Walter Sobchak, January 18, 1998 (Los Angeles, Calif.) -
VP candidate for Independent (2016, 2020, 2024)
Running mate with nominee (2016, 2020, 2024): Jeffrey Lebowski (b. 1998)
Popular vote (2016, 2020): ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2016, 2020): 0/538
The campaign (2016, 2020):
Although there had been some embryonic efforts to run the fictional character of Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski of the movie The Big Lebowski (1998) for President prior to 2016, it seems the Clinton-Trump choice energized the political side of the fan base of the character brought to life by the actor Jeff Bridges. It also created an large wave of campaign merchandising.
One element of the movie is the "buddy film" subplot concerning Lebowski's relationship with the volatile Walter Sobchak, brilliantly portrayed by the actor John Goodman. Of course, there would no other choice for running-mate. Walter really ties the whole campaign together.
Jeff Lebowski himself, a slacker gone to seed who enjoys smoking the wacky and drinking White Russians, was on the same bowling team as Walter. Sobchak was a Polish Catholic who converted to Judaism on account of his now divorced wife. A Vietnam vet with PTSD, he owned a security business and had a knack for screwing up everything he touched.
As for a platform, fans merely had to quote lines from the filmscript--
Walter Sobchak: Nihilists! F**k me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.
Walter Sobchak: Shut the f**k up, Donny. [Generally used in the 2016-2020 campaigns regarding Trump]
The Stranger: [to the camera] The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners.
The Dude: It's all a god damn fake, man. It's like Lenin said: you look for the person who will benefit, and, uh, uh, you know...
Donny: I am the walrus.
The Dude: You know, you'll uh, uh - well, you know what I'm trying' to say...
The Dude: I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man.
Walter Sobchak: [shouting] Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a s**t about the rules? Mark it zero!
The Dude: I dropped off the money exactly as per... look, man, I've got certain information, all right? Certain things have come to light. And, you know, has it ever occurred to you, that, instead of, uh, you know, running around, uh, uh, blaming me, you know, given the nature of all this new s**t, you know, I-I-I-I... this could be a-a-a-a lot more, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, complex, I mean, it's not just, it might not be just such a simple... uh, you know?
The Big Lebowski: What in God's holy name are you blathering about?
The Dude: I'll tell you what I'm blathering about... I've got information man! New s**t has come to light! And s**t... man, she kidnapped herself. Well sure, man. Look at it... a young trophy wife, in the parlance of our times, you know, and she, uh, uh, owes money all over town, including to known pornographers, and that's cool... that's, that's cool, I'm, I'm saying, she needs money, man. And of course they're going to say that they didn't get it, because... she wants more, man! She's got to feed the monkey, I mean uh... hasn't that ever occurred to you, man? Sir?
The Dude: Just take it easy man.
Walter Sobchak: I'm perfectly calm Dude.
The Dude: [shouting] Yeah, waving the f**king gun around?
Walter Sobchak: Calmer than you are.
The Dude: Will you just take it easy?
Walter Sobchak: Calmer than you are.
Walter Sobchak: Lady, I got buddies who died face down in the muck so that you and I could enjoy this family restaurant!
The Dude: This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. And, uh, a lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head.
The Dude: Ah, f**k it.
The Big Lebowski: F**k it! Yes! That's your answer. That's your answer for everything! Tattoo it on your forehead!
The Big Lebowski: Your revolution is over, Mr. Lebowski. Condolences. The bums lost. My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski?
[the Dude walks out and shuts the door]
The Big Lebowski: The bums will always lose!
[Washington State trivia alert!!!]
The Dude: Did you ever hear of "The Seattle Seven"?
Maude Lebowski: Mmm.
The Dude: That was me... and six other guys.
The Dude: You thought that Bunny had been kidnapped and you were f**king glad, man. You could use it as an excuse to make some money disappear. All you needed was a sap to pin it on. You'd just met me, you... you human paraquat! You thought, oh, here's a loser, you know, a deadbeat, someone the square community won't give a s**t about...
The Big Lebowski: Well? Aren't you?
The Dude: [beat] Well, yeah, but...
The Dude: The Dude abides.
In addition to being the center of a faux political movement, The Dude is also the central figure of a religion (some critics would say a mock religion, but that's just their opinion, man) called Dudeism.
Election history: none
Other occupations: fictional character
Notes:
A hard call given so many excellent choices, but I'd have to say on most days The Big Lebowski is my favorite Coen Bros. film.
