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Taking Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson Seriously
Over at The Atlantic, Marc Ambinder weighs in on the possible presidential run of former GOP Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico and notes that the MSM's ability to ignore candidates ain't what it used to be:
As powerful as the media is, it is not nearly as powerful as it once was. And the media, thank goodness, is fragmented. There are media outlets -- like Reason -- that can serve as the launching pad for a candidacy. And the winnowing power of the elite -- the Gang of 500 -- can't stop them.
I don't know if Gary Johnson will actually run for president, though his Our America initiative is precisely the sort of thing that potential candidates do at this point in time. I hesitate to say I hope he does run for president, not because I don't think he'd be about the best candidate possible, but because I know him a bit and like him and jeez, what a way to ruin your life. Besides, the only major-party presidential candidate I ever voted for was Walter Mondale, now mostly remembered as the father of a forgotten E! channel host. So my vote counts for...nothing.
But take a look at Johnson in this long-form interview Matt Welch and I did with him with last year and decide for yourself whether you're ready for a drug-legalizing, immigrant-admiring, business-savvy, socially tolerant, anti-war, Mt. Everest-climbing chief executive.
Shorter version of Q&A and more here.
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SIV|8.17.10 @ 1:33PM|#
You know why we have a secret ballot? So nobody but you knows you were dumbass enough to vote for Mondale in 1984, what with all that evil-Reagan "punk rock propaganda" in the air.
Alan Vanneman|8.17.10 @ 1:50PM|#
Note to Governor Gary: lose the guy in the leather jacket if you want to make it to the big time.
Warty|8.17.10 @ 2:33PM|#
How did your mother keep herself from strangling you?
zoltan|8.17.10 @ 4:30PM|#
She probably cut off her own hands, then regretted not carving out her eyeballs first because now she wouldn't be able to cover her eyes whenever he walked into the room.
Pants-Wetting Paranoid Center|8.17.10 @ 1:55PM|#
decide for yourself whether you're ready for a drug-legalizing, immigrant-admiring, business-savvy, socially tolerant, anti-war, Mt. Everest-climbing chief executive.
HAHAHAHAHAHA he'll never win! And thank goodness for that, his policies are soft-on-crime, hurt teh children, empower teh gays, and he hatez freedumb (which is not free!).
I CAN'T STOP WETTING MY PANTS!!!!!!
|8.17.10 @ 4:18PM|#
Indeed. It costs a buck oh five.
|8.17.10 @ 2:01PM|#
Two Johnson pieces in the Atlantic this week is proof that the JournoList is at it again.
Slap the Enlightened!|8.17.10 @ 4:35PM|#
Two plugs for Reason this week ought to be a dead giveaway, as well.
creech|8.17.10 @ 2:11PM|#
Much more experience than the dude in the White House now. Plus entrepreneurship: built a 1,000 employee company from scratch.
Joe M|8.17.10 @ 2:11PM|#
I like how so many commenters on that Atlantic piece are slamming the author for calling legalization a marginal issue.
Atanarjuat|8.17.10 @ 2:22PM|#
It's an important issue for some people. I think even for a Republican it would get you more new voters than you would lose.
Butts Wagner|8.17.10 @ 2:18PM|#
Joan Rivers is Walter Mondale's son? Fascinating.
|8.17.10 @ 2:32PM|#
It explains a lot, doesn't it?
|8.17.10 @ 2:34PM|#
Johnson's people need to do a better job publicizing him. He's proven that he can get kick up enough attention to get big media interviews. A good place to start would be a decent youtube channel with all his media appearances.
|8.17.10 @ 3:40PM|#
Coopting Mr. Drew Carey would also be a good step.
Marketing Dept.|8.17.10 @ 2:38PM|#
The posts with compulsory video embeds get the fewest responses.
Just sayin'.
|8.17.10 @ 2:47PM|#
The obligatory dozen reposts of every leather-jacket-narrated short get few responses. In a post about Gary Johnson, a video of the reason interview with him makes sense.
|8.17.10 @ 3:43PM|#
Nick,
Does that mean you never voted for a libertarian Republican? What is it with you Reasonites ignoring a true anarcho-capitalist like Ron Paul? He's more libertarian than you are.
zoltan|8.17.10 @ 4:35PM|#
Fool, he suspended his national campaign.
GILMORE|8.17.10 @ 11:52PM|#
Drink
Fred|8.17.10 @ 4:13PM|#
Bring this shit. Bring it. Let's light this torch.
trueofvoice|8.17.10 @ 4:42PM|#
Does Nick Gillespie ever change clothes? I have an image of closet after closet filled with black trousers and leather jackets.
Terr|8.17.10 @ 5:48PM|#
I believe it is the Jacket that has a closet filled with Nick Gillespies.
rhofulster|8.17.10 @ 10:58PM|#
Is Nick the guy from 9 1/2 weeks?
Woodrow|8.17.10 @ 5:15PM|#
Eleanor Mondale was hot.
LibertyGal|8.17.10 @ 10:47PM|#
I've had the privilege of meeting him a couple of times. He's got my vote. Hands down.
GILMORE|8.17.10 @ 11:51PM|#
I just realized I've been confusing Gary Johnson with...former Olympic skier Bill Johnson?... or someone, for a while now.
Who was the olympic downhill skier who got busted for pot back in the 90s? I vaguely remember it being 'johnson'. Maybe not. Bill Johnson wiped out and nearly killed himself in 2002. I guess it wasn't him. Or maybe it was, some earlier incident in the 90s. Maybe I'm mixing him up with Ross Rebagliati. Whatever. I don't know why I was so convinced it was this guy. Maybe all it took was "johnson" and "weed" and I decided to create my own version of him.
Short, sweet, to the point|8.18.10 @ 3:23AM|#
http://www.answers.com/topic/ben-johnson-athlete-1
Ben Johnson, Canadian (Jamaican born) sprinter. Gold Medal. Anabolic steroids. Stripped of medal. Has never run for political office.
|8.18.10 @ 3:50AM|#
There are media outlets -- like Reason -- that can serve as the launching pad for a candidacy
What the hell?!?!
What would make Marc Ambinder ever think Reason could help anyone get elected??
Anyway I hope you guys at Reason do not take this in the wrong way. You are just not all that cuddly with politicians let alone politicians seeking the presidency. Well unless your name is Weigel and that politician is Obama.
Note: Weigel, despite his trying, had nothing to do with Obama getting elected. Bush in contrast had everything to do with it.
Suprashoesweb|9.15.10 @ 11:44PM|#
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