FiveThirtyEight asks 'Will We See More Celebrities Run For Office In 2022?'

For today's Sunday entertainment feature, I'm sharing FiveThirtyEight asking Will We See More Celebrities Run For Office In 2022?

It’s another episode of Confidence Interval, where we make a persuasive case for a hot take we’ve been hearing … and then reveal how confident we really feel about the idea. This time, we talk about celebrity politicians. FiveThirtyEight politics reporter Alex Samuels explains the rise in the number of celebrities running for political office and argues whether or not they will be successful.

As one of the commenters snarked, I'd bet $20 on the confidence interval response being "I'd bet $20 on this," as it has probably been a more common response than "it makes sense" or "meh." More seriously, celebrities running for office happens often enough to be worth noting. As Alex Samuels mentioned, Caitlyn Jenner is running for Governor of California in the upcoming recall election and Andrew Yang, arguably a celebrity, is running for Mayor of New York City. On the other hand, some candidacies end up being mere publicity stunts, such as Kid Rock for U.S. Senate. That's what I think Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is doing. Matthew McConaughey seems to be more serious, but I don't think he'll get very far if Beto O'Rourke runs for Texas Governor.


The former Texas congressman says he hasn't ruled anything out.
I think Beto will push McConaughey out of the Democratic primary should he run, leaving McConaughey to try to win the Republican primary (good luck with that), mount an independent bid, or drop out and enjoy the free publicity. I'd bet $20 on the last option.

For more on this subject, read Samuel's article Why Americans Can’t Resist A Celebrity Political Candidate on FiveThirtyEight's website. In the meantime, enjoy your Sunday!

Ben Carson sings "One Wittle Wee Wee"

The scrutiny of Ben Carson that included my razzing him in Doctor Carson and his Amazing Technicolor Labcoat looks likes it's taking its toll, as Politico reported Wednesday Ben Carson tumbles in national poll.  That survey had him tied for third place with Ted Cruz behind Donald Trump in first and Marco Rubio in second.*  Looks like the next Examiner.com article on Carson's polls won't show him leading Clinton and Sanders in Michigan.

It also means that jokes about the candidate, other than ones about his leaving the nomination contest, are approaching their sell by dates.  Since my wife found a good one, I'd better share it before it goes bad.  So in the spirit of Donald Trump dance remix, I present One Wittle Wee-Wee In America (Ben Carson).

One of the greatest Presidential Campaign songs of all time. Dr Ben Carson (Neurosurgeon) and his contribution "One Wittle Wee-Wee". For 'murica.

If you like this, please check out "Bad Lip Reading" on YouTube. This is a snippet from their original video, with some extra patriotism thrown in for my own entertainment.

Here's the full video, in which Doctor Pyramid gets the last song: "FIRST REPUBLICAN DEBATE HIGHLIGHTS: 2015" — A Bad Lip Reading of The Republican Debate.


If only these candidates were this funny in real life.

*The smart money is still on Rubio to beat Trump.

Scott Walker ends campaign as soon as he realized it became a zombie

The news came this afternoon.  Vox reported Scott Walker - out of money and out of supporters - quits the race.  Much like Rick Perry, Walker took a shot at Trump on his way out.

In a brief speech clearly meant to denigrate poll leader Donald Trump, Walker cited his hero Ronald Reagan to explain his decision. "Ronald Reagan was good for America because he was an optimist," he said. "Sadly, the debate taking place in the Republican Party today is not focused on that optimistic view of America. Instead, it has drifted into personal attacks."

"Today," he continued, "I believe that I am being called to lead by helping to clear the field in this race so that a positive conservative message can rise to the top of the field." And he called on other candidates to quit too, so that "a positive conservative alternative to the current frontrunner" could emerge.

Listen to Walker's words in PBS Newshour's Scott Walker drops out of 2016 presidential race.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Monday announced he was dropping out of the pool of GOP contenders for the 2016 presidential race.

Shorter Walker: "I'm getting out so that my support can go to someone more acceptable to the Koch Brothers than Donald Trump."  Nice thought, but Walker has lost so much support already that he's at one percent in a national poll of people who watched the second debate and has fallen from first place in Michigan in June to tenth, even before the second debate.  His support has already gone elsewhere, most likely to someone like Carly Fiorina instead of someone like Kasich, Rubio, or Jeb!  Walker's sacrifice will not mean much by itself, just like Perry's hasn't done much to dent Trump's lead.

As for my reaction, as I wrote in a comment at Michigan Liberal, I thought he'd last until the Iowa Caucuses, but I guess losing support and running out of money has convinced him to give up early.  That written, I'm glad he's gone.  I've never liked Governor Recall and found him to be the candidate most threatening to me.  I'm an educator and union member, two categories that he beat up on in Wisconsin.  Fortunately, it looks like he won't be able to export his bad solutions.  Good riddance!

Oops--Rick Perry drops out

Before I could pick a drink in honor of Rick Perry for Paul Wartenberg's GOP Debate Drinking Game for 2016 But For the September 2015 Foofaraw In Particular to join the list in Drinks and drinking games for Donald Trump and the GOP debates, Proof of drinking game concept on Kasich, Drinks for the candidates in tonight's debate, and Debate drinking game rules for Carly Fiorina, Governor Goodhair dropped out of the contest.  Wochit has the report in Rick Perry to End 2016 Bid.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced Friday he is suspending his presidential campaign, making him the first Republican candidate to end his 2016 White House bid.

"I am suspending my campaign for the presidency of the United States," Perry is expected to say, according to prepared remarks announcing the end of his campaign. He said in a statement: "We have a tremendous field - the best in a generation - so I step aside knowing our party is in good hands, and as long as we listen to the grassroots, the cause of conservatism will be too."

"I share this news with no regrets. It has been a privilege and an honor to travel this country, to speak with the American people about their hopes and dreams, to see a sense of optimism prevalent despite a season of cynical politics."

That wasn't all.  Follow over the jump for Perry's parting shots at Trump, who stands to benefit from Perry's exit, and the effects on the debate.

Trump's supporters display their poor writing skills

I'm not through with The Penguin Donald this week.  I stumbled across this item from The Moderate Voice found via Crooks and Liars that demonstrates how one can tell a lot about candidates through their supporters.

Why are we not surprised that Carly Fiorina’s fans have the best grammar, spelling and punctuation among the Republican presidential candidates and Donald Trump’s have the worst?

That’s based on an analysis from Grammarly, an automated proofreading company, which evaluated the supporters of the GOP candidates. Fiorina’s fans had 6.3 errors per hundred words in their Facebook comments, while Trump’s backers had 12.6 errors per 100 words. Only comments of 15 words or more were analyzed, and Grammarly ignored common slang words and stylistic variations (for instance, the use of serial commas, using numerals instead of spelling out numbers, using contractions). In total, roughly 9,000 words were evaluated for each candidate.

In ascending order of misteaks . . . er, mistakes per 100 words, Ben Carson’s supporters were second with 6.6, Lindsay Graham and George Pataki with 7.2 each, Ted Cruz 7.7, John Kasich 7.7, Jeb Bush 7.9, Mike Huckabee 8.0, Bobby Jindal 8.2, Chris Christie 8.3, Rand Paul 8.4, Marco Rubio 8.8, Scott Walker 10.6, Ric Santorum 11.5, and Rick Perry second-to-last with 12.5.

Follow over the jump for a graphic from USA Today showing these findings.

WXYZ on Trump visiting Michigan

As if Donald Trump's possible problems with Michigan's sore loser law wasn't enough, The Penguin The Donald is visiting Michigan itself today.  As the man makes for great TV, just like he does great copy,* WXYZ has devoted a lot of air time to him and his candidacy yesterday and today.  The coverage began with INTERVIEW: Analyzing Donald Trump.


I made quite clear in WXYZ previews marijuana legalization for the 2016 ballot that I have little respect for Rocky Raczkowski, but I have to give him credit here about the eventual fate of Trump's campaign, although I think his prediction that Trump's supporters may end up voting for Ted Cruz strikes me as a bit of wishful thinking.  Yes, Cruz and Trump have the same anti-Establishment message, but those people could just as easily go to Ben Carson or Carly Fiorina, as Cruz.  As for the Kiska, that's a more reasonable suggestion, but I doubt reason has much to do with Trump's popularity.  Emotion drives it, and Scott Walker doesn't seem to generate much of that except among union members, who hate his guts.

Enough analysis.  Follow over the jump for two reports on today's visit to Birch Run, Michigan.

Drinks for the candidates in tonight's debate

I concluded Proof of drinking game concept on Kasich with "Two candidates down, eight to go.  Stay tuned."  I took care of drinks for Kasich and Trump, now it's time for the rest of the candidates.  Follow over the jump for the rest of the drinking game at You Might Notice A Trend along with drinks for the remaining eight candidates.

Examiner.com article on Trump combing in second in Michigan

Walker leads Trump by a hair in Michigan

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has a mere one percent lead with fifteen percent over real estate mogul and reality television star Donald Trump and the rest of the Republican field in Michigan according to a poll released Tuesday, June 30, by Public Policy Polling.  Trump is in a three-way tie at fourteen percent with physician and Detroit native Ben Carson and former Florida Governor John Ellis "Jeb" Bush.  The rest of the Republican field has support in the single digits with Florida Senator Marco Rubio coming in closest at nine percent.

Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling, said in a statement "Donald Trump's in the top tier of the Republican field for a second consecutive week in our polling.  Time will tell how long the Trump Bump lasts, but it's at least two weeks at this point."

The same survey found former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with a commanding lead over the Democratic field at fifty-seven percent.  Bernie Sanders came in second, far behind Clinton at twenty-five percent.  The remaining Democratic contenders fell even farther behind with support in the single digits.

The poll also found that Clinton would defeat any of the Republican candidates in Michigan by margins of three to ten percent.  Kentucky Senator Rand Paul came in closest at three percent, while Trump and Texas Senator Raphael "Ted" Cruz would both lose to Clinton by ten percent.

Not only has Trump combed in second in New Hampshire poll once, he did it three more times, once again in New Hampshire, once nationally, and now here in Michigan.  Trump as Penguin for President is kicking butt, even if Univision has fired him.  Not only am I getting mileage out of him here at Crazy Eddie's Motie News (the second and third most read entries last month were about The Donald), I'm making some money covering him at Examiner.com.  I'll make even more if my readers support my reporting by clicking on the link in the headline.

Stay tuned for a celebration of Canada Day and this month's Nablopomo theme.  Hint, it's recycled.

Time for a Scott Walker label

Chad at The Hipcrime Vocab posted Polical Collapse in Wisconsin last week.

I normally don't talk state politics, but lately you can't go anywhere without hearing that Scott Walker is the frontrunner for the Rebublican nomination for president by running Wisconsin into the ground. Seriously, despite all the corruption probes, Walker's term has been, from a purely objective, nonpolitical standpoint, an unmitigated disaster.

The next paragraph mentioned that "We lost an opportunity to invest in new infrastructure - the light rail money instead went to California and the jobs left the state."  That prompted me to search my blog for posts about Scott Walker and the first one to catch my eye was Why do Tea Partiers hate high-speed rail?  That was four years ago and he has only gotten worse.

More from Chad.

The very specific promises Walker made for job growth were conveniently forgotten (150,000 new jobs!!!). The emphasis on busting unions and holding down wages has - surprise, surprise - not caused the state economy to blossom, and the state is even back in the red, despite cutting services and raising fees, because Walker has doled out so many tax cuts to the very rich.

So here is a list of the most recent hits, starting with a 220 million dollar subsidy to the billionaires of the professional sports cartel while cutting 300 million from my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin...

Read the rest at The Hipcrime Vocab.  Scott Walker has been a busy (and bad) boy.

Chad's post reminded me that now that Scott Walker is a leading GOP candidate for President, I need a label for him.  How does Total Recall sound? It will fit right in with calling Romney Willard the Rat, Santorum The Froth, and Rand Paul Aqua Buddha.

Time for me to find all the relevant entries and add the label.  See you later; I'll be busy!

Today on Science Fiction Political Theater...

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 Arnold Schwarzenegger can't have all the fun.

Why do Tea Partiers hate high-speed rail?

In the first Silly Sustainability Saturday, I quoted an article from the St. Petersburg Times: Tea party members tackle a new issue: manatees.

Everybody knows what the tea party members oppose. High taxes. Big government. Obama's health care plan. High-speed rail.

That same article was reposted to Oh No They Didn't Political on LiveJournal. LJ user cecilia_ weasley started a thread by asking "why would Tea Partiers be opposed to high-speed rail. I gave a slightly smart-aleck response, "After all, haven't they read "Atlas Shrugged"?  It's all about railroads!" To which cecilia_weasley replied:

I haven't read that yet, I barely could read The Fountainhead. (ugh) But seriously, why would anyone oppose developing infrastructure? Making it easier for people to get from A to B? IDGI Americans, pls to help me.

I finally have an answer for her, but LiveJournal is under a DDoS attack and I can't post there right now, so I'll post a link and extract here.

Alternet: Why Do Conservatives Hate High-Speed Rail? 5 Reasons Right-Wingers Are Sabotaging Public Transportation Projects
In addition to busting unions and gutting voting rights, Tea Party governors are refusing federal funding for high-speed rail. What do they have against it?