Carter Rhodes, the only independent on the ballot for President of Amercia and winner of the first straw poll, and his vice presidential candidate agreed to an interview with Fox News Amercia.

First off, congratulations on your victory in the first straw poll. How does it feel knowing that you have a strong base in the electorate?

Carter Rhodes: It feels great having such strong support, and that support showing up in the polls. Obviously, though, there is still much work to be done. With the election less than a week away, it’s going to take hard work now more than ever to see this through to the end.

Mr Rhodes, how do you respond to critics who say that your lack of experience is an issue?

CR: This is a topic that I believe has distracted Amercians from the issues at hand. I see this point, however, as an advantage for me. Washington is broken, plagued by career politicians who are there to please their parties and their lobbyists. It’s time for a fresh face who remembers the people that elected them. I am no stranger to the issues, and have clear goals for this nation. I encourage all Amercians to take a close look at where each candidate stands on the issues that matter to them, and realize that both myself and Senator Countryman are here to represent the people and their best interests.

Mr. Countryman, in light of the recent storm in America, some conservatives have out lashed at President Obama for spending too much money on recovery and think this is a state responsibility. What is your stance on relief spending? Is it unnecessary for the federal government?

Bencroft Countryman: It’s been no secret that I have been far more conservative in my fiscal views compared to other more liberal members of government. However, it is the government’s responsibility to help their people in times of extreme need. We cannot expect states to have the resources necessary to handle large disasters after they’ve been affected and we cannot expect the private sector to drop everything and assist. The government needs to act quickly in these situations and ensure that the people affected are safe and can begin to rebuilt as soon as possible.

Pres. Obama has also taken heat lately for his handling of the Benghazi attack, including recent developments in which he rejected a request for direct military assistance during the attacks. How would you handle the situation differently?

BC: International situations like this are tricky to judge in hindsight because, ultimately, we do not know exactly what facts they had at the time of their decision. That being said, the situation in Benghazi was a clear message sent to the United States. I agree with the President’s decision to handle this on our own, however, fortification of the safe house and closer attention to initial reports months ago could have prevented a lot of the tragedy. Moving forward, we have to realize our approach to the Middle East needs to change and be constantly adapting to handle the diplomatic and technological changes that occur within the region. Another huge part of our administration would be to focus on the growing violence in Mexico, a far more direct and regional threat to our national security.

I’m sure you’re aware what happened with Solyndra. Is it the government’s responsibility to search for alternate energy sources?

CR: It is the government’s responsibility to point this nation in the direction it needs to be to move forward. Part of what tomorrow holds is clean alternative energy sources. This campaign is committed to investing in the future of our nation, including technology innovation as well as energy innovation. However, it’s also the responsibility of the government to be wise and frugal when spending taxpayer’s money. For this reason, new investments will be well vetted, to avoid a situation like Solyndra. No investment is a 100% guarantee, but those that this administration will make must be very good bets for the future of the Amercian people.