David Pakman: Buddy Roemer was the 52nd Governor of Louisiana from 1988 to 1992, he's also
running for the Republican presidential nomination.
He was elected as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party in March of 1991.
Governor, why'd you switch?
That's the...
I'm getting so many questions from my audience, and at the top of the list is why did you
switch parties?
Buddy Roemer: Two reasons: one was that in the 1980s, I seemed to be much more aligned
with the interests of the Republican Party, or at least the interests that they talked
about.
Abraham Lincoln kind of things in terms of civil liberties, smaller government, more
individual liberty and responsibility, I like that.
Teddy Roosevelt idea that competition should be fair.
Republicans at the time were much different from the Democrats who got funded by the big
corporations, the Republicans didn't then.
Education works best when it's run locally with the school board kind of overlooking
the agencies rather than the federal government doing it, I like that.
So while I was in Congress, I was a Democrat, but a conservative one, and there was no room
in my party for me.
So...
David: Why do you consider yourself...
I mean, now your signature issue really seems to be funding of elections, funding of candidates.
Roemer: Yes.
David: And really, I mean, when we look at American politics right now, your point of
view seems very, very similar to Dennis Kucinich.
That's the one person I find where you do really seem to agree.
What issues... what issues do you still find yourself to really be in agreement with today's
Republican Party on?
Roemer: All right, I'll... let me get that, but let me finish my... you asked me a really
good question, why did I change?
Because no governor in American history before or since has changed parties while in office,
so it was a big decision for me.
Now, remember, I'm fighting corruption.
Louisiana had 12% unemployment, low-paid teachers, worst-rated bonds, our kids were leaving the
state: corruption, corruption, corruption.
So first, I ran for office with a $100 limit, no PAC money, free to lead, and I won.
I beat the establishment.
And so I wanted to finish the job, and the way to do that was to establish a second party.
I switched to a Republican, and we established a second party.
I'm very proud of that.
You need two parties.
Now, back to your question, today who I'm closest to: really, none of them.
Both parties are corrupt, David.
You know that.
David: Absolutely.
Roemer: I mean, we have a president who ran on hope and change; my God.
The two things he hasn't delivered on is hope and change.
You know why?
He doesn't have time.
He's out raising a billion dollars to run for re-election.
Where was his first fundraiser?
Wall Street.
$35,000 a ticket.
You know who the sponsor was?
Goldman Sachs.
So I'm not proud of the Republican Party, but I'm damn sure not proud of the Democratic
Party.
They're in a race for corruption.
I will stand in this campaign and will be elected if I can ever reach the national stage,
because my position is where the American people is: I want a president free to lead.
I want a president who will do the right thing.
I want a president who will grow jobs, not grow the size of government.
I want...
David: Yeah, so how come... how come you're not in the Republican debates, in the national
Republican debates?
I mean, I also spoke with Fred Karger, who also is not participating in those debates.
He wants to be participating.
Is it because it's based on...
Roemer: Well, sure he does.
David: ... it's based on poll numbers, national poll numbers?
Why aren't you in there?
Roemer: That's a good question, I don't have an answer.
I've been running for 10 months.
And Fred has his own issues, that's not my issue, but my issue affects everything that
can be done in Washington.
It's why Obama has been a poor president.
He's a good man, but he can't get anything done, you know why?
The big checks on it.
David, the president has no power.
He's given it up for re-election.
You know who has the power?
Goldman Sachs.
David: No, no question about it.
I mean, you know I agree with you on that.
Roemer: I mean, this is the issue, though, David.
Don't confuse it with anything else.
And all the debate is is a forum to get the issue out there.
And the reason they keep me out of it is they don't want to talk about the issue, because
they're addicted to the money.
David: Would you run alongside Ron Paul?
If asked, would you be Ron Paul's running mate?
That's a question I'm getting from a lot of Ron Paul supporters.
Roemer: Yeah, I like Ron Paul, I like him a lot.
I'm different of him on many key issues.
I think there is a role for government; he would eliminate it.
I think health reform needs to happen.
I think we need fair trade with foreign countries.
It's unfair now.
But I like Ron Paul's character.
I like his issue with the central bank.
We ought to do away with Humphrey-Hawkins and keep it on one issue of currency.
I told Ron that I would, if elected president, have an immediate audit of the Federal Reserve.
He loved it.
He started using it in his speeches.
Ron and I served in Congress together 30 years ago.
We're close.
We don't see eye-to-eye on everything, but the two of us would make one hell of a change
in America.
David: And would you run alongside a Democrat on a mixed ticket?
Roemer: Absolutely.
I... look, we need change.
We need to throw corruption out.
I'm a broom, that's all I am.
I'm not interested in being a lifelong politician.
I've been out of politics for 20 years, and I've been happy as hell, David, you know that.
I've grown a billion-dollar bank, no bailout money, I've been very successful.
I'm a happy man.
But I'm afraid about what's happening in America.
I think this is a country in decline, and I will go anywhere and meet with anybody and
team with anybody, no matter what party they're in.
Let me tell you what the test is: do you put America first?
Do you put America first?
If you put America first...
David: What about Jesse Ventura?
Would you run with Jesse Ventura?
Roemer: Say it again?
David: Jesse Ventura, would you run with Jesse Ventura, former Minnesota governor, third-party
guy?
Roemer: I don't know enough about him.
And notice I have not tried to name names.
David: Right.
Roemer: You mentioned Ron Paul.
I do know Ron, and I would welcome an alliance there.
But let me go further.
David: OK.
Roemer: I think it needs to be vetted very carefully.
I think putting a central ticket together outside of both parties, having an Independent
or a Democrat to join with me, I would be very interested in that.
David: Tell me, why do you think Herman Cain, who has zero experience in governing and politics,
is seen as more of a legitimate candidate than you, a former governor?
Roemer: He's not seen as more of a legitimate candidate, he's just better-known.
He was in all the debates, man!
I mean, you get it?
I mean, if you're not in the debate, you're unknown.
How can you compare a known to an unknown?
Let me...
David: No, let me rephrase, let me rephrase.
No, I...
Roemer: David...
David: Yeah.
Roemer: Let me have five debates talking about jobs and corruption, and then we'll see who
the most popular candidate is.
It won't be Herman Cain.
David: OK, so let me... let me rephrase, then, because I've said from the start Herman Cain
doesn't actually have a real chance at being the Republican nominee.
Roemer: That's correct.
He won't be the...
David: He may have... at the very most, he has two weeks left in this campaign before
he'll be forced out, but my question is why have things aligned themselves in such a way
where Herman Cain has become so much more well-known and more popular in the polls than
you have?
Roemer: He's been in the debates, David.
You keep asking a circular question.
Look, this is the 21st century, David.
David: Yeah.
Roemer: Quit running four years ago, or 10 years ago, or 20 years ago.
Debates were not that important then.
They're everything now.
Most Americans don't give a damn.
They're worried about their job and their family.
The election's a year away.
This is an inside ball game.
What you do in the debates is get known.
They check your credibility, they see how you answer under pressure, they see how you
answer when you get a surprise question, they see how you answer when another candidate
attacks you.
A debate is a wonderful thing.
It's two hours every week.
It's 20 hours, 24 hours.
I have none of that.
In the last poll in Florida, statewide, run by a professional firm, I stood sixth in the
race with four guys below me, all of who'd been in the debate.
I have not been in a single one.
Let me get on the debate, and one of two things are going to happen, David: either I'll shut
up and do nothing or will be the next president of the United States.
David: Well, there's more options than just those two, I think.
Roemer: You keep asking, I mean, I don't know why you do it.
You need to think about it.
You keep asking the same question: well, Buddy, why aren't you better-known?
Why aren't you higher in the polls?
Well, let me give you the answer: I haven't been on a single debate.
David: But why not is the question.
Why haven't you been in those debates?
Roemer: First the requirement was that you be a formal candidate for president, in the
first three national debates I was not, so I didn't worry about it.
When I announced in August, I incurred...
I inquired as to what the requirements are, since I was the only candidate who was a congressman
and a governor.
And they said well, you have to have 1% on polls.
Well, I hadn't been in politics in 20 years, so I said well, I've got some work to do.
I made 1%.
That was three more debates that I missed.
So I called again, and I was told you had to have 2%.
So I worked again, and I made 2%.
That's where I am in the national polls.
And then the last three debates, they had a different requirement.
You had to raise a half a million dollars in the 90 days prior to the debate.
Well, I don't take PAC money.
I don't have a Super PAC.
I have a $100 limit.
I've raised $256,000, average contribution $60, but that's only half of what they wanted
me to raise.
Why is that a requirement?
And I asked them.
I said, "Why is that a requirement?"
And here's what they told me: we've got to find ways to keep some people out.
What?
That's how we pick a president?
David: That's definitely a sad commentary.
You know, the one way that I can guarantee you'd get right into the national spotlight
is if you have an extramarital affair.
That seems to really get people interested.
You'll be in all the debates then, wouldn't you?
Roemer: You're being so unfair to Herman.
David: Hey, last question, if...
Roemer: By the way, I'm a divorced man, you know, so I guess when I get to the top, my
marriage will be looked at, that's fine with me, but I've been lucky and pretty good for
a boy.
David: Hey, if you are not, by some... if you happen to not be the Republican nominee,
will you support whoever does come out of this Republican field, or might you look to
a third party or to a Democrat?
Roemer: I'll support the best person for president, and we'll see who that is.
I'm hoping that's a Republican.
But it will be somebody who endorses campaign reform as the key to turning America around
and growing jobs.
It's just that simple.
And I've not heard a single candidate, Democrat or Republican, mention campaign reform and
be telling the truth.
David: Absolutely, neither have I.
We've been speaking with the 52nd Governor of Louisiana and current Republican presidential
candidate Buddy Roemer.
Really a pleasure to speak with you, and thanks for joining us.
Roemer: Thanks, David.
Good job, man.
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