Gary Johnson, Libertarian, is looking more like my candidate

I've experienced profound disappointments with "Libertarian" candidates in the past, from Ron Paul to Bob Barr.

Gary Johnson, the former two-term Governor of New Mexico, is looking a lot better.

I've already blogged about his principles in refusing the appear on stage with what he considered to be a Tea Party extremist, and his criticism of Mayor Bloomberg's unconstitutional "Stop and Frisk" policy.

Today, let's take a look at some Gary Johnson answers in an interview reported by The Daily Caller:

On abortion rights:

“I leave abortion to the woman,” he said. “I just fundamentally end there.”

When it comes to abortion, Johnson said, “I absolutely support a woman’s right to choose.”

And on the question of whether a man should have a say in it, Johnson replied, “When it comes to that bottom line decision, no.”

However, the former New Mexico governor said he’s for restricting public funding of abortion because “it’s libertarian” for someone to say what they don’t want their taxes spent on.

On religion:

Johnson, who said he doesn’t go to church, made it clear he doesn’t think “religion should play a role in government.”

“I don’t seek the counsel of God,” Johnson said. “God doesn’t speak to me on what I should or shouldn’t do.”

Asked about his religious beliefs, Johnson said,“I haven’t gone to church since I finished my confirmation as a Lutheran.”

On drugs:

“Marijuana was really my favorite,” said Johnson, who supports legalizing the drug, but said in a previous interview that he hasn’t used it since 2008.

He also tried coke at one point in his life.  "I've used cocaine on a handful of occasions and that was one of those drugs where--holy cow--I understand why cocaine is what it is."

He says he has no desire to touch the drug again.

“To me, there’s something wrong with feeling this good, and come to find out, I mean, cocaine literally puts holes in your heart,” he said. “People my age who have used cocaine have died because of heart failure, and Whitney Houston [is] our latest example of what it is to use cocaine your whole life.”

Johnson doesn’t support full legalization of drugs yet.

“Would the world be a better place if all drugs were legalized tomorrow? Absolutely,” he said. “But pragmatically speaking, you’re not going to go from the criminalization of all drugs to the legalization of drugs overnight. I think you start with marijuana and those giant steps happen very quickly after we do marijuana.”

On guns and gun control:

“I bought my first gun ever this summer, .38, 2 1/2 inch Smith and Wesson revolver,” Johnson said.

“Forever I’ve always thought of finding myself in a situation where I needed a gun and not had it.”

When asked whether he is packing heat on the campaign trail, Johnson said no. But that doesn’t mean he is necessarily opposed to it.

“I’m not the guy to restrict anything about private firearms,” he said. “Caliber, number of bullets in the chamber, I’m not your guy,”

On being a spoiler who hurts Mitt Romney:

Asked whether he thinks his candidacy could help elect Barack Obama by siphoning votes away from Mitt Romney or whoever the eventual GOP nominee is, Johnson said no way.

“I reject the notion that I’m going to take votes from Romney,” he said. “You know all of those Romney supporters that are ardent marriage-equality advocates? That are for getting out of the conflicts in the Middle East? All those pot smokers that are for Romney? Nah, I don’t buy it.”

On the truth about Roswell:

“Okay, you’ve hit on the one thing I really can’t talk about,” Johnson said, straight-faced, when pressed on the mystery surrounding Roswell.

“I was whisked off into a basement and told exactly what happened.”

But he then added, “I will tell you that the alien-to-work program in my office really worked well. They’re hard-working. There’s no stop and they don’t take potty breaks.”

“I’ve said too much already.”

For more on Gary Johnson's views, go here.