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Kathryn Jean Lopez: This election cycle hasn't been the best for the Reform party. What's the future like for the party? Are its best days behind it? Pat Choate: Certainly, third-party politics is not for the shy or weak-hearted. In this election cycle, our presidential candidate was censored out of national coverage by the national media, the debate commission froze him out of the debates, and a dissident group worked to deny our nominee access to state ballots and the federal funding the party earned in 1996. Despite this, the party went from being on the ballot in 20 states to all states, except Michigan. Moreover, the party would have been on the ballot there except for the partisan intervention of the Michigan secretary of state, who also was co-chair of Michigan's Bush for President Committee. This is a singular accomplishment. Equally important, the party went from first- to second-generation leadership — a feat that no third party has accomplished over the past century. As to whether the party's best days are past, the answer lies with the leadership that will provided by Patrick Buchanan and his team now that the election is over. He is head of the party. In the past, he and his sister have shown a strong ability to raise money and attract devoted followers. With this election, the party is a viable entity across the country with a core of skilled political activists. The dissidents who caused so many heartaches in 1999 and 2000 have departed, allowing the party regulars to prepare themselves for 2002 and beyond. Lopez: What's the Reform morale like right now — among your portion of the party? Choate: The morale is good. We understand that this election was a national referendum on Bill Clinton and Al Gore. So many of the Reform party and independent base were forthright about their intentions — that is, do whatever is necessary to keep Al Gore out of the White House, even if that meant voting for George W. Bush. We also understand that a political movement is not about any single election, but about building political institutions and then attracting candidates who will attract voters. The Reformers who lead and participate in the party are not summer soldiers. Lopez: Didn't the Reform party sort of serve its purpose — you rode high with Ross Perot and led the way for other strong third-party candidates, namely, Nader? Choate: The party certainly made a difference in national policy because of Ross Perot. That illustrated what is possible. The success of the Reform party helped embolden Ralph Nader to run a serious, all-out challenge to the Democratic party's current policies. Yet the party's main task remains — provide a loyal and principled means to address the major issues of our time such as political reform, the bounds of national sovereignty, the purpose of U.S. trade policy, and immigration reform, among many others. Work remains. Lopez: Internally, are there any efforts to reunite the two parts of the Reform party? Choate: There never were two parts of the Reform Party. What existed was a small handful of former leaders who refused to accept the will of the overwhelming majority of party members to change leadership. Numbering probably no more than 160 people, these ex-leaders did all within their power to sabotage Patrick Buchanan's candidacy and then the party itself. In more than 15 state courts, the actions of these dissidents were ruled illegal. Most of these people eventually went to work for John Hagelin or George W. Bush. Lopez: Pat Buchanan has said that a third party "may be wrong way to reach the American people." Do you agree? Choate: No. The two major parties are unable to break their dependency on special interests and corporate money. Only an outside challenge to this narrowly controlled political structure can bring basic political reform. So long as the economy is doing well and most Americans are not worried about their economic future, such narrow control will be accepted. However, when a recession comes, challenges to the established policies and practices will find far more fertile ground, as happened in 1992 with Ross Perot's first run for president. If one believes that the business cycle exists, then the issue is to prepare the institutions and a core group of people that can act when the political environment is friendlier. Lopez: How do you explain Reform's low showing this year? Choate: To earn a vote, a candidate must get access to the voters. This year the national media censored the campaigns, denying any meaningful access to anyone but George W. Bush and Al Gore. Amazingly, the New York Times editorially scolded Ralph Nader for seeking votes as the Green party nominee. The media's coverage was so partisan that I suspect that if Buchanan or Nader had proposed a cost-effective means of converting lead to gold, the establishment media would have criticized them for fostering a possible lead shortage. Lopez: Do you regret that Pat was your nominee? Choate: I am very proud that Pat Buchanan and Ezola Foster were our nominees. They did all that anyone could ask of a national candidate. They identified policies that were clearly in the national interest. They worked long days to get out their message through alternative means, once it was clear that the national media were boycotting them. They inspired their core followers with vision and integrity. Lopez: Are you disappointed that Ross Perot endorsed Bush? Were you surprised he did? What has the Reform reaction been to that? Choate: Ross Perot is my friend and sometimes friends disagree on politics. This is one of those moments. I opposed Bush because I believe that both he and Al Gore support policies that Perot and I fought against throughout the 1990s, 1996. Lopez: Is there an untold story about Reform this year — on the state level? Choate: The unreported story about Reform is how the Buchanans took a party that was on only 20 ballots in January and put it on all but that of Michigan by the time of the election. Moreover, they rebuilt the party throughout the country. That is an heroic accomplishment. What exists is a lean, dedicated structure that will be building for the 2002 and 2004 elections. Lopez: Do you see yourself retaking an active leadership role in the party? Maybe running for president in four years? Choate: No to both questions. However, I do look forward to assisting the new leadership, as they may find helpful. |
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Choate is former chairman of the Reform party. He resigned earlier this
year for personal reasons. He remains a party member, living in Virginia.
