Chuck Baldwin
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This article contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election. Content may change as the election approaches. |
| The Reverend Charles "Chuck" Baldwin |
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| Election date November 4, 2008 |
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| Running mate | Darrell Castle |
| Opponent(s) | John McCain (R-Presumptive) Barack Obama (D-Presumptive) Bob Barr (L) Ralph Nader (I) and numerous others. |
| Incumbent | George W. Bush |
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| Election date November 2, 2004 |
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| Running mate | Michael Peroutka |
| Opponent(s) | Dick Cheney (R) John Edwards Peter Camejo (I) Richard Campagna (L) Pat LaMarche (G) |
| Incumbent | Dick Cheney |
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| Born | May 3, 1952 La Porte, Indiana, USA |
| Political party | Constitution Party |
| Spouse | Connie Cole Baldwin (married since 1973) |
| Children | Sarah, Christopher, Timothy |
| Residence | Pensacola, Florida |
| Occupation | Baptist pastor, Radio host Vice-presidential candidate (2004) |
| Website | Chuck Baldwin Live [1], Presidential Campaign Site [2] |
Charles "Chuck" Baldwin (born May 3, 1952) is an American political figure, activist in the Constitution Party, and pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida; located in Escambia County on the far northwestern Florida Gulf Coast. In 2004, Baldwin was the Constitution Party nominee for Vice President, and on April 26; Baldwin was named as the 2008 presidential nominee.[1] Baldwin hosts a weekly radio program and writes a weekly news column carried on his website and on the VDARE.com site as well.
A former member of the Republican Party, Baldwin has been a longstanding critic of U.S. President George W. Bush. Baldwin is known as a staunch opponent of what he calls the "New World Order", the "North American Union" and amnesty for illegal immigrants. Baldwin has also suggested reopening the investigation into the September 11, 2001 attacks, believing that the 9/11 Truth Movement have a right to have their conspiracy theories investigated including the possibility of U.S. government involvement in the attacks.[2]
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[edit] Youth and education
Baldwin was born in La Porte (also La Porte County) in northwestern Indiana, to Mr. and Mrs. Edwin J. Baldwin. The senior Baldwin, who conducted a successful jail ministry in La Porte, was a native of Arkansas.[3] From 1980 to 1984, Baldwin served as Pensacola chairman and then state chairman of the Florida Moral Majority, organized by the late Reverend Jerry Falwell of Lynchburg, Virginia.
Baldwin graduated from La Porte High School in 1971 and then attended Midwestern Baptist College in Pontiac, Michigan, for two years. On June 2, 1973, Baldwin married the former Connie Kay Cole, whom he met in college. They have three children and, currently, six grandchildren. He enrolled in the Thomas Road Bible Institute (now the Liberty Bible Institute at Liberty University) and graduated with a Bible diploma. He then earned bachelor's and master's degrees in theology through external programs from Christian Bible College in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Baldwin has received two honorary doctor of divinity degrees -- from Christian Bible College and from Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, Florida.
[edit] Political involvement
In 1980 and 1984, Baldwin worked in the Florida Moral Majority to carry the state for the Reagan-Bush electors. He claims to have played a major part in the registration of some fifty thousand Christian conservative voters. In 2000, however, he vacated the Republican Party on grounds that the Bush-Cheney ticket was too liberal.
In the 2004 presidential election, Baldwin was Michael Peroutka's running mate and candidate for Vice President of the United States on the Constitution Party ticket. The two ran on a platform of "God, Family, and the Republic." The Peroutka/Baldwin campaign publicly spoke out against abortion,[4] women in the military,[5] and the Iraq War.[6]
Baldwin considers Bush roughly equivalent to national Democrats. In 2006, he voted in favor of disaffiliating the Independent American Party of Nevada from the Constitution Party.[7]
Baldwin effectively endorsed U.S. Representative Ron Paul of Texas in the 2008 presidential election in a column on August 30, 2007, entitled "Conservative Republicans have only one choice",[8] having declared: "Let's cut to the chase: conservative Republicans have only one choice for President in 2008: Congressman Ron Paul of Texas. Unlike the GOP frontrunners, Paul is the real deal." On December 19, 2007 he released a video officially endorsing Congressman Paul.[9]
Baldwin has written specifically against the candidacies of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mitt Romney, and Rudolph Giuliani. Prior to the death of the Reverend Falwell in 2007, Baldwin had criticized his old mentor for having supported official Republican nominees in general elections regardless of the candidates' positions on issues vital to conservatives. He decried Falwell's past affiliation with George W. Bush. Jonathan Falwell, Jerry Falwell's heir as pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church, meanwhile, endorsed Mike Huckabee for the GOP nomination, another candidate that Baldwin strongly repudiated.
On December 7, 2007, Baldwin issued this statement in a column:
Unfortunately, it has been the Christian Right's blind support for President Bush in particular and the Republican Party in general that has precipitated a glaring and perhaps fatal defect: the Christian Right cannot, or will not, honestly face the real danger confronting these United States. The reason for this blindness is due, in part, to political partisanship or personal aggrandizement. Regardless, the Christian Right is currently devoid of genuine sagacity. On the whole, they fail to understand the issues that are critical to our nation's--and their own--survival.[10]
[edit] 2008 presidential campaign
Baldwin's role as vice-presidential candidate for the Constitution Party in 2004 led to speculation that he would seek its presidential nomination in 2008. Baldwin himself initially said that he had "been asked this question quite often... but I have no desire to run".[11] However, he also said, "I am always open to God's will".[11]
Baldwin was chosen as the Constitution Party nominee on April 26, 2008 at the national convention held in Kansas City, Missouri. He received 383.8 votes, ahead of Alan Keyes, another former Republican, who drew 125.7 votes from delegates.[12] Baldwin then asked the convention to nominate attorney Darrell Castle of Tennessee as his running mate, and this request was honored.[13]
[edit] Bibliography
- Subjects Seldom Spoken On: 11 Messages That Will Stimulate Your Mind and Stir Your Heart, 1990.
- This Is The Life
[edit] References
- ^ "Constitution Party stunner: Chuck Baldwin KOs firebrand Alan Keyes", KCstar.com. April 26, 2008
- ^ Weigel, Dave "The Constitution Party's Chuck Baldwin questions 9/11", Reason.tv. May 29, 2008
- ^ The Ancestors of Charles "Chuck" Baldwin, by William Addams Reitwiesner
- ^ An Abortion Free America by January 2005
- ^ A Special Memorial Day Message
- ^ Terror is Not an Enemy. Terror is the TACTIC of an Enemy!
- ^ Nevada Disaffiliation Resolution Roll Call Vote
- ^ Conservative Republicans Have Only One Choice In 2008
- ^ Chuck Baldwin Endorses Ron Paul
- ^ Baldwin, Chuck "Christian Right Just Doesn't Get It", www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. December 7, 2007
- ^ a b Baldwin Interview - Conservative President 2008.
- ^ "Chuck Baldwin becomes the Constitution Party Presidential Nominee", Third Party Watch.com. April 26, 2008
- ^ "At KC convention, Constitution Party picks pastor for president", STLtoday.com. April 26, 2008.
[edit] External links
- Chuck Baldwin Live
- Official 2008 campaign site
- RenewAmerica column
- Baldwin Interview - Conservative President 2008
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Curtis Frazier |
Constitution Party vice presidential candidate 2004 |
Succeeded by Darrell Castle |
| Preceded by Michael Peroutka |
Constitution Party Presidential candidate 2008 |
Succeeded by Most recent |
