Posted on 04/06/2005 3:03:41 AM PDT by An.American.Expatriate
WND Exclusive ELECTION 2008 Mel Gibson pushed for president Activist inspired by actor's stand on Schiavo, says his charisma needed Posted: April 6, 2005 1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Ron Strom © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Inspired by Mel Gibson's strong stand against the dehydration death of Terri Schiavo, an Oregon businessman has begun a campaign to see the "Passion" director run for president as a Republican in 2008, saying he's the only potential candidate who has the star power and charisma needed to keep Democrat Hillary Clinton out of the White House.
Mel Gibson
"Mel Gibson is perhaps one of the few men in America who has shown exceptional courage in facing up to the left and the 'culture of death,'" James Welsh told WorldNetDaily. "Americans of religious conviction have been under relentless assault for at least the last 10 to 15 years. While we have been successful in achieving some gains, our defeat in the Terri Schiavo battle has made manifest the need for new generalship in this culture war."
In preparation for what he hopes will be a Gibson candidacy, Welsh has purchased 12 Internet domain names relating to a presidential run, including gibson2008.com.
Welsh, who owns a grocery store in the coastal town of Manzanita, Ore., believes none of the current crop of possible GOP contenders can beat Clinton, who he says "will be" the Democratic nominee.
"There is no 'regular' Republican who has the necessary charisma to galvanize us to work for his election," Welsh said. "Even the usually good people like Sen. Rick Santorum, nice as they are, do not have it. What I want to do is somehow create a momentum from several fronts that will ultimately, in late 2007, coalesce into an unstoppable candidacy of Mel Gibson."
Welsh says President Bush and Gov. Jeb Bush, "while good men, were found wanting [in the Schiavo case] and the religious right is disappointed. We lost this battle because our leaders failed to muster on the field of battle. We must look for new leadership."
As WorldNetDaily reported, Gibson was outspoken last week on the eve of Schiavo's death, calling it "a prolonged and cruel execution."
"It's just completely wrong to deprive this poor woman of food and water," he told radio talk-show host Sean Hannity. Brain-injured 15 years ago, Schiavo died 13 days after her feeding tube was removed by court order.
Without naming names, Gibson implicated the Bushes for not doing more to save Schiavo:
"It's nothing more than state-sanctioned murder. All the big guys, they all have their hands tied up by some tinhorn judge down there. Come on, when they want to whip a judge, they got no problem doing that. Look what they did to [Ten Commandments proponent Roy Moore] in a heartbeat. So they can do it if they want. They just don't want to."
It's that kind of boldness that's needed in a presidential candidate, contends Welsh.
"No longer can we give passes to Republican politicians just because they are Republicans," he said. "How can we fight the battle for life if we must have the Giulianis in our ranks?" a reference to the former New York City mayor who tops many lists of possible GOP presidential contenders. Giuliani is in favor of legal abortion.
Welsh, whose political involvement dates back to Barry Goldwater's candidacy in 1964, envisions intentional support of Gibson among "conservative media" outlets that would translate into popular support among the party faithful. He says he has written several letters to various organizations about the possibility of supporting a Gibson candidacy and hopes a college Republican group or similar organization might put together a website that could be publicized on blogs so that eventually, "some influential people would go and talk to Mel" about a presidential run.
"We had another actor who made a pretty good president," Welsh said, referring to President Ronald Reagan.
Of Clinton's appeal, Welsh commented, "There is no one who will be able to match her media presence except Gibson. A Bob Dole or a Gerald Ford ain't gonna cut it."
If you'd like to sound off on this issue, please take part in the WorldNetDaily poll.
Editor's note: "Life and Death in America" a stunning special investigative report that will start with the Terri Schiavo story, but will go on to expose as never before America's rapidly expanding euthanasia/"right-to-die" movement will be the focus of an upcoming issue of WND's acclaimed monthly Whistleblower magazine.
Subscribe or renew now, because after three years without a price increase, Whistleblower's subscription rates go up this Saturday!
Related stories:
Mel Gibson on Schiavo: It's modern crucifixion
Gibson pleads for Terri's life
Ron Strom is a news editor for WorldNetDaily.com.
I agree with much of what Gibson says.
However, I hate to admit it, but even I would have to agree with you.
California was a complete mess and on the verge of bankruptcy
Arnold would never get elected as the President of the US either
Really? What's Mel's stand on Social Security, income tax, ANWR drilling, the environment, the WOT, the WOD, education? Or is just one issue enough to make a decision? Methinks Mr. Welsh is a loon.
One of his best movies, imho.
This is insane.
I must say I'm surprised at the majority of the responses so far. I mean whatever happened to the "shut up and sing/act crowd"? Like you I think too many have stars in their eyes without knowing what the man stands for.
No kidding. This is ridiculous. BTW, for those who would vote for a man as Commander In Chief mostly because he took a strong pro-life stand regarding Terri Shiavo...do you really think even he did all that he could to prevent her death? Heck, why not Sean Hannity for President? He did more, and at least we have a tiny clue how he feels about other issues, too. < < jk
Gibson is a Catholic traditionalist, but it has not been established that he is "at odds with Rome."
We are all sedevacantists presently, since "the chair is empty." But, when the pope was alive, he did not seem to be a sedevacantist, like his father.
And extra ecclesia nulla salus is the teaching of the Church; what you are referring to is a difference in how it is interpreted.
I don't whether Mel Gibson would make a good politician or not, or if he even has any interest in politics. But, I wanted to clear up those other points.
If he runs for a third party I will vote for him. It is time to put the fear of God in these corrupt politicians.
Mel has never held a single office...and that is one big reason not to support the guy. I've seen too many people come out of the woodwork (Car dealership owners, bankers, media folks, etc)...who were just not up to the task. I need to see more evidence before we start such a campaign.
I imagine you'll be applying for the White House Press Secretary position?
"If the choices were Mel or Hillary. Bet your bootie I would vote for Mel :D"
You got that right!
Mel against the Beast? Are you kidding?
*LOL*
Well, I like him better than the liberal (R)'s but..
No thanks..
I'd vote for Mel Gibson over any one of the potential candidates mentioned to date.
I agree, but I believe he would stand a better chance as a Republican, just to avoid splitting the GOP vote.
And almost anyone currently holding or running for office with a law degree or an MBA falls into the "corrupt politician" category.
.
Because Sacrifice begets Sacrifice:
MEL's -PASSION- sparked by -WE WERE SOLDIERS-
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1085111/posts
.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.