Constitution Party vets tap Corsi for president

Constitution Party vets tap Corsi for president
WND author prepares to explore bid for nomination

The National Veterans Coalition of the Constitution Party is preparing to draft Jerome R. Corsi as its choice for the party's presidential nominee in 2008.

Corsi, who resigned as a WND staff reporter Monday, said he has joined the Constitution Party and is willing to explore a serious pursuit of the nomination.

"The issues that concern me the most are the need to secure our borders and the increasing pace with which North American economic and political integration are taking place under the Security and Prosperity Partnership," Corsi told WND.

Corsi's endorsement was presented during a recent Constitution Party National Committee meeting in Boise, Idaho. Based on voter registration, the Constitution Party is the third largest political party in the U.S.

The National Veterans Coalition was formed as a policy arm of the party to address national issues of concern to veterans.

Constitution Party chairman Jim Clymer told WND that in his position, he must maintain neutrality about candidates, but said, "I think a lot of Jerry Corsi, and I wish him well."

"I know he's indicated an interest in running, and I want to give him every opportunity," Clymer said. "We'll open the door for him, but there may be others."

The chairman of the National Veterans Coalition, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles Jones, told WND his group decided to draft Corsi because he's "probably one of the few people that was really aware of the grave issues facing this country" who "can turn the country around and keep it from going over a cliff."

"He's not only aware of the problems, but he has solutions to them," Jones said. "We feel from a veterans' standpoint it's going to take someone with his intelligence, knowledge and intestinal fortitude."

Jones said his coalition's plan is to call on the 26.2 million veterans on the official roles and another 5 to 8 million unregistered vets to mobilize behind Corsi.

Though the odds are long – party nominee Michael Peroutka garnered just 0.1 percent of the vote in the 2004 presidential election – Jones said, nevertheless, he believes the vets can accomplish anything.

"They are a group who will band together for the right cause," he said. "I use the example of World War II when this country went from nothing to winning the war in four years."

Jones said the veterans "want to go out and paper the country and let the people know there is a strong third party option, and we have a man who is going to be able to correct the problems this country faces."

"We don't see the Republican and Democratic parties solving the issues and listening to the will of the people," he said.

Corsi, who has a doctorate in political science from Harvard University, has written more than 15 books, including the New York Times bestseller "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry," co-authored with John O'Neill. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and cable news programs, including Fox News, MSNBC and CNN.

Corsi has 25 years experience in international financial services, beginning in the early 1980s. Working with international banks, he created four marketing companies, for which he served as senior executive officer, that each sold about $1 billion in annuities and $1 billion in mutual funds annually. His license is now held by Strategic Financial Alliance in Atlanta. Corsi also created two brokerage dealers and maintains licenses in life and health insurance and in property and casualty insurance.

Corsi has taught in universities, most recently in the University of Denver's political science department in 1981.

He began to write full time after "Unfit for Command" was published in 2004. Corsi lives in New Jersey with his wife and daughter.

Jones said his group, which worked for two years on choosing a candidate to support, decided in March to draft Corsi after daily monitoring his contributions to WND and listening to his speeches. They did their own private polling and decided the "keystone we were looking for was Corsi."

"He's very intelligent, he doesn't need a script to give speeches, he can stand up to anybody in this country to give answers," Jones said. "I would feel sorry for Hillary or Obama to get into a debate with him."

Jones said it's a plus that Corsi is not a politician.

"The elections of 2008 is the year that the Constitution Party becomes a major party, and it's the year we're going to put someone in the White House," he said.

Clymer said that with no incumbent running and with the Republican Party's inability to settle on a candidate, "the opportunity is better than at any time in my lifetime."

"Even more important than that," he said, "there is a groundswell of dissatisfaction among conservatives with the Republican Party."

"They thought they were getting a conservative with George W. Bush, but they realize they have been kicked in the teeth with that," Clymer said. "Even after his re-election many said while he's not everything we wanted him to be, he's better than the alternative. But I sense now many are saying they've had enough."

Clymer pointed to a recent Rasmussen poll showing about 50 percent of Americans would be open to supporting a strong third party movement.

"I think this may well be the break-open year for a third party," he said. "The Constitution Party is the only national party that takes a strong stand on securing our borders and stopping the illegal immigration."

Clymer said he does not expect Peroutka to run this year, but he will not disclose potential candidates until they publicly declare their intent.

A national convention will be held next year in late April or early May. Details are being finalized, but the party is looking at Phoenix as the venue.