Comedian Doug Stanhope has announced his intention to run for president on the Libertarian Party ticket for the 2008 elections. Stanhope endorsed Michael Badnarik in the 2004 presidential race. Here's Stanhope's announcement from his MySpace campaign site:
This is the official Myspace page for Doug Stanhope's presidential run in 2008. I've decided to run for the nomination of the Libertarian Party. (www.lp.org)
Yes, I am very serious. Most of us know how completely screwed the system has become. Yet we shrug it off as something to deeply rooted to change. I'm tired of accepting what we have as the best we can do and yelling about it in barrooms and comedy clubs isn't going to force anyone's hand.
That is why I have decided to run for the office. If this country can buy Jesus and American Idol, I think we can sell them actual freedom and self-determination.
The campaign will focus on individual freedom, self-government and making America fun again. And this campaign, if goes as planned, will wreak an adreneline-fueled havoc across the land.
This planet belongs to you as much as it does anyone. It is your choice - not any government - to decide how you will live.
This is - at the moment - the most powerful country in the world which makes inexcusable the fact we have become so oppresive and boring at the same time.
I may not be the best possible candidate but I am the best one willing to run. Jump on the bandwagon. Win or lose, we are going to have a fantastic, bizarre and screaming ride towards the White House.
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Have fun with this topic for the weekend open thread!
If nothing else this will bring some publicity. I know it's an incredible long shot for a LP candidate to win a presidential race at this juncture, but we do need to run a serious candidate once '08 rolls around.
Well, this cheered me up after reading in Ballot Access News that Georgia's Ben Brandon was leaving the LP to go Republican, because he said that we have a "two party system" in America, and in order to have any effect at all, you have to be in one of those two parties.
What a crock. Stanhope has the right idea. Joke 'em if they can't take a f--k.
Some of the other 2008 Libertarian Presidential candidates who have not had the LNC drive space or bandwidth used to promote their 2008 Presidential campaigns include:
Lance Brown
Jim Burns
Gene Chapman
Dave Hollist
Robert Milnes
George Phillies
In the near future, I look forward to seeing equal coverage of these 2008 Libertarian Presidential candidates who were not previously mentioned on the LP blog.
Presidential candidate? I'm highly skeptical about the way his nomination would affect the public's view of the LP. Literally, people would ask "Are you joking?".
Interesting, but not quite inspirational news.
I agree with Action Liberty's comments. I think that the LP needs to be sure that it is taken seriously if we are ever to escape being relegated to the status of political crackpots. Let freedom ring and let Mr. Stanhope express his views. But let's also make sure that the LP selects a candidate that can be taken seriously by America at large.
I have been voting Libertarian for many years now. Living in Austin, Tx has given me the ability to hear many great Libertarians speak. I have talked with Mr. Badnarik, and Mr. Stanhope.
While they both are very different in personality, they both share the same ideals. Why then should it matter what Doug has done in the past. This party is for all Americans, and that is why I choose to call myself by the name "Libertarian".
I think that Doug would bring many disenfranchised voters to the LP. There is an untapped voter market, and I think that Doug would be a fantastic choice to fill that void.
Doesn't anyone find it ironic that you can't use profanity on here???? Anway, I'm not a Libertarian, but Stanhope is funny. I'm sure most of you would agree with the stuff he says from "Something to Take the Edge Off" or "Deadbeat Hero." If you listen to what he's saying, he's not a "crackpot." He's just trying to use humor as a way to express his political ideology. I don't align myself with any political party, but I do agree with a lot of the Libertarian Party views. Someone like Stanhope would definitely sway my vote in '08.
If nothing else this will bring some publicity. I know it's an incredible long shot for a LP candidate to win a presidential race at this juncture, but we do need to run a serious candidate once '08 rolls around.
Posted by: Marcus Brutus at July 21, 2006 06:25 PM