During the Green Party’s national convention in Milwaukee last weekend, Maine resident Pat LaMarche won the Green Party nomination for vice president of the United States.

Back in Maine on Tuesday, she spoke with the Sun Journal following a news conference at the State House.

Q: What have you been doing professionally and politically since you ran for Maine governor in 1998?

A: I served on the national Green Party board for two years. … Then I kind of fell more into my role as a broadcaster and would get trundled out for political events, but didn’t do anything in a long-term, committed fashion. I really did promise my kids after that gubernatorial election that I wouldn’t put them through anything that rigorous for a while. And, with their permission, this is breaking that a little because I had hoped John would be out of high school before I did anything else.

Q: And professionally, you’ve had a radio show in Augusta?

A: Uh-huh. Country music format. Typical morning show, you know. Get-you-up-and-make-you-happy-to-get-in-the-shower kind of thing.

Q: Will you take a leave of absence from your job to campaign nationally?

A: I won’t do it on purpose, because I don’t think it’s necessary, and I do have to feed my kids.

Q: How did the vice presidential nomination happen?

A: It was my understanding I was on the short list for (Ralph) Nader from four years ago also. So, I’ve kind of been the person in the party. And because of my experience as a broadcaster, I have a leg up on a lot of people who would be good candidates, just because I’m familiar with lights and microphones and sentence structure … (The campaign of Green Party presidential nominee David Cobb) e-mailed me, and I showed the e-mail to my kids and said, “Huh, look at that.” It said, “Would you consider running for vice president?” Then they said they wanted to talk to me on the phone. So I spoke with them and discussed the fact that I was not in any financial position to run for office. I think that’s the most important thing about the Green Party, in some ways, is that nobody needs it more than I do. I’m the exact demographic that ought to be voting Green because there aren’t that many options out there. I have no health insurance. I’m trying to raise my kids. I’m trying to work a job where I can get home when they get out of school so I can see them.

Q: Why not president?

A: For me?

Q: Yes.

A: Bless David Cobb’s little heart. He’s worked really hard for six or eight months getting to this decision. I didn’t have the means, mode or ability to put in the kind of work he put in. And, as I said, two months ago, I was for no candidate.

Q: Some people have said your candidacy will help give President Bush a second term. Some say it could dilute the effect Nader might have on the major party candidates. What do you think?

A: Well, the reason Ralph Nader wanted the endorsement of the Green Party was for ballot access in 22 states (plus the District of Columbia). Now, if he’s on (the ballot) in some of those really important states – California, Michigan, Florida – he’s going to have to get on as an Independent. So, that appears to be a pretty big obstacle that would have been wiped out this weekend (if he had received the Green Party) endorsement of his campaign.

The people who are going to vote for LaMarche and Cobb no matter what, in spite of everything … that was never a vote Bush or Kerry had to lose. … These are people the system has completely and totally alienated. I wrestled with that. It’s not a vote tally in my name that I’m looking for. … You need to vote for whoever you think is going to cost Mr. Bush his job, and you have our blessing.

Q: So you’re more interested in seeing President Bush not re-elected than you are in getting elected?

A: Sure. Absolutely. … But I’ve got 23 people (from the Green Party) in Maine I want to get elected. I’ve got candidates all across this country I want to get elected.

Q: Do you see any difference between the general policies and political interests of George W. Bush and John Kerry?

A: Some of the times when Kerry says things to try and make himself closer to Bush, I hang my head and wonder what in the world he’s thinking, like when he said anti-choice judges, a couple of them are OK. He’s never going to get the Bush vote on that topic. … Women’s issues are incredibly important to me. … If he hadn’t made that statement the day they really seriously asked me to run, I might have had a different answer.

Q: What effect do you think your drunken-driving record will have on your candidacy, and what do you think it says about your ability to exercise good judgment?

A: Are you going to ask the same question of Bush and Cheney? … I wasn’t real familiar with getting punished because I wasn’t real familiar with doing the wrong thing. … I had an error in judgment, brought on by making a judgment when it shouldn’t be made. … After you’ve had a drink or two, it’s the wrong time to be making that decision. That’s what that taught me. And it taught me that an error in judgment that is brought to your attention painlessly – you know I didn’t hit anybody, I didn’t hurt anything, except myself and my children, we were pretty well devastated – it gave me an opportunity to learn a lesson that I have not forgotten and did not repeat. It’s important to realize people are human.

Q: Have you driven after drinking alcohol since then?

A: No.