Obama warning - dont vote 3rd party or Trump

“If you don’t vote, that’s a vote for Trump,” Obama said during an interview on “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” broadcast Wednesday. “If you vote for a third-party candidate who’s got no chance to win, that’s a vote for Trump. Read more: www.politico.com... Follow us: @politico on Twitter | Politico on Facebook

Politico

So I'm not privy to rules of the US election, but this here statement from Obama makes no sense what so ever....unless...they know Hillary is losing.

Maybe some of the US members can explain it to me.

This statement from Obama can only make sense to me...if Trump is already far ahead in real votes...not online poles.

Why would voting 3rd party be voting for Trump...if Hillary is ahead as the mainstream media states ?

Please explain guys.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly


Think about it. Gary Johnson seems to have gone more towards the Progressive side of things as of late. Jill Stein is definitely progressive. I see both of them taking more votes from Hillary than I do Trump. Just my opinion, but as some one who actually supported Johnson in the years past, I certainly could not vote for him now.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly
They've been feeding us this bs for years and continue to tell us we have only two parties. we in fact have five here in the states that can field a presidential candidate and do "have a chance". But this scare tactic seems to work on the majority of people so they keep using it.

It's just Obama stumping for his successor.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

According to both sides, if I vote Stein, somehow I support both Trump and Clinton and its my fault the apocalypse started.

I do find it appalling the president is telling us you have no choice. I think he's trying to bully us into accepting Clinton because she's been predetermined. So when she wins, they can say other people followed his advice.

I'm sure some are swayed by endorsements, but I do think this election is different. People are not happy, and thanks to forums like ATS, people are remembering and learning.

I live in a state where the electoral college, just like the superdelegates, will vote for Clinton because they know better than the people. I see nothing wrong with voting your values and I hope others do the same.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly
I agree that it's a comment from a party that is really scared of losing votes, presumably bcause they think their candidate is putting people off.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

Why would voting 3rd party be voting for Trump

It isn't.
And that is not what Obama said, according to your headline or the article.

oops.



But yeah. I agree. So I'm not voting for Johnson.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly


Both Barack AND Michelle Obama were delivering identical messages in different locations today. Their advisors and the DNC must be sounding the alarms. Trump is winning, or close to it, in-spite of the entire organized media and political establishment being against him.

"Vote for a Third-Party candidate and you're voting for Trump"...dang that's desperate. Trump can say that voting for a Third-Party candidate is a vote for Hillary! But, he doesn't say that because he wants to win over those who would vote for a third-party candidate.

BOTH Obamas are trying to intimidate those independents into voting for Hillary. That might work in some of the African American communities where people idolize Barack and Michelle, but intimidation will send most voters to anyone BUT Hillary.

I'm from the UK so I'm not fully up to speed with American politics.

Why have the 3rd party candidates got no chance of winning and why are they rarely discussed here?

Can they really be worse than Hillary or Trump? Are their policies just terrible?
Or is it that people only want to vote for a potential "winner"?

a reply to: tinimark

Can they really be worse than Hillary or Trump?

They could be.
I'm a registered Libertarian for what it's worth. But Johnson, while likeable, is not Presidential material. By a long shot.

"Mostly harmless" is not a qualification.

a reply to: seeker1963

Think about it. Gary Johnson seems to have gone more towards the Progressive side of things as of late. Jill Stein is definitely progressive. I see both of them taking more votes from Hillary than I do Trump. Just my opinion, but as some one who actually supported Johnson in the years past, I certainly could not vote for him now.

Oh...I get it...this makes some sense. But what about "“If you don’t vote, that’s a vote for Trump,”"...surely that's a cry of fear ?

a reply to: Seiko

They've been feeding us this bs for years and continue to tell us we have only two parties. we in fact have five here in the states that can field a presidential candidate and do "have a chance".

though I agree with you on "feeding BS"....I really do think that 3rd party candidate doesnt really stand a chance. And that's not only in US...plenty of countries are divided between left and right...with 3rd party getting scraps. People are mostly programmed from childhood on this left/right paradigm.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly
Fear? No.
Not that it makes sense.
Not voting is a vote for no one. Voting for a 3rd party is a vote for a 3rd party.

Well I guess in the minds of some Democrats I'm voting for Trump, and in the minds of some Republicans I'm voting for Clinton, then. Because I'm not voting, and no amount of shaming or guilt tripping is going to change that. I'll vote on local measures, but not for a presidential candidate.

Peace.

a reply to: collietta

I do find it appalling the president is telling us you have no choice.

that was my first reaction. Back home in Croatia...once the president is elected...he has to sever all ties to his party...and must remain neutral come parliament election time. I guess the difference here is...the president in Croatia is more like a Queen of England, in a sense that he/she doesnt have legal authority to change laws or introduce reforms. He only has limited power, mostly for diplomatic relationships. The real power is in the hands of the prime minister.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

in a sense that he/she doesnt have legal authority to change laws or introduce reforms.

Same here.
The President cannot change laws. You should have learned that.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: MarioOnTheFly
Fear? No.
Not that it makes sense.
Not voting is a vote for no one. Voting for a 3rd party is a vote for a 3rd party.

This is how I figured...which is why this statement from Obama makes no sense, unless...he's scared that his side is losing.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

They do however have a chance. It' a long shot chance with great odds but five parties are on enough ballots in enough states to garner the needed electoral college votes sufficient to gain the presidency.

The political landscape is a great example of the false dichotomy.

This president guy, he sure has a habit proclaiming warnings. He was laughed out of the U.K. for doing exactly that.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

in a sense that he/she doesnt have legal authority to change laws or introduce reforms.

Same here.
The President cannot change laws. You should have learned that.

well...it's not what I meant. I'm struggling with political dictionary here. I meant to say..is...the power. US president has way more power then his counterpart in my home country. Her/His role is mostly "ceremonial".

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

Our president doesn't enact laws, he signs them, he can however veto. As just happened he vetoed a bill and was overridden.

congress overrides Obama