Roseanne Still Running For President

Most of us who follow progressive politics in this country thought the presidential bid of comedian Roseanne Barr was over -- at least for this year. She had campaigned for the presidential nomination of the Green Party, but lost to progressive activist and physician Jill Stein on the first ballot when the party held its convention a few weeks ago in Baltimore. But like a bad penny, Roseanne just keeps turning up in the presidential race.

CNN is reporting that Roseanne was named the presidential candidate of the Peace and Freedom Party on Saturday in Los Angeles. Cindy Sheehan was named as her vice-presidential running mate. Roseanne said:
"Cindy and I are the ‘Throw the Bums Out’ ticket and the ‘Ballot Access’ ticket. The American people are sick and tired of this ‘lesser evil’ garbage they get fed every election year. Both the Democrats and the Republicans do the same evils once they’re in office."

The Peace and Freedom Party is a tiny left-wing party that is not even on the ballot in most states. In fact, it virtually doesn't exist outside the state of California. Even if the party's candidates were to win in every state where they are on the ballot (an impossibility), they wouldn't have anywhere near enough electoral college votes to win the presidency.

Frankly, I find this rather pathetic -- both for Roseanne and for the Peace and Freedom Party. I know the party is trying to use Roseanne's notoriety to try and increase the size and public awareness of the party. But the fact is that progressives and other leftists already have a viable alternative with many, if not all, of the same political positions -- the Green Party. The only thing this ridiculous nomination can do is further fractionalize an already struggling left wing in American politics.

I like both Roseanne and Cindy, and I respect what the Peace and Freedom Party wants to accomplish. But I urge all my fellow progressives to vote for Dr. Stein and the Green Party if you cannot stomach voting for the Democrats (who I'll admit are far from true progressive values). The left should not be splitting itself into many tiny groups. It should be working to make one viable and effective party promoting leftist values.