WEBVTT 00:01.000 --> 00:02.266 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% AMNA NAWAZ: With the rematch between President Joe## 00:02.266 --> 00:06.200 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Biden and former President Donald# Trump officially set, third-party## 00:06.200 --> 00:10.933 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% candidates and well-funded organizations# are attempting to carve out their own paths. 00:10.933 --> 00:13.533 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Geoff Bennett recently took a closer look. 00:13.533 --> 00:18.000 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: No third-party or independent# candidate has received more than 19 percent of## 00:18.000 --> 00:23.466 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% the vote in modern history. Still, the effort# to field an alternative ticket is under way. 00:23.466 --> 00:27.400 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% White House correspondent Laura Barron-Lopez# has been following all of this and joins us now. 00:27.400 --> 00:31.133 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% So, Laura, remind us who these# third-party candidates are and## 00:31.133 --> 00:33.633 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% which ones are actually gaining traction. 00:33.633 --> 00:33.800 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Right. 00:38.466 --> 00:43.400 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West. Then,# when it comes to potential third parties,## 00:43.400 --> 00:46.400 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% No Labels,they don't have a# candidate yet. Green Party,## 00:46.400 --> 00:50.633 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% candidate is to be determined. Libertarian# Party, the candidate is also to be determined. 00:50.633 --> 00:55.266 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% But when it comes to them getting ballot# access, a number of them are. So, currently,## 00:55.266 --> 00:59.266 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% there is at least one third-party# or independent candidate from that## 00:59.266 --> 01:04.233 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% list that I mentioned on the ballot in 44# states so far. But, when you take a look at## 01:04.233 --> 01:09.333 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% the battleground states that will ultimately# be the states that determine this election,## 01:09.333 --> 01:14.033 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% a third-party candidate is on the ballot in# all seven of those battleground states, Geoff. 01:14.033 --> 01:15.366 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: Of the candidates you mentioned,## 01:15.366 --> 01:20.466 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is arguably the best# known. What kind of pr.. 01:20.466 --> 01:25.000 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: RFK Jr. has been# receiving about 19 percent of voter## 01:25.000 --> 01:29.066 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% support in the polls so far. And# he's pulling right now in those## 01:29.066 --> 01:33.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% polls from both President Biden# and former President Donald Trump. 01:33.666 --> 01:37.600 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% He's expected to announce a vice# presidential candidate on March 26 in## 01:37.600 --> 01:43.833 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Oakland. He's struggled to get on a number of# the ballots across states. But, despite that,## 01:43.833 --> 01:48.366 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Democrats really see him as a threat to their# candidate more so than Republicans do. The## 01:48.366 --> 01:54.866 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Democratic National Committee is heavily focusing# on RFK Jr. right now, because they see him,## 01:54.866 --> 01:59.000 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% as you said, this candidate with the biggest# name I.D., the Kennedy name behind him. 01:59.000 --> 02:03.133 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% And they are going to be highlighting over# and over again the conspiracy theories that## 02:03.133 --> 02:07.866 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% he has embraced, whether that's saying that# chemicals in the water turn people transgender## 02:07.866 --> 02:13.433 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% or his big anti-vaccine platform, which,# again, there's no evidence there, Geoff,## 02:13.433 --> 02:19.433 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% that vaccines are harmful to people or# of his any other conspiracy theories. 02:19.433 --> 02:22.266 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: We have seen the political# group No Labels spend a lot of money trying## 02:22.266 --> 02:26.333 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% to field their own candidate. They still# don't have a ticket. Where does that stand? 02:26.333 --> 02:30.066 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: This week, they# selected a nominating committee to## 02:30.066 --> 02:34.933 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% pick that presidential candidate, which# they said they aimed to pick by April. 02:34.933 --> 02:39.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% And when I talked to No Labels, they said they# aren't doing this because they want to be a## 02:39.666 --> 02:44.966 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% spoiler, that they're doing this because# of the fact that they see two candidates,## 02:44.966 --> 02:48.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% leading candidates, that have low# approval rating. But they push## 02:48.566 --> 02:52.700 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% back on the accusations against them# that this is simply a spoiler effort. 02:52.700 --> 02:55.266 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% RYAN CLANCY, Chief Strategist, No Labels:# The idea that any of us are going to put## 02:55.266 --> 03:00.200 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% our careers on the line and our reputations# on the line so we can be part of a shadow## 03:00.200 --> 03:04.966 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% effort to help Donald Trump is a joke. That's# not what this is about. What this is about## 03:04.966 --> 03:11.500 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% is providing a choice to the public that# both parties absolutely refuse to provide. 03:11.500 --> 03:15.833 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Still, Geoff, after# starting this effort nearly two years ago,## 03:15.833 --> 03:21.800 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% No Labels has not been able to find a presidential# candidate, and some of their leading contenders,## 03:21.800 --> 03:27.366 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% like former Republican Governor of Maryland# Larry Hogan and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin,## 03:27.366 --> 03:29.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% have said that they have no interest# in mounting a third-party bid. 03:29.766 --> 03:31.733 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: It seems to be the Democrats,## 03:31.733 --> 03:36.066 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Laura, who are most concerned about a# third-party candidate siphoning off votes## 03:36.066 --> 03:41.166 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% from President Biden. How are Democrats# in the Biden campaign responding to this? 03:41.166 --> 03:44.800 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Democrats are reacting# to this in a way that they never have before,## 03:44.800 --> 03:49.400 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Geoff. They say that they're not going to# make the same mistakes that were made in 2016. 03:49.400 --> 03:54.900 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% And the Democratic National Committee has# a team dedicated to combating a third-party## 03:54.900 --> 04:00.766 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% threat now. There was a new super PAC called Clear# Choice that was launched by Biden allies to also## 04:00.766 --> 04:06.733 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% confront this. And then there's this -- these# Democratic outside groups across the spectrum,## 04:06.733 --> 04:11.066 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% whether it's the progressives at MoveOn or# the more moderate Democrats at Third Way,## 04:11.066 --> 04:13.366 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% that are really trying to tackle this. 04:13.366 --> 04:17.533 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% And they say that, ultimately, right# now, their focus is on trying to## 04:17.533 --> 04:23.566 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% persuade potential high-profile candidates# that may mount a bid to not do so. But,## 04:23.566 --> 04:26.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% come summer, they are going to# be heavily focused on educating## 04:26.766 --> 04:31.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% voters about what they say is the big# threat of a third-party candidacy. 04:31.666 --> 04:34.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% MATT BENNETT, Co-Founder, Third Way: If they throw# away their vote and cast it for a third-party## 04:34.666 --> 04:40.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% candidate who has no hope of winning, they are,# in essence, helping Donald Trump, because Trump## 04:40.666 --> 04:46.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% has no way of winning a two-way race. He cannot# get anywhere close to 50 percent of the vote, but## 04:46.666 --> 04:52.366 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% he can win a multicandidate race if people throw# away their votes and vote for people like Kennedy. 04:52.366 --> 04:58.900 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% But between Kennedy and No Labels and# the others, there is an enormous risk. 04:58.900 --> 05:00.866 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Geoff,# that risk that Matt Bennett## 05:00.866 --> 05:04.966 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% is talking about is something that# the Biden campaign is well aware of. 05:04.966 --> 05:08.400 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% But, right now, Biden and advisers# say that they are heavily focused## 05:08.400 --> 05:12.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% on making this a binary choice,# about they just want to present to## 05:12.666 --> 05:17.533 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% voters that this race is ultimately# between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. 05:17.533 --> 05:23.966 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Now, if we see, come summer, that a viable or# a potential third-party candidate can pose a## 05:23.966 --> 05:29.233 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% significant threat to President Joe Biden, then# sources close to Biden will tell me that you## 05:29.233 --> 05:33.933 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% could very well see the Biden campaign or# other Democratic groups start to push out## 05:33.933 --> 05:40.166 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% testimonials from voters that voted in 2016# for a Green Party candidate like Jill Stein## 05:40.166 --> 05:46.233 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% and then saw that sway the ultimate result# in key states like Michigan and Wisconsin. 05:46.233 --> 05:47.266 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: That's an interesting strategy. 05:47.266 --> 05:49.733 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% How are voters responding to# all of this right .. 05:49.733 --> 05:54.366 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% any of these candidates actually making# headway among general election voters? 05:54.366 --> 05:56.800 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: I have talked to# some potential swing voters in states## 05:56.800 --> 06:02.200 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% like Arizona who say that they're curious about a# third-party candidacy or an independent candidate. 06:02.200 --> 06:06.366 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Sarah Longwell, a Republican pollster# who does focus groups with a number of## 06:06.366 --> 06:10.600 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% independent and swing voters, says# that some voters have expressed## 06:10.600 --> 06:15.100 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% concern that a third-party or independent# candidate may not be totally realistic. 06:15.100 --> 06:18.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% WOMAN: If I could only pick between# Trump and Biden, I would go Biden,## 06:18.666 --> 06:22.000 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% but if there's other people out there, I'm# definitely going to look at them. However,## 06:22.000 --> 06:26.300 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% I also feel like a lot of times it's a# throwaway vote. Then maybe Trump would get in. 06:26.300 --> 06:31.033 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% MAN: I think that No Labels# thing is very idealist. Like,## 06:31.033 --> 06:36.200 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% oh, wouldn't this be nice to have kind of a# moderate ticket? Not pragmatic. It's not -- we## 06:36.200 --> 06:39.966 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% always complain about the two-party# system, but there's no way to beat it. 06:39.966 --> 06:45.566 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Still, Longwell told me# that a lot of GOP voters who voted for Nikki## 06:45.566 --> 06:49.600 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Haley in the Republican primary, which are# voters that President Joe Biden is going to## 06:49.600 --> 06:55.466 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% be targeting, that they are potentially# susceptible to a third-party candidate,## 06:55.466 --> 06:58.466 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% especially if it's a Republican# that's leading that ticket. 06:58.466 --> 07:00.233 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% And again, Geoff, as you well know,## 07:00.233 --> 07:04.266 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% that could have a significant impact at# the margins in those battleground states. 07:04.266 --> 07:04.933 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: Absolutely. 07:04.933 --> 07:07.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Laura Barron-Lopez, thanks.. 07:07.433 --> 07:18.633 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Thank you.