On the race and whether you are considering a thirdParty President ial candidate. Eastern and central time zones can call 202 7488000. If you live out west, it is 202 7488001. If not by phone, you can weigh in from social media. cspanwjtraitor is our twitter handle. Times has this headline that says dreams see opportunity amid voter discontent. Y say the boisterous crowd jill stein gazed at her reflection with a look of dumb short list. Can you say that again . Ms. S tein asked. Poll, at 6 in a new said her press director. Most president ial candidates would blanch at such a figure this late in the race, but miss stein, 66, is unlike most candidates. She offers an unswervingly progressive platform that includes abolishing student debt, establishing a right to a living wage job, and cutting military spending by at least 50 . She returned not, to editing her speech and picking at a plastic container of berries. That was in the near times New York Times today. We interviewed miss stein as part of our newsmakers program. Here is a look. [video clip] right now, the green party is in fewer than half the states. How many states do yesterday being on the ballot now . Between 48 and 50. So those early numbers reflected the deadline of the petition process. Those numbers are going up rapidly. We also have active ongoing cases in court p we hope to be on the ballot for perhaps every voter. If not every voter, just about every voter. Think the realistic vote is to stand up and build, however car we get, we are that much further ahead for the down ballot races and the ongoing fight for an america and world that works for all of us. The that was jill stein, green party candidate. How about the libertarians, gary johnson . OutNew York Times points a republican congressman is now backing the libertarian president ial candidate. This is a campaign first. This is representative scott rigell of virginia. Rigell, aterview, mr. Republican, said he had settled on mr. Johnson, the former governor of new mexico, is the best option available. Republicanecond congressman to not endorse donald trump. He is retiring at the end of his term. That mr. Johnson and his running mate has been seeking to woo disaffected republicans who view mr. Trump is acceptable. Republicansional back the thirdparty ticket, it could help mr. Johnson gain could ability. We have leslie on the line for our first call from massachusetts. Good morning. Caller good morning. How are you . Host fine. Are you looking at a thirdparty candidate . Caller i am not. I am retired navy vet. I am a donald trump supporter. I believe he will do the best for the country. I just do not understand mrs. Clinton. Where the country is that they do not see the issues she has throughout thels years. As far as a thirdparty, i am not for mr. Johnson. I do not believe we need to be come a marijuana smoking country. I strongly support donald trump. I believe he loves this country, like i love it. I was wrought up on my parents to love and respect this country, and i do. This is the greatest country in the world host let me ask you a question before we let you go. So you have the libertarians and the greens at around 12 . We have seen as high as 15 . What you make of that number in this cycle . Caller probably because of the made. Donald trump has he is not a politician. Decided he was not a stable candidate. Friday evening i have seen him speak before oneonone and was very impressed with him. That is my opinion. Host thank you leslie in massachusetts. We go to ed in georgia. Are you with us . Caller yes. Before i say what i want about a thirdparty candidate, i would like to say i think it is a little unfair that i have to spend my money to have a ,elephone to call into cspan but people with obama phones call in, and i have to pay for the obama phones host what is an obama phone . Caller for the last eight years, we have had people calling in with some of the dumbest comments host i understand, calling on the democrat line. Keep going. Is ir well, what my point am helping to pay for their comments. They should have to pay for their own phone calls. Anyway, as far as thirdparty, third parties are dangerous. The reason why this country has two parties to begin with is when you are in congress, you have to make a decision of yes, we are for this or know, we are not for it. There is no third choice. There is no maybe. It is either yes or no. Host lets move onto paul from portland, maine. Good morning. Caller good morning. Host are you considering a thirdparty candidate . Caller actually, i am in a bit of a conundrum. The commentheard from your first caller appeared she said she was a donald trump supporter, then commented on Hillary Clintons dishonesty. But what my position is which but iith is that am surprised she is not intelligent enough to see that donald trump, for the most part, is just a con artist, in my opinion. So you have on the republican side a con artist. , youon the democratic side have a dishonest person. Hen you have two other choices the green party, which is not even on the ballot in half of the states, so, in my opinion, they do not really have a realistic chance of winning. Then you have the Libertarian Party, which, in my opinion, does not really have a realistic chance of winning. Host where does that leave you . Caller in a very difficult position. Now i am down to choosing between a con artist and a dishonest career politician. Youi say to myself, difficult sucha position to be in. Bem saying to myself i will forced to vote for someone i cannot stand, basically. Between the two choices. Probably to say i will voting for Hillary Clinton, as much as it kills me to even say that. Host paul, things for calling. Lets try audrey from georgia. Are you considering a thirdparty candidate this year . Caller i am not. I am voting for Hillary Clinton. I just want to say that people that think donald trump is going to do something for them donald trump is all about donald trump. Think about it. Who wants a president that gets angry because you are not nice to me . We stopped doing this kind of stuff and the third grade. Crybaby. Ump is a big donald trump is out for donald trump. I would not higher Donald Trump Trump to kill mosquitoes for the zika virus. Host thanks for calling. Thirdparty candidates in a late push for the debate stage. This from the hill. They report that thirdparty candidates are racing against a clock to qualify for the president ial debate stage as one of the next phases in september. So on the 26th is the first debate in new york. Thepaign decision campaigns expect decision on who makes the cut in early september, giving gary johnson and jill stein one month to hit the 15 National Polling threshold. Toy are in an all out sprint boost their numbers before that deadline. The hill report that johnson and green have surpassed one hurdle in that both are routinely included in the polls that will determine who makes the stage after being left out of many polls earlier in the stigall in the cycle. That reaching 50 in five National Surveys leading up to the debate remains a steep climb. Lets try ellen. Caller are you aware of what an obama phone is . It is a phone given by the Obama Administration to all people who are low income. It is costing this country millions of dollars. You did not understand his answer. Are you there . Host yes. Keep going. Caller right. So it is a free phone that he was talking about. Secondly, the two people that were talking that they would ite for hillary as far as am concerned, she talks like a third grader with all of her lies. In thirdoing that grade. Fourthly, i am voting for donald trump, because he is the only one that knows how to ask fix this country. He is a builder. He has the intelligence. This thirdparty business is off the wall. Where did they, from come from . Host why offthewall . Caller why just now . It seems like a sneaky way to put them in because nobody likes anybody. This whole thing is becoming like a kindergarten conspiracy. Host that was the voice of helen in florida. At the cnnry Johnson Town Hall wednesday. He was asked to explain his comment that Hillary Clinton was beholden. Lets look at the Libertarian Party ticket. [video clip] it is just not coincidence that bill clinton and hillary both are making huge amounts of money with these speaking fees. Atre are others that look this, anderson i do not want to throw rocks but really, it is paid to play. Saying bigmoney donors are beholden to wall street . That they are making money off of this. Making money off of this as secretary of state. Bill goes out and does a 1 million speaking gig. The next day, hillary signs an agreement with the sponsor of that speaking gig. That is not good. That is beholden. It smacks of pay to play. And i think it goes beyond that. To the news, the Morning Consult has this line Hillary Clinton clutch is a 9 lead over rival donald trump. Almost half of registered voters said they would choose clinton over trump. That was in the Morning Consult. They are saying 18 of folks do not have an opinion. It does not look like it included the independent candidates. We are talking about thirdparty candidates this morning and asking if you are considering a thirdparty candidate this year. If so, tell us why. Jeff, moderate monterey, california, you are up next. Caller hello. I want to say a vote for donald trump, in my opinion, would be a vote to live in 1692, salem, massachusetts. Go thirdparty. Host who do you like . Caller i like gary johnson. Host why . Caller because he is independent. Host what particular stance has he taken or things that he said what appeals to you most . You said you like that he is independent, but what issues are you watching out for . Yes, he is independent. He is willing to consider legalization of marijuana, which i think is a positive move. Host why is that positive . Because it is progressive, in my opinion. Host anything in the domesticfiscal area, foreign policy, any particular points you has made that caught your attention . Caller yes. He is prochoice. Host anything else you want to say about the libertarian ticket . Caller i think it is a step in the right direction. Host lets hear from jonathan in austin, texas. Caller good morning. I think having an independent choice is a great option. Part of the problem in this country is we do not have enough choices. Now, you have these two horrible candidates. Every year, it seems like we are in between choosing which is the worst option. Having gary johnson i did watch the town hall. Drawn todid not feel him, i felt that in this country, we need more choices. I do not know how anyone is calling and saying having a third choice is a bad option. If you watched the town hall, one of the things that was disappointing is that while i was starting to think libertarian you have gary annson, who is not really enticing personality. To become president of the United States, you need to be more charismatic. His Vice President and running mate had better answers and was more interesting. Is onet thing i will say of the things i have problems with in libertarians is we do not have the education. They need to start educating the people out there about their libertarian movement. If you ask most people about their views in this country, most people are liberal when it comes to social issues and conservative when it comes to financial issues. That is what a lot of libertarians stand for. The problem is people do not understand. Host do you see yourself voting for the libertarian ticket . Caller it is difficult. Think,f the issues, i with the current president is while i did not vote for obama he is so far left that he cannot really get anything done. Beenf the reasons i have leaning towards clinton is while she is pretty far left, she does have moderate views to her. Thingsld see some getting accomplished. I think there is a lot of compromise that has to happen in congress and government to actually pass laws and for congress to be made the right way, beyond executive power. I do not think gary johnson will have the pool he needs to get the pull he needs to get things done in the white house. Host all right, thanks. To facebook. Clinton says the democrats and republicans are both accountable. Mary writes a vote for a thirdparty candidate is a vote for hillary. Charlotte says no, and others should take into account that if the thirdparty voting is large enough that no candidate receives the required Electoral College count, the decision as to who will be president will be made by the u. S. House of representatives and the Vice President chosen by the u. S. Senate. Tos see what julius has say. He is in greensboro, North Carolina. Caller good morning. I will not be voting for a third party. I will have to go with the same the sane and insane. Trump, if people do not know it, he has bipolar. They will find out he has bipolar in a few days, because he is really insane. Host moving on to robert, brooklyn, new york. Good morning. Are you there . Caller can you hear me . Host yes. Caller i will vote for jill stein and the green party. Host how come . Caller first, jill stein is as close as you can get for voting for Bernie Sanders. I think we need a third party. The democrats are old rock, stock, and darrell with wall street and have billionaire clients, just as republicans are. There is not much difference between them. Calling pay for those who are interested in jill stein, she will be on the network a couple of times to the first will be at 10 00 eastern time you then six a clock p. M. Then at 6 00 p. M. As part of our newsmakers program. At 9 00, we will show you her speech and the speech from her running mate as they accepted the Green Party Nomination in houston. With jill episodes stein. And we will look forward to putting on gary johnson as well. We will let you know when. Lets go to tom in mesa, arizona. Caller good morning. I am a firsttime voter. I tend democrat but i would probably go republican if the rnc and gop would still be looking to stop trump. I am surprised they are not considering robert gates. Host how old are you . Caller 66. Host and this is your first time voting . Caller yes. Host how come . Caller just have not been really civic minded. Host what is sparking your interest at the age of 66 . Bit of notte a interested in donald trump. House allnk bob gates of the credentials. The integrity. The administrative experience. Think,is definitely, i could swing an election. Host could you see writing that name in on the ballot . Caller i could. I would rather see him as the republican candidate, though. Host what do you think of this system, having spent decades of eligibility out of the picture . What do you make of the way we elect residents . President s . I am not particularly admirable. I do not like the two party system and how they block voters and independents from voting in the primaries. Host what else would you like to say about the candidates this year . What is going to make you go one way or the other this november . I would probably stick with hillary. I was really a bernie supporter, but that would be the way i go. Host thank you for calling. Michelle is calling from Capital Heights maryland, just outside d. C. Caller good morning. How are you . Host good morning. Caller i am calling because i was considering a thirdparty candidate, but i look at the town hall, and those thirdparty are just as vicious in attacking as donald trump. They are all on attack. And the people that are angry, so angry, are angry at the people they send to washington. They send senators and representatives that light of them lie to them. I was so looking forward to voting for a thirdparty, but last night, whatever night the town hall was on host the one on cnn. Caller right. They did not say they would build roads and schools, they came with the same lies as trump. Together. Here that is why we are mad. We are bad because those people that are angry sent the wrong people to washington to represent them. They were lied to. Obamacare is still here, they could not a peach impeach obama. Trump trump said he will do it he will not. They are angry at who they sent to washington, not that washington. Host thank you. Hang on and watch this piece from the cnn town hall. With gary johnson and bill weld. They talk about how things will be left polarized if they get elected. [video clip] both sides. I pose the question that if hillary or trump will be elected, things will be as polarized as the other. Neither side will get along with the other. What if you elect a couple of former republican governors, two term, reelected, running as libertarians, what if you elect them, calling out both sides . How can you ring things together in washington bring things together in washington . I think it would be refreshing to have a party not terribly partisan in the white house . We would hire the smartest people we could find, and the Republican Party, in the military and party. Our proposals would not say take that, you stupid d party or stupid r party. Of theipients information would not feel attacked, so they may be more likely to come to the table. Twitter, edward writes i am considering a thirdparty candidate, but also know that it is like swimming against the current. Hasnew York Daily News this piece with ralph nader, who has had his share of residential bids for president ial bids for third parties. He says they do not have a chance and that is lousy for democracy. It says in the piece is this the year for a thirdparty tenet it . Ralph nader said no. He said this election season made people angry, and if there to tell you to blame, theres only one person to call ralph nader. But he cautioned that libertarian candidate gary johnson or the green Party Presented in a digital stein are not going to move into the white house. This is going to be a better year for third parties, but all , who got is about 3 2. 74 of the popular vote against bush and gore. 3 seems low given that johnson and steiner pulling at 9 and 2 . Polls for thirdparty candidates are always higher before labor day and then decline. People get cold feet in the voting booth. I was pulling a 5 the day before election day. And we have darren from california,