Third-party bid for president gaining steam: ex-Sen. Lieberman

A push for a third choice for president is gaining momentum because Americans are disgusted with the prospect of a likely rematch between President Biden and former President Donald Trump, ex-Sen. Joe Lieberman said Sunday.

Lieberman, 81, the first Jew to run on a national ticket for vice president in 2000, said, “I’ve never seen this much anger at the two major parties and this high disappointment that we may be left with a choice of President Trump and Biden once again.

“Sixty to 70% of the American people say, ‘Please! Give us another choice!,’” Lieberman told host John Catsimatidis on the Cats Roundtable WABC 770 AM radio.

Lieberman, chairman of the No Labels group seeking an independent or third-party “bi-partisan unity ticket” for the White House as an alternative to the Democratic and Republican parties, said the organization is making “good progress” in securing ballot lines in all 50 states.

“We’re focused now on getting a third line on the ballot in all 50 states. We’re making good progress. We want to leave open the option to put together a bipartisan unity ticket for America,” Lieberman said.

He said “maybe we’ll even have a chance to win,” though history has not been kind to third-party candidates.

Lieberman said West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat who is not running for re-election to Congress and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a moderate Republican, would be worthy candidates for the White House.

A one-time Democrat serving as senator from Connecticut, Lieberman became an Independent after losing the Democratic Primary in 1996. He then won the general election as an Independent.

He also issued a warning to President Biden and the Democrats, saying they will be punished at the polls next November if they fail to address the border crisis.

Lieberman said it’s just as important — if not more so — to put resources into border enforcement as it is to provide funding to Israel and Ukraine.

“You can’t have open borders. You have to have rules. I’ve never seen it like this. It’s out of control,” said Lieberman.

He said if the border crisis festers, voters will consider it as important an issue as inflation and the economy when they cast ballots for president and Congress in November 2024.

Biden and the Democratic congressional leadership must stare down the leftists in their party who don’t want to restrict illegal immigration and instead forge a bipartisan agreement with Republicans, Lieberman said.

“It has to be led by President Biden. He’s the leader of the Democratic Party,” he said.