New column is up, and it's about some of the third- fourth- and fifth-party candidates on this year's Presidential ballot.

One interesting thing about Green Party nominee David Cobb that didn't quite make the cut:

Cobb was a leading advocate of the Greens pursuing a "Safe States" strategy in 2004 -- which means that, unlike with Nader in 2000, the Cobb will focus their attempts to win votes only in the states that are not close contests and would not endanger a Democratic national victory over Bush.

I wonder when they decided on that policy? Perhaps at a time when they expected Kerry to win handily?

According to this site, Cobb is on the ballot in 36 states, including Nevada, New Mexico, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin - all battleground states. He's also on the ballot in Michigan, Oregon, New Jersey, and Maryland, which aren't exactly battlegrounds, but are turning out a lot closer than they did four years ago.

I also think it's interesting that there are two "conservative" parties - the Republicans and Libertarians - on the ballot, but five "liberal" parties: the Democrats, Greens, Naders, Socialist Workers and Wisconsin (U.S.) Socialists.

If Bush wins Wisconsin by a razor-thin margin, it will be interesting to see what combinations of liberal voters could have put Kerry over the top, if those voters had only chosen the Democrats.