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1.52 MB

Extraction Summary

11
People
2
Organizations
3
Locations
2
Events
5
Relationships
3
Quotes

Document Information

Type: Political strategy memo
File Size: 1.52 MB
Summary

This document is a political strategy memo arguing for the viability of a centrist, third-party presidential candidate in the 2020 U.S. election. Citing the 'failed' 2016 election, high disapproval of Donald Trump, and a leftward shift in the Democratic party, the author suggests the electorate is open to an alternative. The memo brainstorms several 'radical' bipartisan tickets, such as Biden/Romney and Bill Gates/Hogan, as possibilities.

People (11)

Name Role Context
Trump Political Figure
Mentioned as a potential 2020 candidate whose high disapproval ratings create an opportunity for a third party.
Biden Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Romney.
Romney Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential vice-presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Biden.
Bill Gates Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Hogan.
Hogan Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential vice-presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Bill Gates.
Bloomberg Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Haley.
Haley Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential vice-presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Bloomberg.
Howard Schultz Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Bob Corker.
Bob Corker Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential vice-presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Howard Schultz.
Sandberg Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Kasich.
Kasich Potential Candidate
Proposed as a potential vice-presidential candidate on a bipartisan ticket with Sandberg.

Organizations (2)

Name Type Context
Democratic Party
Mentioned as one of the two major parties, with an 'increasingly leftward drift' creating an opening for a centrist c...
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT
Appears in the document footer (HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_026299), suggesting the document is part of a collection submitted to...

Timeline (2 events)

2016
The 2016 election is described as a system failure where 'both parties producing terribly flawed candidates in a race to the bottom.'
United States
2020
The upcoming 2020 election is the focus of the memo, which proposes a strategy for a third-party candidacy.
United States

Locations (3)

Location Context
Mentioned as a state with an outsized role in the presidential nominating process.
Mentioned as a state with an outsized role in the presidential nominating process.
Mentioned in the context of democratic and moral values.

Relationships (5)

Biden Proposed Political Ticket Romney
Listed as a potential 'radical combination' for a presidential ticket in the document.
Bill Gates Proposed Political Ticket Hogan
Listed as a potential 'radical combination' for a presidential ticket in the document.
Bloomberg Proposed Political Ticket Haley
Listed as a potential 'radical combination' for a presidential ticket in the document.
Howard Schultz Proposed Political Ticket Bob Corker
Listed as a potential 'radical combination' for a presidential ticket in the document.
Sandberg Proposed Political Ticket Kasich
Listed as a potential 'radical combination' for a presidential ticket in the document.

Key Quotes (3)

"The system failed in 2016, with both parties producing terribly flawed candidates in a race to the bottom. We need to build a back-up plan in the event the system fails again."
Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_026299.jpg
Quote #1
"As a thought experiment, consider the possibilities of a ticket outside the partisan lanes and imagine the chemistry of radical combinations: Biden/Romney? Bill Gates/Hogan? Bloomberg/Haley? Howard Schultz/Bob Corker? Sandberg/Kasich?"
Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_026299.jpg
Quote #2
"Heading into 2020, converging trends in American's demands for a third party (a historic high of 61%), disapproval of Donald Trump holding steady above 50%, and the increasingly leftward drift of the Democratic Party suggest that electorate may be susceptible to merits of a new centrist party."
Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_026299.jpg
Quote #3

Full Extracted Text

Complete text extracted from the document (2,261 characters)

support him. Do we want to break the genteel precedents of two parties running their ceremonious and seemingly illogical nominating process to select a candidate? (Why do Iowa and New Hampshire play such outsized roles? What kind of small-d democratic process relies on superdelegates?) The system failed in 2016, with both parties producing terribly flawed candidates in a race to the bottom. We need to build a back-up plan in the event the system fails again.
It's possible, of course, that we won't need a third-party candidate. Trump could decide not to run for whatever reason. The Democrats could nominate a winning 2020 candidate. I am not willing to take those bets.
The ideal candidate for a new third party is someone who is widely perceived to be that rare combination of both good and great. We are looking for a proven leader of men and women, someone with clear, democratic – and moral – values that reflect the best of America, not our worst. We know people like this on the national stage now.
As a thought experiment, consider the possibilities of a ticket outside the partisan lanes and imagine the chemistry of radical combinations: Biden/Romney? Bill Gates/Hogan? Bloomberg/Haley? Howard Schultz/Bob Corker? Sandberg/Kasich?
As we have discussed narrow path to electing the first president outside the two major party primary system in 168 years is more navigable than most think. Heading into 2020, converging trends in American's demands for a third party (a historic high of 61%), disapproval of Donald Trump holding steady above 50%, and the increasingly leftward drift of the Democratic Party suggest that electorate may be susceptible to merits of a new centrist party. Cynics will say that the structural impediments of ballot and presidential debate access, the overwhelming advantages of legacy parties' fundraising and voter turn-out operations preordain failure, but they're wrong; the legal and logistical hurdles are amenable to a combination of lawyering and resources. The bigger, more consequential factors come in terms of candidate quality and policy. I believe a candidate with five specific characteristics including a unique – and purposefully non-specific - policy agenda could limbo a win.
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