Althouse: "I gotta find out where I can do a better job. Can I do a better job from the outside, kind of working the perimeter of the political scene, being open to talk to anybody?"

July 17, 2017

"I gotta find out where I can do a better job. Can I do a better job from the outside, kind of working the perimeter of the political scene, being open to talk to anybody?"

"Or are you better off from the inside, and we are in the process of determining that."

Caitlyn Jenner muses about running for office. The U.S. Senate is the proposed entry point. Why not? When you're a star, they let you go in wherever you want. Look at Kid Rock. Look at Donald Trump.

85 comments:

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Yes we can be governed by the entertainment industry.

Idiocracy is real.; 7/17/17, 7:44 AM
Michael K said...: Too weird. Only California would consider such a person.; 7/17/17, 7:46 AM
David Begley said...: Jenner would be better than Di Fi and Harris.; 7/17/17, 7:51 AM
rhhardin said...: Politics needs more fairy dust.; 7/17/17, 7:52 AM
Fernandinande said...: The U.S. Senate is the proposed entry point.

A more appropriate entry point would be the freak show at a county fair. "Step up and see the future senator's scars!"; 7/17/17, 7:54 AM
rhhardin said...: A pronoun battle in the senate would be fun.; 7/17/17, 7:56 AM
rhhardin said...: Roberta's rules of order.; 7/17/17, 7:57 AM
Chuck said...: Michael K said...
Too weird. Only California would consider such a person.

I wish it were confined to California. (Sonny Bono, Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

But there's Minnesota (Jesse Ventura.) And Iowa (Fred Grandy of "The Love Boat.") And the host of former athletes from Oklahoma, North Carolina, Kentucky, etc.; 7/17/17, 7:57 AM
rhhardin said...: I'd go with the gender-neutral "it" for congressmen.; 7/17/17, 7:58 AM
Bob Ellison said...: Why so serious, Chuck? Fred Grandy played a goofy character on TV, and later went on to be a Congressman. Better that than someone who played a serious person in real life and went on to be a goof in government.; 7/17/17, 8:04 AM
Kevin said...: If she doesn't win, it's because all the Democrats in California are Trans-phobic.; 7/17/17, 8:07 AM
Dave from Minnesota said...: I heard Grandy speak years ago. He may have used his TV fame to get into office, but he was a serious intelligent person.; 7/17/17, 8:08 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Fred Grandy's Political Career - wiki

Unknown to most television viewers during the height of his stardom on The Love Boat, Grandy's political interests preceded his acting career. Apart from his friendship with David Eisenhower, he also served as a speechwriter for Wiley Mayne, the Republican congressman from his home district, Iowa's 6th congressional district.[2]

With Mayne's successor, Democrat Berkley Bedell, deciding not to run in 1986, Grandy, a Republican, campaigned for the open Iowa United States House of Representatives seat, beating challenger Clayton Hodgson by two percentage points (51.0% to 49.0%). Although he tried to distance himself from his acting career (at the time), he conceded to People magazine that "if there were no Gopher, there would be no Fred Grandy for Congress."[2]

During his four terms in Congress, he served on a variety of committees, including Ways and Means, Agriculture, Standards of Official Conduct, and Education and the Workforce. While a member of Congress, Grandy won eight "Watchdog of the Treasury" awards.

In 1994, Grandy declined to run for another Congressional term and instead entered the Republican primary race for Governor of Iowa against incumbent Terry Branstad, but lost the election by nearly four percentage points.; 7/17/17, 8:11 AM
Dave from Minnesota said...: I've also heard Paul Wellstone speak (I infiltrated a Democrat party event once). I'll take a Hollywood actor over a leftwing college professor any day. {so as not to be mis-interpreted .. AA is a skilled law professor. Wellstone was a political activist who was in the political science department}; 7/17/17, 8:12 AM
Ralph L said...: So is Jenner a lesbian now? I haven't seen anything about it wanting to trade its dick for someone else's.; 7/17/17, 8:13 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Not behind a wheel. Typical female driver.

-RH; 7/17/17, 8:16 AM
John henry said...: But can we grab Caitlyn by the pussy?

Or does he still have a dick?

Would this be a legitimate question to ask of a politician?

John Henry; 7/17/17, 8:21 AM
Michael K said...: The guy who crashed the California energy market was also the producer of "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" so California has a good precedent of electing nutcases.

Steve Peace was the author of the California electricity crisis.; 7/17/17, 8:26 AM
Kevin said...: Why so serious, Chuck?

Chuck would rather entrust the government of the United States the faculty of Harvard University than to to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory.; 7/17/17, 8:29 AM
traditionalguy said...: To the longest goes the win...simply see their finger length . Boob size is a more complex indicator,requiring adjustments to raw data by body fat and water weight.; 7/17/17, 8:32 AM
Kevin said...: But there's Minnesota (Jesse Ventura.)

You see Chuck, it's right there. Minnesota. Crazy celebrities running for office. And you put down Ventura. And stop.

Any LLR would immediately include Al Franken. But your list of people who should never have run, outside of Independent Ventura, is all Republicans.

And you wonder why people wonder about you?; 7/17/17, 8:39 AM
Unknown said...: Like all trannies Bruce is a freak show. We should be talking about institutionalizing him not having him be a US senator.; 7/17/17, 8:40 AM
Dave from Minnesota said...: The thing about Caitlyn.....only a 65 year old man would think that name is appropriate for a 65 year old lady. Jenner must be the only senior citizen named Caitlyn.; 7/17/17, 8:40 AM
tcrosse said...: I wish it were confined to California. (Sonny Bono, Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

Don't forget George Murphy and Ronald Reagan.; 7/17/17, 8:40 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: Jenner should first tell us what ISSUES she cares about, rather than try to harness votes due to her celebrity status.

And if Jenner has some good policy prescriptions, well, I would listen with an open mind.; 7/17/17, 8:42 AM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: Cool. Turning government into a freak show will weaken it faster than any amount of reform or fiscal discipline. If you're for small government, if you want people to be openly disdainful of the statist control creeps, then Jenner should be your guy.; 7/17/17, 8:42 AM
Rae said...: Kid Rock and Caitlyn Jenner 2024! They're a unity ticket!; 7/17/17, 8:42 AM
Humperdink said...: Recall when Zoe Lofgren (D-Oz, aka Kalifornia) invited noted immigration expert, Stephen Colbert, to testify before her committee in 2010.

Those in the entertainment industry, who play pretend for a living, hold a special place in the hearts of the opposition party. The D's view these clowns as experts on all matters of American culture, when in fact they are an aberration (See the aforementioned Jenner).; 7/17/17, 8:43 AM
JHapp said...: "When You're a Star ... Grab 'em by the ..." - Donald Trump's most infamous quote.; 7/17/17, 8:46 AM
tcrosse said...: But there's Minnesota (Jesse Ventura.)

In that election, Ventura was the least undesirable of the candidates. The DFLer was Skip Humphrey, a well-connected sleazeball lawyer. The Republican was Norm Coleman, a rank opportunist and a disaster on the stump. Jesse actually did some good as Governor, at least in the first two years before he lost interest. And he had the good grace to drop out of politics afterwards.; 7/17/17, 8:48 AM
rhhardin said...: Richard the loin-hearted.; 7/17/17, 8:49 AM
Dave from Minnesota said...: I used to listen to Ventura's radio program. He actually came across as reasonable and somewhat intelligent. At that time he was a conservativel leaning libertarian.

He wasn't nearly as goofy then. Some people speculate if steroid use from his wrestling days are messing him up now.; 7/17/17, 8:51 AM
Chuck said...: Kevin said...
But there's Minnesota (Jesse Ventura.)

You see Chuck, it's right there. Minnesota. Crazy celebrities running for office. And you put down Ventura. And stop.

Any LLR would immediately include Al Franken. But your list of people who should never have run, outside of Independent Ventura, is all Republicans.

I should have included Al Franken! I stand corrected. Let's by all means include Al Franken. My mistake in not mentioning him.

I did (mentioning "athletes... from North Carolina") obliquely refer to Democrat Heath Shuler. And to make the point further, there are other Democrats using celebrity status to gain elective office. Martha Reeves (of Martha and the Vandellas) was a multi-term, utterly incompetent City Councilwoman in Detroit. Democrat, naturally.

I am sure that there are other Democrats. I hope others continue the listing.; 7/17/17, 8:54 AM
Dave from Minnesota said...: Back when I was a never Trumper, someone asked me about a Reagan comparison. Besides being a labor head and governor, Reagan was just a smart knower of many things.

I picked up the book about his radio commentary show from the 70s. Read the transcripts that he wrote, including the edits he made. Another book on letters he wrote over the years. Ronald Reagan was not a novelty candidate who was using acting fame to get into office. He was a deep thinker and principled American.; 7/17/17, 8:55 AM
Chuck said...: Chuck would rather entrust the government of the United States the faculty of Harvard University than to to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory.

No. I would rather entrust the government of the United States to the staff of the Federalist Society, than the NBC Thursday Night Lineup. But since that isn't going to happen, I'll stick with "voters."; 7/17/17, 8:56 AM
traditionalguy said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/17/17, 9:00 AM
George M. Spencer said...: At least if she switches parties after a few years, no one will be surprised.; 7/17/17, 9:00 AM
traditionalguy said...: FTR: Trump did not say that he grabs women by the pussy or that he reccommends doing that. He merely observed that the career first gold digger types will even let a man grab them by the pussy if they are wealthy or powerful in Entertainment Land. It's all about Glamour.; 7/17/17, 9:00 AM
Bob Ellison said...: Al Franken wrote Why Not Me. The context and funniness of that book partly make up for Franken's goofiness in public office.; 7/17/17, 9:01 AM
Dave from Minnesota said...: Al was kind of interesting. He moved from Manhattan to a condo in downtown Minneapolis to run for Senate. Although I believe he still maintains a residence in NYC yet.
He brought in a staff of out-of-staters to work on his campaign.; 7/17/17, 9:02 AM
Wilbur said...: A Kid Rock and Caitlyn Jenner ticket?

Kid Rock and Rid Cock.; 7/17/17, 9:14 AM
Achilles said...: The discussions about who should and shouldn't run for congress are kinda sad. It is a representative body.

The only professions we should ban from running for office are lawyers and journalists.; 7/17/17, 9:17 AM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: "I gotta find out where..."

Please! The correct spelling is "eyegutuh." I do wish newspaper, magazine, and book proof readers and TV closed caption writers would get this right!.

Same for the companion word "euegutuh."; 7/17/17, 9:27 AM
Curious George said...: "Wilbur said...
A Kid Rock and Caitlyn Jenner ticket?

Kid Rock and Rid Cock."

Gold.; 7/17/17, 9:30 AM
rehajm said...: Are we supposed to me marveling at the (low) quality of the celebrities believing they now have a chance at higher office because of Trump? I've never noticed a difference in the quality of the celebrity politician vs the 'traditional' politician. Different paths, is all...; 7/17/17, 9:33 AM
Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...: Bob Ellison: "Better that than someone who played a serious person in real life and went on to be a goof in government."

John McCain?; 7/17/17, 9:33 AM
Michael K said...: " I hope others continue the listing."

There is Steve Peace, producer of "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" who became a state senator in California and who wrote the bill that destroyed the California electricity market.; 7/17/17, 9:44 AM
Chuck said...: We may be too focused on the celebrity candidates who won their elections. Because there are many who lost. Shirley Temple. Clay Aiken. Lynn Swann. Nancy Kulp. Melissa Gilbert. I can't even think of all of them; we never remember the losers.; 7/17/17, 9:44 AM
n.n said...: I wonder if Jenner will further the cause of targeting prepubescent and adolescent boys and girls for transgender conversion therapy.

Democrats in California are Trans-phobic

They are transphobic, and it required a transgender judge to overrule them. Then the transgender activists went on an adventure targeting Mormons, and Republicans, for what was mostly a Catholic and Democratic transgression. It's probably not a coincidence that the favored symbol to represent the transgender spectrum: the rainbow, is a construct based on division and exclusion: rarefication of white and exclusion of black. The transgender political activists are acolytes of the Pro-Choice Church.; 7/17/17, 9:44 AM
Michael K said...: went on to be a goof in government."

John McCain?

I can't explain John McCain. It may be age or the blood clot in his brain.

I was a volunteer for him in 2000; I voted for him reluctantly in 2008 and he was too old then.

He could have retired gracefully any time.; 7/17/17, 9:46 AM
Michael K said...: Lynn Swan probably would have made a good Senator from Pennsylvania. He is now Athletic Director at USC.

Anybody would be better than Casey who was elected because enough people thought he was his father.

One problem the celebrities have is they want to start at the top.; 7/17/17, 9:50 AM
mockturtle said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/17/17, 10:10 AM
mockturtle said...: Michael K develops a nifty little verse above:

I can't explain
John McCain.
It may be age
or the blood clot
on his brain.; 7/17/17, 10:11 AM
Kevin said...: One problem the celebrities have is they want to start at the top.

No, they're willing to be US Senators...; 7/17/17, 10:12 AM
Michael K said...: I'm a poet and don't know it.; 7/17/17, 10:13 AM
Kevin said...: Whatever it is
John's gone somewhat insane
And I think we agree
He should no longer remain; 7/17/17, 10:13 AM
mockturtle said...: Funny how Trump is usually portrayed as a TV personality rather than a hard-working and successful businessman. Funny but not surprising, of course.; 7/17/17, 10:14 AM
Kevin said...: One problem the celebrities have is they want to start at the top.

We should be fair to them, however. They generally care about national issues, not having lived any place long enough to care about the local ones.

Clint Eastwood, notwithstanding.

And the road to a House seat is generally paved with party loyalties. Their fame is an asset precisely because they can use it to draw broadly from the population, making a Senate seat more available to them than a gerrymandered House seat.; 7/17/17, 10:19 AM
Kevin said...: If we would just add a third branch of Congress, say the 100 most popular people in the country over the age of 18, we would finally be able to acknowledge our true roots as a representative democracy.

And maybe we'd stop looking to Washington to solve all our problems.; 7/17/17, 10:22 AM
exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...: Chuck pointed out " the host of former athletes from Oklahoma, North Carolina, Kentucky, etc."

JC Watts of Oklahoma was a college football star - and is a solid, competent, intelligent conservative. One has to wonder why a life-long Republican would complain about him.

I hate the idea of voting for celebs or former athletes just because they are celebs or former athletes, but I don’t like the idea of automatically dismissing them because *sniff, sniff* they don’t have law degrees from the right schools, as if lawyers have done such a bang up job of running this country. Being a celeb or a sports star gives them an advantage as far as name recognition goes, but if they sound like sensible, intelligent people, if they have good ideas, I’ll give them as much consideration as I would any other candidate.; 7/17/17, 10:33 AM
mockturtle said...: Exiled argues: JC Watts of Oklahoma was a college football star - and is a solid, competent, intelligent conservative. One has to wonder why a life-long Republican would complain about him.

Indeed. He and Steve Largent, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, ran for Congress about the same time and both served with competence and integrity.; 7/17/17, 10:49 AM
ALP said...: Whoa, no mention of "South Park"? The creators placed Caitlyn Jenner in the role of VP candidate to Mr. Garrison's "Trump" presidential candidate two seasons ago. And now this individual is considering running for office?

Is "South Park" reflecting politics or influencing it on a level we have yet to understand?; 7/17/17, 10:51 AM
mockturtle said...: It is disheartening for young members of Congress to find that they are just pawns of the Party leadership and have to spend most of their time fund-raising. And if they refuse to play along with the senior members they are shut out from any meaningful involvement. Congress is a self-sustaining, self-preserving power structure. Term limits are a good start toward reform.; 7/17/17, 10:53 AM
Comanche Voter said...: Well Caitlin lives in Califoernia. And his/her potential entry points were Barbara Boxer (dumber than a sack of hammers) or maybe the increasingly enfeebled Dianne Feinstein. Given a choice between Kamala Harris and Caitlin, I'd be hard pressed to vote for either. But I'd go for Caitlin over Kamala. May as well go full California weird.; 7/17/17, 10:58 AM
Wilbur said...: What mockturtle said.; 7/17/17, 11:01 AM
Wilbur said...: I'd certainly vote for Jenner over anyone the Democrat party would choose to offer. Do not underestimate him.; 7/17/17, 11:02 AM
Wilbur said...: Her.; 7/17/17, 11:03 AM
Dave from Minnesota said...: Don't forget about Green Bay Packer Mark Chmura.

He was thinking of running for....US Senate?....from Wisconsin, as a Republican. But he forgot a rule that every man should live by. Don't get drunk and go into a swimming pool with high school girls.; 7/17/17, 11:04 AM
Chuck said...: Wilbur said...
I'd certainly vote for Jenner over anyone the Democrat party would choose to offer. Do not underestimate him.

But the first question is whether you'd vote for Jenner in a primary. I guess the next question is who you'd get to choose from, in a California GOP primary? Who the hell is running? There are a lot of notable GOP congressmen from California, but I don't think any of them want to give up their seats, as they would have to, to run in what would almost certainly be a losing campaign. Who was the last Republican U.S. Senator from California, anyway?

Very much unlike Michigan (Bob Young v. Kid Rock), California doesn't have any bench of Republicans ready to run, do they?; 7/17/17, 11:12 AM
Michael K said...: "California doesn't have any bench of Republicans ready to run, do they?"

One outstanding guy is Tom McClintock. He should have been governor years ago but his campaign was kneecapped by that idiot RINO, Bill Simon. He came in and sucked up all the money in the state and lost big time. He lost, of all things, to Gray Davis who was so bad he was recalled after the great electricity implosion.

McClintock is still in Congress but the sate is now so leftist that no Republican can win statewide office unless the illegals are purged for the voting rolls.; 7/17/17, 11:19 AM
Anonymous said...: @exiled ... Don't forget Jim Bunning, and Jack Kemp both of whom did a good job in Congress.; 7/17/17, 11:24 AM
Etienne said...: I wonder how Kim Howe's surviving children think about this?; 7/17/17, 11:38 AM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/17/17, 11:39 AM
tcrosse said...: Don't get drunk and go into a swimming pool with high school girls.

Jon Grunseth, call your office; 7/17/17, 11:40 AM
Anonymous said...: Just for fun I googled "professional athletes in Congress" The results were a little
broader, but there were quite a few (Chuck might even recognize a couple) Bill Bradley; Bunning; Ben Nighthorse Campbell; Kemp; Largent; Bob Mathias; Wilmer "Lefty" Mizell; Jim Ryun; Heath Schuler; John Runyan: Mo Udall. ( and, Chuck, don't tell me the later Olympians I cited aren't pros.); 7/17/17, 11:42 AM
Chuck said...: Khesanh 0802 said...
@exiled ... Don't forget Jim Bunning, and Jack Kemp both of whom did a good job in Congress.

Jack Kemp was brilliant. Jim Bunning had descended into senile dementia by the time his last term expired. He had been told not to run again by the Senate leadership.; 7/17/17, 11:47 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: My Leftwing friends in California believe that Kamala Harris is the front-runner for the Dem Presidential nomination in 2020. She's younger than Elizabeth Warren, more attractive, and a real minority (half-black, half-Indian).

She checks all the liberal boxes.; 7/17/17, 12:14 PM
Michael K said...: "She checks all the liberal boxes."

Yes, and judging by her harassment of witnesses, she is nasty enough for them.

She did not look good in that televised hearing two weeks ago.; 7/17/17, 12:21 PM
Static Ping said...: Chuck But the first question is whether you'd vote for Jenner in a primary.

That's more interesting now because the California primary system puts the two top vote getters, regardless of party, in the general election. That is why there were two Democrats last time. Winning the Republican primary could be insufficient.

Who was the last Republican U.S. Senator from California, anyway?

John Seymour, who was appointed to Pete Wilson's seat after he resigned to become governor. Feinstein defeated Seymour in the special election in 1992. Pete Wilson was the last Republican to be elected. That was in 1988.; 7/17/17, 12:28 PM
Fritz said...: Derrick Gotman said...
Like all trannies Bruce is a freak show. We should be talking about institutionalizing him not having him be a US senator.
Well, the Senate is an institution...; 7/17/17, 1:19 PM
n.n said...: Jenner is transgender/crossover is one data point.; 7/17/17, 1:25 PM
mockturtle said...: Wouldn't it be funny if the first female US President was a transgendered one?; 7/17/17, 1:30 PM
JAORE said...: Boxers, briefs or panties?

We've come a long way.; 7/17/17, 1:36 PM
Fabi said...: Wilbur for the win!; 7/17/17, 2:01 PM
Ralph L said...: IIRC, Largent and Watts both fulfilled their term limit pledge, despite pressure to run again.; 7/17/17, 2:27 PM