Disaffected Democrats, and Republicans looking to give President Obama a headache, have an eccentric presidential candidate running as a Democrat they can support: satirist Vermin Supreme.
This isn’t the first campaign for Vermin Supreme — his actual name, as it appears on ballots. For years he has provided offbeat humor and commentary in his runs for public office.
Vermin told The Daily Caller he doesn’t know if Obama and Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz “are quaking in their panties,” but said “they are certainly declining my demand to a debate.”
He is participating in a lesser-known candidates debate Friday with anti-abortion activist Randall Terry, who is also running as a Democrat. Vermin said that, himself aside, Terry is obviously the biggest vermin running for office.
“I have, in any case, offered the opportunity to disillusioned Dems in New Hampshire to make a real statement this election season,” said Vermin.
He hopes that conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh will provide some much-needed support. “Hopefully, Rush will mobilize his Ditto Heads to vote for me,” said Vermin, making a reference to Limbaugh’s “Operation Chaos” plan to convince conservatives to vote for Hillary Clinton in 2008 in order to extend the Democratic primary season.
Vermin is campaigning on several overlooked policy issues.
“The single most important issue in America today: the lack of strong mandatory tooth-brushing laws,” he said. “The other single most important issue in America today: zombie preparedness. The third single most important issue in America today: time travel research. The fourth single most important issue in America today: the FREE Ponies for all Americans Jobs Act, a.k.a. the National Identification Pony Program.”
After an unsuccessful Republican bid for president in 2008, Vermin decided to switch parties.
“As a rule, I feel more comfortable on the Republican slate,” he said. “This election year, however, I thought long and hard. I polled my constituents. Some seriously disagreed with my decision to change parties, but I became convinced it was a matter of principle.
“In the end, I felt it was my duty as an American to offer the president a credible primary challenge in New Hampshire,” said Vermin. “I also felt it important to offer disaffected DemocRATs [sic], a choice on their ballot that is clearly a message vote.”
“I was a RINO, now I’m a DINO,” Vermin quipped.
“I’m going to switch back right after the primary, maybe even before, just to throw a curve ball. Quite frankly, my constituency crosses a very wide swath of the political spectrum. My camPAIN [sic] transcends political parties, and political panties for that matter.”
In 2008 Vermin, upset by being “ignored,” put his megaphone to a window in Manchester, New Hampshire, behind which Fox News pollster Frank Luntz was conducting a debate focus group. “I can see you Bobbie! You can’t ignore me,” he shouted at columnist Robert Novak, as Ron Paul supporters put signs in other windows.
“It is only the dogmatic, and the humorless, that don’t succumb to my charm,” said Vermin.
Taking a serious tone, Vermin noted that people are disillusioned with the Obama presidency. “When you create Hope in people, you create expectations,” he said. “When you do not fulfill those expectations, when the change becomes more of the same old, same old, the Hope that was created can only turn to anger, frustration and bitter disappointment.”
Vermin believes that “it will be the amazing success of his campaign message of Hope in ’08 that will cost him votes in ’12. That is why I am the ‘Candidate of No Hope, No Change, and Bitter Disappointment!'”
Obama supporters can take solace, however, in the fact that Vermin won a mere 43 votes in the 2008 New Hampshire Republican primary. Without Limbaugh using his megaphone, his chances look slim.
Limbaugh did not respond to TheDC’s request for comment.
A more serious attempt to recruit a primary challenger to President Obama fizzled when New Hampshire’s deadline for candidate filing was moved forward, an action that four-time independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader said “pulled the rug from under us.”