Posted on 08/01/2003 5:27:13 PM PDT by generationgop
Harry Potter for President? A Possible Answer for a Party Without a Clear Leader and Desperate for a Little Magic
Perhaps the Democrats are not that desperate yet, but it may be a good strategy change for a Party that is having a difficult time finding their message, not to mention a presidential candidate with momentum and a chance to win in what has become a very crowded and rather boring field.
In the last nationwide poll factoring Hillary Clinton as a presidential contender, Quinnipiac University found that she was the clear favorite boasting a double digit lead over Kerry, Dean and Gephardt. Recent news reports and political pundits are predicting that she may now run in 2004, a move many thought wouldn’t happen until at least 2008 and maybe not until 2012.
So Hillary, as she is now called, would most likely win a Democrat Primary if it were held today, but when comparing her most recent numbers with Mr. Harry Potter, she looks about as popular with the general public as Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Reverend Al Sharpton—and that is an overstatement.
In the “Amazing Book Race”, Hillary Clinton has fallen behind Harry Potter in year to date sales—by close to seven million. Harry Potter is selling as many books a week as Hillary has since she launched her tell-all book about living history and proclaimed, “I can only say that for me, meeting and marrying Bill and choosing to stay married to him when I did were the right choices.”
The “right choices”? Perhaps if you wanted to, oh let’s say, run for President of the United States sometime in the near future.
But let’s face it, Hillary has baggage and a file full of questions that remain unanswered. Surely the Democrats aren’t going to pin their hopes of reclaiming the White House on her, even if she is leading her colleagues in early primary polls.
Unlike Hillary and the Democrat field in general, Harry Potter has mojo and is an alternative to the status quo. Mr. Potter, a graduate of Hogwarts School of Wizardy, might be just what the doctor ordered to revamp, refuel and reload the Democrat Party. He would certainly give the Left a much needed boost among younger voters, a demographic the Democrats have lost their hold on in recent years.
Just think, Al Gore missed a job promotion by 537 votes, surely Harry Potter could convert that many votes out of the millions and millions of fans he has just in Florida. Combine that with a strong ground game and solid name ID and you have one heck of a presidential candidate for 2004.
But wait, not only is Harry Potter not old enough to run for president, he isn’t real! In fact, he isn’t an American citizen nor do we even know if he is a Democrat. Odds are given the recent resurgence in conservatism, he is part of the vast Right-Wing conspiracy and solidly in W’s corner.
That leaves of course, Hillary and the gang of nine announced presidential primary candidates—all without the magic and charm to capture a nation and seriously challenge the President. Alas, the “Harry Potter for President” strategy is not going to work for the Democrats in 2004, but then again, what will?
R. Stuart Jones is chairman of Generation GOP, America’s fastest growing network of young people providing votes, volunteers and victory to the Republican Party. Stuart is a recent graduate of The American University’s School of Public Affairs and specializes in political youth outreach and strategy. You can learn more at www.generationgop.com.
I thought the clear choice for the Democrats was Lord Hildemort...
Ya know, in the first book, the Quidditch fans actually hung a sheet from the stands saying, "Potter for President!" I wonder...
Article II.Section 1
No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
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