March, 2009
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Independent Political Report
March 23rd, 2009
As an interesting beginning to a possible run for U.S. Senate, political activist and comedian Randy Credico showed up at at a senate meeting in the New York Capital in a toga and sandles. The Huffington Post described the scene:
Credico who dressed as the ancient Greek Philosopher Diogenes, rudely interrupted a Senate committee meeting in the State Capital…wearing a face mask of an old man with a very long white beard, Credico walked the room back and forth while holding a lit lantern.
“I am here looking for an honest politician”
A photo of Credico as Diogenes appears in a Greek newspaper: here. There is a youtube: here.
The Huffington Post notes that, “Political reporter Elizabeth Benjamin of the NY Daily News recently reported that Credico was poised to announce that he’s creating an exploratory committee in advance of a possible primary challenge to US Sen. Chuck Schumer [Democrat] in 2010.”
A note at Randy Credico’s Flickr account notes that he is exploring the Democratic nomination. Though, in the past, Randy Credico has appeared more interested in independent or third party runs. Credico’s comedy on WBAI Radio 99.5FM in NYC often pokes fun at both sides of the political duopoly. Credico’s proposed Senate platform promises an immediate end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and an end to the “Drug War at home and abroad.”
In the lead up to the 2006 New York Gubernatorial election, Credico appeared on WBAI discussing a possible run for Governor, and put out feelers to the Green Party, which garnered him on-air phone calls of support from several area greens.
On Monday, March 23, 2009, Randy Credico released an e-mail with his Huffington Post write-up to his e-mail announce circle.
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La túnica de Neso
Diógenes en el comité del Senado de los EEUU
21 Marzo 2009
La reunión de ayer del Senado norteamericano fue interrumpida cuando de repente entró en la sala… ¡el antiguo filósofo griego Diógenes! Con una larga túnica blanca y portando en la mano una lámpara, el antiguo filósofo pretendía hacer algunas preguntas a los legisladores presentes y declaró que iba «en busca de una político honesto». Ver vídeo.
Los senadores rechazaron la petición de formular preguntas del inusual visitante, le dijeron que tuviera cuidado con la llama y se llevaron un evidente alivio cuando dejó la habitación. El papel de Diógenes fue desempeñado por el comediante y activista político Randy Credico, presidente del Instituto William Moses Künstler para la Justicia Racial, una institución que desde hace más de dos décadas lucha por los derechos civiles en los EE.UU.
Diógenes de Sínope, el “Cínico”, nació en Sínope en torno al año 412 a.C. y murió en Corinto el 323 a.C. Diógenes es considerado el máximo representante de la filosofía cínica y fue discípulo del fundador de esta corriente, Antístenes. Su doctrina fue considerada revolucionaria y subversiva para el orden que prevalecía en su tiempo. Considera que el hombre sólo será feliz si vuelve a la naturaleza y que sólo con el autodominio, la disciplina y la autosuficiencia podrá obtenerla.
De Diógenes la historia nos ha dejado la imagen de austeridad con la que vivió y su espíritu crítico. Según la tradición, vivía en un tonel y caminaba por las calles de la antigua Atenas con una linterna. A quienes le preguntaban qué iba buscando con una lámpara a plena luz del sol, el hombre sabio les respondía: “Estoy buscando gente honesta».
Filed in: Campaign News, La Prensa
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March 20, 2009
By Anthony Papa, Huffington Post
Imagine putting a New York City comedian in a political showdown against the senior senator of New York State? Well, it may happen. There is talk of such a showdown floating around cyberspace. Randy Credico political activist and the official comedian of the Fred Dicker radio show is contemplating about entering the race for Senator Chuck Schumer’s seat.
This week, Credico who dressed as the ancient Greek Philosopher Diogenes, rudely interrupted a Senate committee meeting in the State Capital. Dressed in a white toga with sandals, wearing a face mask of an old man with a very long white beard, Credico walked the room back and forth while holding a lit lantern.
“I am here looking for an honest politician” he said. The startled Senators refused to answer questions that spun from the mask of Diogenes who in ancient times roamed the streets in poverty while carrying a lamp in the daylight looking for an honest man. The story is spreading far and wide and even was picked up by a Greek television station.
Credico has already put up a website called Credico2010.com
On it you can view his political platform which includes :
• Immediate pull out of Afghanistan
• Immediate pull out of Iraq
• Immediate pull out of Colombia
• End Drug War at home and abroad
• Repeal Patriot Act
• Legalization of Marijuana
• Abolish Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
• Repeal 1996 Omnibus Crime Bill
• Constitutional amendment abolishing death penalty
He also speaks of Senator Schumer and says, “No one is more responsible for the Nation’s financial meltdown than Chuck “Pay to Play” Schumer who took millions in campaign contributions in return for gutting oversight and regulation of our financial sector. Chuck Schumer has been a prostitute for corporate America at the expense of the average citizen. Chuck Schumer has taken millions from Wall Street, Bankers, Traders and even got a check from Bernie Madoff — although Madoff makes Schumer look honest.”
Political reporter Elizabeth Benjamin of the NY Daily News recently reported that Credico was poised to announce that he’s creating an exploratory committee in advance of a possible primary challenge to US Sen. Chuck Schumer in 2010.”
When asked about the possibility of entering the Senate race Credico waxed poetically “It would be a great race…a comedian versus a clown…Chuckles the Clown 2! It’s a humorist vs. a schumerist.”
If I were a betting man I would put the ranch and maybe the barn down that I will actually make my campaign official because Senator Schumer has betrayed the progressive agenda and a become an agent for Corporate America.
Someone has to draw public attention to Schumer’s track record of trading big campaign contributions to the DSCC and his own campaign committee for votes and legislation to end the regulation and oversight of Wall Street. This, more than any other single factor caused the meltdown of America’s economy.
Every Democrat in the state knows this is true but they don’t have the integrity to take on Chuckles the Clown…The democratic party of New York should change their symbol from donkey to sheep.
Only time will tell if Credico decides to throw his hat in the ring. Stay tuned.
Filed in: Campaign News
By admin
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The New York Daily News
March 13, 2009
By Elizabeth Benjamin
So, this ought to be fun.
Randy Credico, drug law reform activist, comedian and all-around gadfly, is poised to announce he’s creating an exploratory committee in advance of a possible primary challenge US Sen. Chuck Schumer in 2010.
Credico confirmed he has purchased the domain name “Credico2010.com” and sent over this screen-grab of a mock campaign Website.
The site is still in development and being created by a Web designer in Buenos Aires (Credico has long had ties there and drew his inspiration for the anti-drug law group he created, Mothers of the New York Disappeared, from the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina).
The site is going live this weekend, Credico said.
Although he has long been a fixture on the New York State politics scene (he worked on Tom Golisano’s last gubernatorial campaign in 2002, but has been advocating for reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws for far longer than that), Credico has never before run for elected office.
He insisted to me in an email that this would be a serious effort, if he does indeed decide to turn the exploration into a real campaign, saying:
“I have a bunch of volunteers and a finance chairman…No other Democrat will run against Schumer, so that leaves it up to me. I haven’t officially announced, but I do have the exploratory committee and will be fundraising (and keeping perfect books). I have a lot of friends who are comics who will be working with me. I am funnier than Al Franken, and more serious as well!!
Then Credico tried out several campaign slogans, such as: “Schumer is our Lieberman. Randy is our Ned Lamont.” Another one he likes is: “He took away your job, now let’s take away his.”
Schumer hasn’t faced a primary challenge since he defeated Mark Green and Geraldine Ferrero in 1998 and went on to beat ex-GOP Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, in the general election.
He won his last re-election bid in 2004 with an historic 71 percent of the vote, and has only grown in stature – and power – ever since, helping flip the US Senate into Democratic control and subsequently becoming the No. 3 man in the chamber.
So it’s an understatement to say Schumer probably doesn’t have a whole lot to worry about here, but Credico could undoubtedly make a nuisance of himself.
Credico is perhaps best known for his impressions – he does a good Nixon – which he dusts off from time to time as a guest on Fred Dicker’s radio show.
This ability got him mixed up in the odd mini-scandal of GOP consultant Roger Stone’s alleged angry phone call to former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s father. (Stone still insists that wasn’t him).
Stone and Credico go back a ways, (Stone worked for Golisano in 2002, too), but Credico says the consultant isn’t involved in his potential Senate bid.
Last summer, Credico was in the news again – this time for being arrested after a dust-up with the police near his Gay Street home, where he routinely warns pot smokers against lighting because it’s a popular spot for police busts.
Filed in: Campaign News