In a watershed report by the Daily Beast, donors are rallying to draft Marine General James Mattis to run for Commander in Chief in the event that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton end up being the major party’s nominees.
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The report begins with this basic overview:
Close to a dozen influential donors—involving politically-involved billionaires with deep pockets and conservative leanings—are ready to put their resources behind Mattis. At their request, a small group of political operatives have taken the first steps in the strategic legwork needed for a bid: a package of six strategic memos outlining how Mattis could win the race, in hopes of coaxing him in.
But the message is simple – no one is happy with the current crop of candidates and the leadership displayed by those running. One insider and former Jeb Bush aide John Noonan was quoted in the article said plainly:
“Everyone is hoping that Ted Cruz pulls it out, but I think a great deal of Republicans would rally behind an American hero if the choice is between Mattis and Trump. He’s a man of character and integrity. He’s given his life to his country. How do you ask someone like that to leap headfirst into this toxic mud puddle of a race? It’s damn hard. But Trump is a fascist lunatic and Hillary has one foot in a jail cell. That means the lunatic can win. I’d be first in line to plead with the general to come save America.”
Mattis served as head of U.S. Central Command from 2010 to 2013 and is known as the “warrior monk,” a student of the military arts with a ruthless aggression toward the enemy. He is revered among veterans from all branches but borders on a God among Marines.
Political strategist Rick Wilson, who is involved in the project said this about the prospects of Mattis winning as a third party candidate:
“The theme of 2016 is ‘all bets are off’ and this is a cycle where the unexpected has become the defining characteristic of this election. In a moment when American politics on the left and right has been upended, and where the frontrunners of both parties are compromised, the time may be upon us where a uniquely qualified, and uniquely credible third-party alternative like General Mattis can take the stage.”
One thing is clear: if Mattis runs, the entire dynamics of the race change. Veterans, whom Mattis has long urged to get more involved in politics, could very well re-enter the political fray in a major way.
So, what do you think? Would you vote for Mad Dog? Sound off in the comments below!
