No Labels can’t find a presidential candidate. Fine, I’ll do it.
Now that former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has turned down the chance to be the No Labels presidential candidate, I am issuing the following statement: “OK, fine. I, Rex Huppke, will be the No Labels presidential candidate. Happy now?”
At this point, I kind of feel bad for No Labels. They’re like the kid at recess who nobody picks for a kickball team.
The allegedly centrist third-party group holds the increasingly inaccurate belief that Americans don’t want to choose between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican former president and current criminal defendant Donald Trump. Since both candidates have resoundingly locked up presidential nominations, there’s little wind in the sails of the “nobody wants them” argument, but No Labels has persisted.
Even Chris Christie wants nothing to do with No Labels
The party has reportedly amassed big bucks from dark-money donors, but it is missing the one thing most necessary for a presidential run: a human person willing to say, “I am the No Labels presidential candidate!” out loud without feeling profoundly embarrassed and ashamed.
This week, Christie became the latest big-name politician to pass on the opportunity.
The former GOP presidential candidate told The Washington Post in a statement: “While I believe this is a conversation that needs to be had with the American people, I also believe that if there is not a pathway to win and if my candidacy in any way, shape or form would help Donald Trump become president again, then it is not the way forward.”
That puts him very much at odds with No Labels, whose organizers surely recognize their candidate’s presence on the ballot might help Trump by pulling votes away from Biden.
I know the group doesn’t like labels, but it is clearly a threat to the incumbent and an asset to the guy who tried to overturn the last election.