Richard Gere floated as NY House candidate

[brooklynite]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by DonViejo (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Hill

Richard Gere’s next starring role could be as a House candidate in New York, according to at least one local official.

Buzz is building in the Empire State that Gere could make a bid for Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney’s seat, according to The New York Post. The Democratic congressman is running in next month’s primary for state attorney general. If Maloney wins, his House seat would be up for grabs.

“Richard Gere’s name is being whispered about among Democrats. We’ll see what he’s made of,” Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano (D) told the paper.

“The bottom line is I want to elect a Democrat to kill the Trump agenda,” DeStefano said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/401225-richard-gere-floated-as-ny-house-candidate

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I know Sean Maloney, and will probably vote for him as AG, but I see no indication he's likely to win the nomination.

[hibbing]

1. No, no, no, no

[Roy Rolling]

2. Candidates

Celebrities with no political experience feel entitled to support because of their entertainment celebrity popularity.

Just having fans is not enough. Political leaders must have experience and workable management plans. Winner elections is the easy part. It's the hard work of governing that needs preparation and experience.

[dubyadiprecession]

3. Ronald Reagan ran for office to get political experience.

Richard Gere should go for it.

[Roy Rolling]

4. Already an Operative

What you say is totally true. But to put a finer point on history...

Reagan was an FBI informant, ex-union president. He had the experience of backroom Republican machine politics. He just needed the legitimacy of an election. Then, in every office he held, he paid back Republican Party supporters with tax cuts and business-friendly governance. "The Gipper" was a tool of the Republican Party, bless his heart.

If Gere has experience in his district as an on-the-ground leader then I support his ambition. Democrats need effective leadership opposing GOP candidates who represent Republican treason and clueless management skills.

If Gere is trying out politics because he needs another job, then take a hike.

[dubyadiprecession]

6. Sonny bono, Clint Eastwood, Fred Grandy to name a few...

Celebrities to have political experience after winning office. I don't believe they were all political operatives though.

[NewJeffCT]

9. Arnold Schwarzeneggar

as well. Almost all the celebrity politicians have been Republicans.

[NewJeffCT]

11. Donald Trump was able to get into the presidency

as a celebrity with no political experience other than ranting at Obama on Twitter for several years. Sure, he had help from Russia, but he was close enough that Russia was able to put him over the top.

[leftynyc]

5. Why not?

He's lived in the district for a long time now. Has a restaurant there (Bedford Post Inn), has been a good neighbor (my sister and mother both live in that district and close by to him). We could do worse.

[True Blue American]

7. I have to ask, anyone see Morning Joe

Today. Comments please!

[Texin]

8. Indeed. But celebs have a very mixed success rate running for elective office.

However, perhaps the best example of effective legislators from celebrity ranks was Al Franken. People laughed and scoffed at the notion of him running for elective office at all, let alone the U.S. Senate, but he was one of the most effective spokesmen on behalf of Democratic policy in that body's history. He was so effective in the Judiciary Committee that he found himself drummed out of office for contrived/conflated "wrongdoing" by a small time right-wing so-called talk radio host, who most likely was put up to it by Roger Stone.

[NewJeffCT]

10. Franken also has a Harvard degree

and graduated with honors from there. He's a very smart guy. One of the few on the Democratic side that were celebrities and successfully ran for office.

Most celeb politicians have been Republicans - Reagan, Sonny Bono, Arnold, Fred Thompson, Fred Grandy, etc

[dalton99a]

12. +1. And the traitor.

[NewJeffCT]

14. I'm reading Malcolm Nance's "The Plot to Destroy Democracy" right now

Chilling how vast Putin's effort is worldwide.

But, even going back to the days of the Soviet Union, if they targeted Americans to recruit to corrupt & turn to their side, it was almost always wealthy and narcissistic right wing conservatives. Even back when they were technically under Communist (leftist) rule, they considered Communists & Socialists in America to be too much trouble to recruit and tried to recruit those narcissistic right wingers, whom they considered easy targets. And, look at Trump - narcissist, shallow, thin-skinned. Perfect target.

[dalton99a]

15. Yep. Putin chose well.

Great book!

[HelenWheels]

13. Franken also had a call in radio show

It was on Air American. This is where I first saw how intelligent and politically savvy he is.

[NewJeffCT]

16. Yes

Air America was a nice launching ground for some progressive voices - I remember thinking how awkward Rachel Maddow sounded on there, and then later when first subbing for Keith Olbermann on MSNBC. However, she obviously really improved and grew into her role and now has a successful show every night on MSNBC and is one of the higher rated shows on cable news.

[Bayard]

17. No

Although he would look marvelous.

[DonViejo]

18. Locking...

This story is based on the reporting of Page Six, the gossip column of the New York Post, not a reputable mainstream media news site/blog. Please post this in the General Discussions Forum