispanic running mate. The only one who makes as much sense to me would be current VP Joe Biden being cajoled into serving a third term.
Former NM Gov. Gary Johnson provides the comic relief this year. A big Third Party push by Ralph Nader, Ted Cruz, or Bernie Sanders is not likely. But those on the fringe of politics and who just love, love, love to hate Washington, could rally around health and fitness nut, distance runner, legalized marijuana proponent, and hometown Taos, NM touchy-feely-artsy-fartsy-crowd pleaser Gary Johnson. Heck, he is a bright and likeable guy, never stole a freight train, and is already going to be on the presidential ballots in most states. So, make sure Trump, Clinton and Johnson are on the stage for all presidential debates, and give the None of the Above Crowd their outside the Beltway candidate. Johnson should be good for about 8 per cent of the national vote, evenly culled from Trump and Clinton.
Talk among yourselves.
Former UPI newsman and political scientist Mark Scheinbaum is an investment executive who served six terms on the State of New Mexico Bar Committee for Alternative Dispute Resolution.
