Kristol’s Game-Changing Indy Candidate Is … A National Review Writer?

William Kristol, right, answers a question as Leon Panetta and James Carville watch during a forum titled "The Budget Blame Game" at the Panetta Institute at CSU Monterey Bay in Seaside, Calif. on Monday May 6, 2013.... William Kristol, right, answers a question as Leon Panetta and James Carville watch during a forum titled "The Budget Blame Game" at the Panetta Institute at CSU Monterey Bay in Seaside, Calif. on Monday May 6, 2013. Carville is presidential advisor and political consultant; Kristol is a panelist on Fox News and founder and editor of the Weekly Standard. (AP Photo/Monterey County Herald, David Royal) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The name has leaked of the potential presidential candidate Bill Kristol and other #NeverTrump-ers hope will save them from the Sophie’s choice of voting either for the Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

Kristol is attempting to recruit conservative lawyer and war vet David French to mount an independent bid, according to a report by Bloomberg Politics’ Mark Halperin and John Heilemann.

Tuesday evening’s report comes two days after Kristol tweeted he had “an independent candidate–an impressive one, with a strong team and a real chance.” He declined to comment to Bloomberg, which based its report on two unnamed Republican sources “intimately familiar” with Kristol’s efforts. French also declined to answer Bloomberg’s inquiries about a possible campaign, but according to the report he has not made up his mind whether he will mount an independent bid.

French is even more of a curveball candidate than the previous politicians Kristol has propped up, namely Sarah Palin and Dan Quayle. French has no formal political experience, but rather is a staff writer at the National Review. He has a Harvard Law degree and previously worked at some conservative legal advocacy firms, including the Alliance Defending Freedom. He also is a veteran of the Iraq War, according to his National Review bio.

To summarize, Kristol’s big get is a magazine writer with no political experience who no one has ever heard of and who hasn’t decided whether he’ll even run.

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: