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| Campaign | U.S. presidential election, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Candidate | Cynthia McKinney U.S. House of Representative fromGeorgia (1993–2003) (2005–2007) Rosa Clemente Activist |
| Affiliation | Green Party |
| Status | Lost election November 4, 2008 |
| Key people | Rosa Clemente (Running mate) |
| Slogan | Power to the people. |
| Website | |
| Cynthia McKinney 2008 (archived - October 22, 2008) | |
The2008 presidential campaign ofCynthia McKinney, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 11th district (1993–97) and 4th district (1997–2003, 2005–07), began on December 16, 2007, as a candidate for theGreen Party presidential nomination via YouTube. She and her running mateRosa Clemente accepted the Green Party's presidential nomination July 12, 2008 at the2008 Green National Convention. Her campaign focused on issues such asracial profiling,September 11, 2001 attacks, and theGreen Party's 10 key values.She also supportedstatehood for the District of Columbia,slavery reparations, electoral reforms includinginstant runoff voting, and calls for abolishing the death penalty and thewar on drugs.[1]
On November 4, 2008, McKinney finished sixth in the election with 161,603 votes, 41,744 more votes than theCobb/LaMarche ticket four years prior.[2]
On December 11, 2007, McKinney announced her candidacy for theGreen Party nomination for President of the United States[3] in the2008 presidential election.[4]
McKinney had little to do with the party apart from having had Green Party loyalists working on her congressional campaigns. This changed drastically following her defeat in the 2006 election. McKinney attended the California Green Party strategy retreat inSonoma, California, where she was the keynote speaker.[5] On May 25, 2007, she was asked about a presidential run onWBAI and confirmed that she had thought about a Green run: "2008 has not been ruled out, some kind of effort. Certainly now it is questionable as to whether that effort would come under the banner of the Democratic Party."[6]
On June 9, speaking at aHarlem fundraiser for her Congressional campaign debt, McKinney addressed speculation that she might run for president in 2008. At the end of the program, Robert Knight ofPacifica Radio, who emceed the evening's events, took the pulpit to ask: "I can't hardly wait for 2008. Ms. McKinney, in 2008, what color is your parachute?" McKinney responds from the audience, "it's not red and it's not blue."[7] McKinney also appeared at the July 15 Green Party National Meeting inReading, Pennsylvania, where she suggested that the Green Party could become a progressive political force. "[T]he disgust of the American people with what they see before them — all they need is the blueprint and a road map. Why not have the Green Party provide the blueprint and the road map?"
On July 17, McKinney also received the endorsement of theWorkers World Party, the first time that party chose not to nominate a candidate of its own.[8]
At an August 27 peace rally inKennebunkport, Maine, McKinney confirmed the depth of her disenchantment with the Democratic Party, urging San Francisco voters to replaceNancy Pelosi with antiwar activistCindy Sheehan. On September 10, in a letter to the Steering Committee of the Green Party of the United States, McKinney stated she would not seek the Green Party nomination for president.[9] However, in early October it appeared that McKinney was making moves toward declaring herself an official Green Party candidate.[10]
By October 9, 2007, Green leaders were receiving emails indicating McKinney had formally joined the Green Party. The emails also indicate McKinney could announce a Green Party presidential bid by the third week of October. Following a brief exploratory visit to California in mid-October, McKinney filed with the FEC. She formally announced her candidacy with a video on her website and on YouTube on December 16, 2007. Later that month she agreed to join with others on the Green Party California Primary Ballot for an event in San Francisco entitled Campaign 2008: A Presidential Debate That Matters.[11] McKinney has also filed with the State Board of Elections of Illinois for the Green party in the presidential race.[12]
On July 9, 2008, she named her running mate asRosa Clemente[13] and clinched the party's nomination three days later at the2008 Green Party National Convention.[14]
During theDemocratic National Convention from August 25–28, Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente appeared at several events and demonstrations in Denver.[15] On August 24, McKinney appeared at the End the Occupations March and Rally organized byRecreate 68,[16] and spoke to the crowd from the West Steps of the Colorado State Capitol Building.[17] McKinney's appearance at the event caused some controversy[18] after theGreen Party of Colorado's decision not to support Recreate 68. On the 27th, Rosa Clemente spoke at an "Open The Debates" rally organized by theNader/Gonzalez campaign.
During the first week in September, McKinney traveled to Wisconsin for several events.[19] On the 5th, McKinney spoke inRacine, Wisconsin to the localWe Are Change group.[20] On September 6, McKinney spoke inBaraboo, Wisconsin at Fighting Bob Fest, the largest annual political festival in the United States,[21][22] named in honor of former SenatorBob La Follette.
Cynthia McKinney was reported byFox News on October 2, 2008, to have had aconspiracy theory stating that during the aftermathHurricane Katrina,The Pentagon dumped 5,000executedfelons that were killed by a single bullet to the head. McKinney stated that she was informed by the mother of aNational Guard, with verifications from "insiders."[23]
McKinney accepted an invitation to attend the third-party presidential debate.
On Election Day, the McKinney/Clemente ticket received 161,797 votes (0.12% of the popular vote), garnering 41,938 more votes than theCobb/LaMarche ticket four years prior, though once again the Green Party candidate finished in 6th place, finishing 37,953 votes behindChuck Baldwin of theConstitution Party, a bigger margin than in 2004. Nationally, McKinney received her highest percentage of the vote inHumboldt County, California, where she received 1.01% of the vote. Humboldt had also been Cobb's highest-percentage county in 2004, and it would be Green nominee Jill Stein's highest-percentage county in 2012.[24]
The Green Party had announced plans to get on all 50 state ballots and D.C. for 2008. They did not meet their goal. McKinney was on 32 ballots with 368 electoral votes (68.4% of the total possible) as well as another 17 states as awrite-in candidate.
The following is a table comparison of ballot status in 2008 to 2004.
| Electoral Votes | 2008 | 2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| States | 51 | 32 (49) | 25 (43) |
| Electoral Votes | 538 | 368 (528) | 267 (479) |
| Percent of EVs | 100% | 68.4% (98.1%) | 49.6% (89.0%) |
| Alabama | 9 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| Alaska | 3 | (write-in) | On ballot |
| Arizona | 10 | On ballot | (write-in) |
| Arkansas | 6 | On ballot | On ballot |
| California | 55 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Colorado | 9 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Connecticut | 7 | (write-in) | On ballot |
| Delaware | 3 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Florida | 27 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Georgia | 15 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| Hawaii | 4 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Idaho | 4 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| Illinois | 21 | On ballot | (write-in) |
| Indiana | 11 | (write-in) | |
| Iowa | 7 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Kansas | 6 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| Kentucky | 8 | (write-in) | |
| Louisiana | 9 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Maine | 4 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Maryland | 10 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Massachusetts | 12 | On ballot | |
| Michigan | 17 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Minnesota | 10 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Mississippi | 6 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Missouri | 11 | (write-in) | |
| Montana | 3 | (write-in) | On ballot |
| Nebraska | 5 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Nevada | 5 | On ballot | On ballot |
| New Hampshire | 4 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| New Jersey | 15 | On ballot | On ballot |
| New Mexico | 5 | On ballot | On ballot |
| New York | 31 | On ballot | (write-in) |
| North Carolina | 15 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| North Dakota | 3 | (write-in) | |
| Ohio | 20 | On ballot | (write-in) |
| Oklahoma | 7 | ||
| Oregon | 7 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | (write-in) | On ballot |
| Rhode Island | 4 | On ballot | On ballot |
| South Carolina | 8 | On ballot | On ballot |
| South Dakota | 3 | ||
| Tennessee | 11 | On ballot | (write-in) |
| Texas | 34 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| Utah | 5 | On ballot | (write-in) |
| Vermont | 3 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| Virginia | 13 | On ballot | (write-in) |
| Washington | 11 | On ballot | On ballot |
| West Virginia | 5 | On ballot | (write-in) |
| Wisconsin | 10 | On ballot | On ballot |
| Wyoming | 3 | (write-in) | (write-in) |
| District of Columbia | 3 | On ballot | (write-in) |
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