Hello and welcome to this day in esoteric political history from radiotopia.

My name is Jody Avergan.

And welcome to Third Parties Week.

As you may know throughout the selection year,

we are doing a few special series of election-related stories,

roughly times to the election calendar.

So earlier this year, we did a week on the Al also rans, the people who gave it a shot during the primaries and didn't end up getting the nomination.

We did Veepe stakes week, a look at all the back and forth around the vice presidential selection.

That was really an excuse

for me to talk about those conservative cruise ship rides where everyone fell in love

with Sarah Palin one of my favorite stories and this folks is third parties

week a few episodes looking at notable third party

candidates and what the constant clamor for a third party option says about

American politics. So here as always two people who I would never box into just

one of two options they defy categories. Nicole Hammer of Vanderbilt and

Kelly Carter Jackson of Wellesley. Hello there. Hello Jody. Hey there. And we have a very special

guest for today as well perfect for third parties week. Dave Weigel long

time political reporter now at Semaphore where he writes the Americana newsletter and I would say

Dave is one of the best chroniclers of the nooks and crannies of American

political life so if there's anyone who knows what it's like to try and find a

home outside the two major parties.

It is Dave Wiegel.

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