WASHINGTON – Neoconservative pundit Bill Kristol says he is being flooded with unsolicited support from anonymous people encouraging him to keep trying to get an independent candidate to run against Donald Trump in the general election.
Weekly Standard editor Kristol is known as a Republican power broker, but since Trump’s populist primary victory Kristol has been pushing a third party that he calls “The Latter Day Republicans,” speculating that Mitt Romney, Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton, or Tom Coburn could be part of an anti-Trump ticket.
Kristol’s effort has apparently struck a chord with random strangers that Bill Kristol says he interacts with in his travels. One of Kristol’s most recent encounters took place at a “pizza place” in Penn Station in New York City, according to his garrulous Twitter account:
At pizza place in Penn Station: "You going to get us a better choice?" "Doing my best." "We're counting on you." #WeightOfWorldOnMyShoulders
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 10, 2016
Kristol also got accosted on an airplane by an alleged patriotic American who wants Kristol to save the party from Trump:
Seat mate on plane, a veteran and Republican, encourages me to keep fighting against Trump. "An embarrassment to our party and country."
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) March 26, 2016
Kristol told the story of the “young man” at the airport in Denver who is infatuated with Kristol’s third-party scheme:
Young man at Denver airport: "Big fan. Conservative. I hate Trump too. Keep fighting." Me: "Thanks, will do." Him: "We're doomed, right?"
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 1, 2016
At least one of Kristol’s supporters took it to a Biblical level:
Email from young friend encouraging efforts at an independent bid: "Sometimes David does win. He just needs the right slingshot."
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 10, 2016
Kristol’s third-party campaign doesn’t seem to be going very well. Retired Marine Corps general James Mattis turned down Kristol’s offer to help him run as an independent. Kristol has also complained about Texas’ early registration deadline for third-party candidates, which Kristol has vowed to legally challenge.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) told Breitbart News weeks ago that Kristol’s third-party bid is not supported by the party, and is only “helping to elect Hillary Clinton.”
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