Posted on 09/21/2002 3:03:46 PM PDT by jstone78
TV show to put US democracy to the test
The next President of the United States could be the winner of a new Pop Idol-style reality television show.
US trade newspaper Variety reports that plans are under way for an ambitious series which would climax with the US public choosing a "people's candidate" to run for president in 2004.
Cable network FX has joined forces with Austin Powers director Jay Roach and producers RJ Cutler and Tom Lassally on the long-term project, American Candidate.
The idea is that the show will go on the hunt for untapped political and leadership skills just as Pop Idol, and its US version, American Idol, sought out undiscovered musical talent.
Cutler said: "We will be making available to every American who is qualified, by virtue of the Constitution, the opportunity to run for president.
"We're trying to see if there's a young Abe Lincoln out there, somebody whose vision could turn on the public in an exciting way."
To land a slot on the show, applicants will have to fill out questionnaires, provide video-tapes in which they explain why they would make a great president and put together a group of 50 supporters from their community who will serve as sponsors.
The process is likely to get under way in January 2003 with the first of a minimum 13 episodes airing the following year.
A panel of experts will assess the initial applications and choose about 100 candidates for the start of the series.
The number of semi-finalists will be whittled down each week based on points won in the competitions and telephone/internet voting by viewers.
First of all, IF, and it is an impossibility ( as someone has already explained fully, on this thread ) for this moronic show's winner, to be elected. Secondly, IF ( GOD forbid !) this is someday , how candidates get picked, some unknown, with unibomber or worse positions, who was as glib as X42, could easily get elected. That would be far worse than Hitlery!.
Your curmudgeon miser, couldn't be elected. Another delusion of your's.
You and the others ( thankfully few ! ), here, who think this is good, or even acceptable, forget that a president, with NO supporters in either House, or amywhere else, that REALLY matters, is unable to govern. His/ her hands are completely tied. A president isn't an emperor, a king, nor a dictator.
We are a REPUBLIC; we aren't a democracy !
Oh I don't think he could and Im not really being serious here but a man can dream can't he.
Funny, isn't it, that you picked another ( Reagan is one too ) neo-con ? :-)
Too many populists want nothing more than to turn this country into a 'democracy' . They like the idea of three wolves and a sheep voting on who is for supper.
We can only hope.
Most campaigns are all about pretty pictures and good chins anyway (we the issues voters are in the minority in this country).
Yup! Remember John Forsythe,the actor? He used to be on the tv show,"Dynasty". He came out about 15 years or so ago,and admitted with disgust dripping from his mouth that he had "been approached by a political party,and asked to run for the US Senate in California. They didn't even know if I am a member of their political party or what any of my political beliefs were. All they cared about is they thought I could win because I looked like a Senator is supposed to look."
He never did say it,but you know this was the Dims who approached him.
Isn't that the way it already is? Remember how people who saw the Nixon/Stupid debates thought Stupid won,while those who listened on the radio thought Nixon won? How far do you think Bubba Clinton or Bubba Bush would have gotten if either looked like Don Knotts? Remember all the talk about how Kerrey and Edwards have "presidential hair"?
You have GOT to be nuts! Heston is to the left of Jesse Jackson. The SOB BRAGS about his long-standing left-wing politics. He BRAGS about pushing stuff like the "Civil Wrongs Act of 1964". He is FOR affirmative action,quotas,government "set asides",etc,etc,etc. Hell he is EVER FOR GUN CONTROL! He BRAGS about "probably being the American most responsible for the Gun Control Act of 1968 being signed into law,because I went to the White House and talked a reluctant President into signing it." He is even FOR banning so-called Assault Weapons,being on record as saying "I hate AK-47's,and see no reason for anyone to be allowed to own them.".
How the hell did you ever get the idea that Heston was even middle-of-the-road,never mind "right wing"?
Overall I love the idea.
Who knows we might get a real contender who isn't named bush, dole, or clinton.
No,he was still bragging about his leftism the last time I saw him on tv a couple of years ago,and he was already the NRA president then. He hasn't changed on the gun issues,either. If anybody ever wants to ban and confiscate collectors muskets or trap guns,Chuckie is your man. His comments about AK-47's and other so-called "assault" rifles were made AFTER his election as president of the NRA. Basically,he is a senile old puppett that LaPierre got elected as President of the NRA so that he and his crowd didn't get thrown out on their asses. Heston is playing a role. He's acting like he's doing his own thinking,when all he is really doing is parroting and doing whatever LaPierre tells him to do.
He said he doesn't like them but they should not be banned. He's using the same reasoning as a person who says, "I may not agree with what you said, but I'll defend with my life your Right to say it.
He may be saying that in public now after being slapped down by LaPierre,but he has used the "allowed to own them" words in the past. Since he is a life-long statist and gun control freak,I have a hard time believing he's suddenly changed his mind. He's just playing the role he was hired to play.
That's true,but bragging about probably being the American MOST responsible for GCA-68 being signed into law,and now trying to make a federal felony out of all gun law violations DOES. That is exactly what "Project Exile" does,and Chuckie is a BIG promoter of that. An example is that in many states,somebody that was convicted of a crime and who has served all his time is legally allowed to own a gun. Federal law (Chuckie's GCA-68)says he can't. So what happens is the federal prosecutor will come in and try,convict,and send to prison for a felony somebody who was perfectly within his legal rights within his state. BTW,this is why Bubba-2 is all hot to hire a lot of new federal prosecutors. Chuckie also wants to "close the gun show loophole",and has also stated on tv that "there is no reason for civilians to own machineguns".
Maybe YOU think all of that are the true signs of a conservative. I don't.
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