Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee, has extended a formal invitation to Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump, asking both to address delegate concerns at the Libertarian National Convention next month.
McArdle’s invitation, sent April 25 and shared on the Libertarian Party’s official X account, requests that both candidates attend the upcoming Libertarian National Convention. She pointed to the significance of the election and the potential influence of the Libertarian Party on it, adding that members have a list of concerns regarding both candidates. McArdle invited both to respond in person, presenting it as an opportunity to engage with the party and further communicate.
The Libertarian Party also provided commentary by McArdle, who adds, “For 50 years, we’ve been trying to get on the main stage with the two major parties’ candidates and now it seems like the debates are falling apart. We’ve decided to flip the tables and invite the candidates to our convention, to join us on our stage. If this election is as important as everyone seems to believe, I think they’ll rise to the challenge and join us.”
In addition to Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the Libertarian Party added in a comment to the original post that it has also since extended an invitation to independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with “ongoing discussions” in progress. A full copy of the invitation shared on the Libertarian Party’s X account is available below:
Dear President Trump and President Biden:
Many people believe the 2024 elections will be the most important election in our lifetimes, and potentially represent an irreversible turning point for the direction of this country. As Libertarians, we recognize the significance of our votes in the upcoming election and the influence that our presidential candidate will have. While we are our own distinct Party and have our distinct views on how this country should be run, we do think it’s important to communicate with leaders of other parties and people who hold great sway over the course of history. We have a list of concerns that we would like to share with you regarding your positions on governance and invite you to respond to us in person at our national convention.
Our convention presents an opportunity to escape the echo chamber of your own party and understand a large, growing, voting bloc of the country which often goes ignored.
Please let me know if you are amenable to joining us. We look forward to sharing this historic opportunity with you.
Very truly yours,
Angela McArdle,
Libertarian National Committee Chair
I’m pretty sure I’ll be there. I’m not Angela’s Luciferian master, but I am a Luciferian master, so that’s something, at least.
As a ploy to get publicity, which is all it is, it’s a pretty good shot.
Neither of them will show up. It is just a ploy to get publicity. Not a bad idea but no chance either will show up or respond.
Socratic Gadfly
McArdle did in fact invited me. I just got it in the mail. Trying to see if I can clear my schedule
When Orin Hatch addressed the delegates in Salt Lake City, he was booed.
When Justin Amash addressed the delegates in Reno at least two thirds of the delegates booed him.
If either addresses the delegates in DC, I have no doubt it will happen to them as well.
Unusually bizarre, even for the current LNC.
What Darryl said!
Enough with the playing footsies with opposition.
Is there a link to the meeting minutes where this was authorized?
Correction, freedom fest not forum
RTAA – I don’t think so. Trump can already reach millions of voters who might under some circumstances consider voting libertarian. And already does with his ubiquitous media presence. He has already attended nonpartisan small l libertarian events like Freedom Forum which are much bigger than LP conventions. He doesn’t need to attend the LP convention to address libertarians. He can address libertarians any time he wants much more effectively.
The only thing attending the LP Convention would do is draw attention to the LP and their unusually lackluster sub 1% caliber candidates for President. That would only make Republicans and independents who may not be super happy with Trump more likely to think about libertarians more and possibly consider voting for them more seriously. That’s just not in his interests.
Will be even be free to travel? Only if the Manhattan trial is over and he’s not in jail for gag order violations? If he’s free to travel he has a lot of rallying to catch up on to enthusiastic Trump supporters in much bigger venues than the LP convention. Plus family time, golf, business, friends, interviews, and …whatever else he’s into.
It just doesn’t add up. Trust me on this, ok? Believe me. A lot of people are saying it would be cuckoo. And not very smart. Trump is very smart. The smartest. He has the best words. Trump loves libertarians. Nobody loves libertarians as much as Trump, ok? But they gotta come to him. He’s not coming to them. That’s just not how it works, capice? Forget about it. Not happening. Not gonna happen. Uh uh.
Per Realist, I agree on Trump.
Re Shawn? If the LNC wanted Bob Jr. to show up, McArdle would have invited her Luciferian master, wouldn’t she have?
Per Daniel, re Apocalypse Now: “I love the smell of desperation in the morning.” This only actually works if, besides candidates showing up, the LNC charges ticket prices to fill in the massive hole in its kitty.
Trump might think that it would be he that draws votes away from the Libertarians.
His message could be, “We both want X, but you won’t win. I will win, and give you the most beautiful X in the world.”
X might be a promise of less foreign intervention, or lower taxes and regulations.
He’d be making the “lesser evil” argument, though he wouldn’t use that phrase.
What would Trump gain by drawing attention to Libertarians? That would go against his interests by helping them take, on the margin, more votes from him then from Biden.
It would make a lot more sense for Trump to debate Jill Stein and RFK, maybe Cornell West, leave an empty podium for Biden and pretend right wing minor parties don’t exist like the establishment news media already does.
Biden won’t show up.
Trump, who knows? He often acts “outside the box.”
It’s not illogical. They would bring more than enough media attention to gin up a bump in membership and donations without having to pony up from their own piggy banking cartels. Of course, who ever thinks up libertarian press releases these days isn’t delusional enough to think they will actually show up. They just want whatever media hits they can get out of it. As such things go, it’s a pretty good try.
I guess it would be a round-about way to get RFK Jr to the convention. If Trump or Biden accepts, RFK will enjoy being at a site covered by the Secret Service like he always wanted.
Of course that same Secret Service intrusion would be VERY unwelcomed by the delegates.
So it’s a good thing that there’s no chance in hell either of them is going to show up.
Offering the R&D candidates free access to address our delegates while adopting a pay-to-play scheme for LP candidates is not something I ever expected to happen in the Libertarian Party.