Warren Griffin III

 

Warren Griffin III, November 10, 1970 (Long Beach, Calif.) -  

VP candidate for Independent (2016)
 
Running-mate with nominee: Brady C. Olson (b. ca2000)
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

A candidate using the name "Deez Nuts" filed as an Independent for US President with the FEC in July 2015. Shortly after, it was revealed the true identity of this politician was 15-year old Brady Olson of Wallingford, Iowa.

Olson's campaign was given a boost when Public Policy Polling included Deez Nuts in surveys and the joke candidate did surprisingly well. Deez Nuts came to represent the multitude of choices for protest votes.  

The Deez Nuts campaign website indicated that the nomination from several parties would be welcome--

    Political Party Nominations I Am Considering Running For

    American Populist Party
    Citizens Party
    Independence Party
    Justice Party
    Moderate Party
    Modern Whig Party
    Reform Party
    Rent Is Too Damn High Party

The official Deez Nuts platform was actually quite sober in tone in contrast to the silly name of the standard bearer--

Illegal Immigration -- I believe that anyone who is found as an illegal immigrant in this country must be deported back to their country of origin, with the lone exception of being a minor.

Federal Budget & Government Spending -- I believe that the US Government should not be allowed to spend more than it makes from tax revenue. The reason we are in a budget crisis is because the two main parties refuse to compromise on this issue. Every federal official in either Congress, President, or the Cabinet, should immediately have their salary cut in half.  Once the budget is balanced, those salaries may slowly rise. If the budget returns negative, salaries go back to where they started.

Abortion & Same-Sex Marriage -- I feel that as equal human beings that we should be allowed to choose how to live our lives without being discriminated by one another. At the same time however, I also understand that people believe that Christian religion outweighs government policy. But America is no longer mainly Christian. It is Christian, Jewish, Islam, Hebrew, and many others.

Foreign Policy -- I support the work that John Kerry and the State Department did with the Iran nuclear deal, considering it took nearly two years to reach this point. Everyone wants a better deal, but that's the whole point of negotiating. Look at your wants, then their wants, and meet in the middle. Now is the time  being respected instead of feared by other nations. I also feel that we need to stop being a world watchdog and limit our positions in international conflicts.

Energy -- I support cutting subsidies to oil companies and giving tax incentives to individuals and corporations that implement green technology and renewable energy sources into their communities. I also support giving grants to communities for the purpose of installing municipal wind turbines, hydroelectric dams, and rooftop solar panels.

The Economy -- I support giving corporations tax incentives for the sole purpose of creating jobs IN America TO Americans FOR Americans. This will in turn stimulate the economy and make us more self-sufficient instead of relying on products from foreign countries.

Territorial Voting Rights -- I support giving citizens in our American territories voting rights. I also support giving American Samoan citizens automatic US citizenship. I would give Puerto Rico 3 electoral votes since Puerto Rico is bigger than many states. Guam, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Marianas all get 2 since they are smaller, but still incorporated territories. Finally, American Samoa would only get 1 since it is still considered an "unincorporated" territory. This would bring the total of electoral votes from 538 to 548. I also support giving all 5 territories plus Washington, D.C. 1 seat in the House of Representatives instead of non-voting delegates. This would bring seats in the House from 435 to 441.

The term "Deez Nuts" apparently traces back to a skit performed by rapper Warren G. (Warren Griffen III) in 1992 for Dr. Dre's The Chronic album. Feline Presidential candidate Limberbutt McCubbins, who was Olson's original inspiration for also filing as a flippant candidate, was the first choice as a running-mate for Deez Nuts. But it seems the cat turned him down, but no problem-- Deez Nuts' campaign was enthusiastically endorsed by Warren G., who offered himself as the VP. Olson had a Facebook entry on Aug. 21, 2015 that picked up the offer and ran with it, "The Nuts/G ticket?  - Would be an honor to have Warren as vice prez!"

Warren G. has his own political agenda, including education and prison reform, "These people going to jail for life for bullshit. You maybe stole a bag of chips (on your third strike) and get jail for life. Let's start providing better schools so they can learn and get a job so they don't have to steal."

Olson offered a political prediction on Feb. 9, 2016--

My prediction:
Cruz VS Sanders for the presidency.
If Cruz runs with Trump as VP he will win.
If Sanders runs with Clinton as VP he will win.
If Biden runs he beats all.

OK, so he was four years too early.

By Election Day Olson was called "the former candidate" in the press. As he explained on Facebook, Nov. 9, 2016, "I almost became a felon! In August (Just after PPP released a poll showing that Green Party candidate Jill Stein was trailing me in Texas) The Federal Election Commission sent me a letter calling for me to withdraw from the race. '...may pursue or refer action for false filing.' So I withdrew. Hey, I almost lost voting rights before I could vote! Well, next up I will run for Congress — when I am eligible — in 2024! Sky is the limit after that!" In the event of their victory, there would have been a Constitutional problem with Olson being not even half the required age to assume office.

2016 was a record Presidential election cycle for the number of outrageous candidates filing with the FEC, with Deez Nuts being among the most prominent in that category. The Aug. 18, 2016 FEC press release stated--

FEC Adopts Interim Verification Procedure for Filings Containing Possibly False or Fictitious Information

WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission today announced an interim procedure staff will follow to verify information in filings from the 2016 election cycle that appear to be unlawfully false or fictitious. The new procedure comes in response to an increase this election cycle in the filing of registration and statement of candidacy forms (FEC Forms 1 and 2) that provide patently false candidate or treasurer names, questionable contact or bank information, or material that does not relate to campaign finance, such as drawings, essays and personal court records.

The Commission has authorized staff to send verification letters to filers listing fictional characters, obscene language, sexual references, celebrities (where there is no indication that the named celebrity submitted the filing), animals, or similarly implausible entries as the name or contact information of the candidate or committee. These letters will:

    notify the filer of the potential penalties for false filings with a federal agency;
    note the seemingly false information (candidate name, contact information, etc.) that was filed on the relevant Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1) or Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2);
    direct the filer to file a letter either confirming or withdrawing the filing, or to file an amended Form 1 or 2, within 30 days of the date of the verification letter;
    indicate that withdrawing the filing or failing to respond to the verification letter will lead to the Form 1 or 2 being removed from the searchable candidate/committee filings database on the Commission’s website; and
    note that removal of the filing from the Commission’s searchable database does not waive the Commission’s authority to pursue or refer action for false filing under 52 U.S.C. Section 30109(a) or otherwise report such filings under 52 U.S. C. Section 30107(a)(9).

A staff working group will devise and recommend a prospective solution for the Commission’s consideration and implementation in conjunction with the Reports Analysis Division’s Review and Referral Procedures approval process for the 2017-2018 election cycle.

Election history: none

Other occupations: rapper, record producer, owner of Sniffin Griffins BBQ  

Notes:
CBS News ranked the Deez Nuts campaign as the 14th "Wildest Moment" of the 2016 Presidential election season.

Bill W. Thorn Sr.

Bill W. Thorn Sr., b. ca1916

VP candidate for Consumer Party (aka Citizens Party) (1984)

Running mate with nominee: Sonia Johnson (b. 1936)
Popular vote: 21,628 (0.02%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

In their second, and final, national election the Citizens Party selected Sonia Johnson as the standard bearer. Johnson had an inner conflict to reconcile-- she was a devout Mormon but also passionate about the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Naturally as her ERA activism increased and she became critical of the Church she found herself excommunicated. To some she was a heretic, to others a heroine.

Barry Commoner, the 1980 Presidential nominee, endorsed Rev. Jesse Jackson in the Democratic primaries, a move that many felt took the wind out of the sails of this new third party. Another major hurdle for the 1984 campaign was that the Party was still paying off the debt from the 1980 effort.

There were three running-mates for Johnson in 1984. Richard Walton was the official VP nominee on the ballot or certified write-in in 21 states. In California Johnson had won the primary for the Peace and Freedom Party (which included defeating Dennis Serrette of the New Alliance Party and Gavrielle Holmes of the Workers World Party) and her running-mate there was Emma Wong Mar. In Pennsylvania under the banner of the Consumer Party her VP was Bill Thorn.

Thorn included a brief autobiographical statement in a newspaper profile: "For 40 years I have been leading fights in my community for civil rights, jobs, housing, rent control, and lower utility bills. I've testified before congressional committees, sued in courts, and walked picket lines seeking justice and the right to a decent life for all people."

In addition to the Peace and Freedom Party and the Consumer Party there was another major player. The Socialist Party of the United States of America decided not run a ticket in 1984 and endorsed the Citizens Party.

There was a bit of excitement in the press in Pennsylvania concerning a switch in political allegiances. Dorothy Muns Blancato, an interior decorator and Jazz pianist from Vanport, Penn. was selected as the VP for the New Alliance Party and planned to be listed in three states: Alabama, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Although news reports indicate she was originally intended to be a stand-in candidate, in August 1984 she withdrew from the ticket without informing NAP Presidential candidate Dennis Serrette first and instead endorsed Sonia Johnson of the Citizens Party. Part of the result of this complicated episode was that Serrette failed to find a place on the Pennsylvania ballot.

Although the Citizens Party had a generally progressive platform and was comprised of the largest confederation of Leftist parties in 1984, Johnson's campaign understandably made feminist issues the central focus.

The popular vote was almost evenly split three ways among the VPs. Nationally the Party grossed 72,161 votes (0.08%), a considerable decline from their 1980 performance. Interesting that 2/3 of the result came from California and Pennsylvania where they ran under the names of their host parties.

The Johnson/Thorn ticket placed 3rd in Pennsylvania with 0.45%, one of only two states (the other being Louisiana) where Johnson ran ahead of all the other third parties. It was also the state where Johnson received her second highest percentage.

The Citizens Party evaporated shortly after the election. Or did it? In hindsight we see they served as a forerunner of today's Green Party, America's 4th largest political party. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania-based Consumer Party limped along for another Presidential election cycle.

Election history:
1982 - Pennsylvania State House of Representatives (Consumer Party) - defeated
1983 - Philadelphia City Council (Consumer Party) - defeated
1986 - Governor of Pennsylvania (Consumer Party) - withdrew

Other occupations: welder, welding instructor, tenants rights activist, founder of Montrose Civic Association,

Buried: ?

Notes:
Withdrew from the 1986 race for Governor of Pennsylvania after suffering a stroke.
Possibly the same as Willie W. Thorn 1916-1993 but I cannot make the connection.

Emma Wong Mar

Emma Wong Mar, September 7, 1926 (New York, NY) – September 16, 2015 (Oakland, Calif.)

VP candidate for Peace and Freedom Party (aka Citizens Party) (1984)
VP candidate for Peace and Freedom Party (aka Internationalist Workers Party) (1988)

Running mate with nominee (1984): Sonia Johnson (b. 1936)
Running mate with nominee (1988): Herbert G. Lewin (1914-2010)
Popular vote (1984): 26,297 (0.03%)
Popular vote (1988) : 219 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (1984, 1988): 0/538

The campaign (1984):

In their second, and final, national election the Citizens Party selected Sonia Johnson as the standard bearer. Johnson had an inner conflict to reconcile-- she was a devout Mormon but also passionate about the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Naturally as her ERA activism increased and she became critical of the Church she found herself excommunicated. To some she was a heretic, to others a heroine.

Barry Commoner, the 1980 Presidential nominee, endorsed Rev. Jesse Jackson in the Democratic primaries, a move that many felt took the wind out of the sails of this new third party. Another major hurdle for the 1984 campaign was that the Party was still paying off the debt from the 1980 effort.

There were three running-mates for Johnson in 1984. Richard Walton was the official VP nominee on the ballot or certified write-in in 21 states. In California Johnson had won the primary for the Peace and Freedom Party (which included defeating Dennis Serrette of the New Alliance Party and Gavrielle Holmes of the Workers World Party) and her running-mate there was Emma Wong Mar. In Pennsylvania under the banner of the Consumer Party her VP was Bill Thorn.

Mar has the distinction of being the first Asian American VP on a Presidential ticket.

In addition to the Peace and Freedom Party and the Consumer Party there was another major player. The Socialist Party of the United States of America decided not run a ticket in 1984 and endorsed the Citizens Party.

Although the Citizens Party had a generally progressive platform and was comprised of the largest confederation of Leftist parties in 1984, Johnson's campaign understandably made feminist issues the central focus.

The popular vote was almost evenly split three ways among the VPs. Nationally the Party grossed 72,161 votes (0.08%), a considerable decline from their 1980 performance. Interesting that 2/3 of the result came from California and Pennsylvania where they ran under the names of their host parties.

The Johnson/Mar ticket placed 5th in California with 0.28%, but it was Johnson's highest popular vote (26,297) of any single state and the third largest percentage.

The Citizens Party evaporated shortly after the election. Or did it? In hindsight we see they served as a forerunner of today's Green Party, America's 4th largest political party.

The campaign (1988):

In the 1988 election the Peace and Freedom Party appeared to be in a bit of disarray as it tried to fend off a takeover attempt by the New Alliance Party. The PFP appeared to have been seriously split and a third of the delegates walked out of the convention in Oakland. This was a rare election where the PFP did not appear on the Presidential ballot in California. NAP leader Lenora Fulani and Internationalist Workers Party figure Herb Lewin both claimed the nomination but when they filed with the California Secretary of State the election officials refused to recognize either one as the legitimate Presidential selection.

Lewin claimed victory but Fulani said she was nominated at a "parallel convention" in a nearby hotel.

It seems the PFP party officials made the request not to list either one on the ballot. Party chair and 1980 presidential nominee Maureen Smith told the press the nomination process "never got off on a legal start" since so many delegates were not credentialed.

Old time Trotskyite and retired machinist Herb Lewin of Pennsylvania acted as if he was the PFP nominee anyway. Lewin had lost the Liberty Union Party primary in Vermont, and also the non-binding California primary for the Peace and Freedom Party. He had a history with the Socialist Workers Party but by 1984 had been selected by the ultra-obscure Internationalist Workers Party to be their first President candidate. Their method was to work within existing Leftist political parties.

During the campaign Lewin criticized the New Alliance and Workers World parties for being too cozy with the Democrats.

He was on the ballot in three states as the PFP Presidential candidate: New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Also as a registered write-in in California. Vikki Murdock was his running-mate the first two states, Mar the VP in Vermont and California. It isn't clear between Murdock or Mar who was serving as the official nominee and who was the stand-in, or indeed if that situation even existed. Some news reports did vaguely indicate Mar was the actual Party selection. She described herself to the media as "an independent Socialist."

Nationally Lewin earned 10,367 popular votes (0.01%) mostly from New Jersey. The Lewin/Mar ticket received 58 write-in votes in California and 219 votes (0.07%) on the ballot in Vermont.

Election history:
1982 - California State Assembly (Peace and Freedom Party) - defeated
1986 - California State Assembly (Peace and Freedom Party) - defeated
1990 - Lt. Governor of California (Peace and Freedom Party) - primary - defeated
1992 - California State Assembly (Peace and Freedom Party) - defeated
1994 - US House of Representatives (Calif.) (Peace and Freedom Party) - defeated

Other occupations: medical technologist, Planned Parenthood,  State Chair of the Peace and Freedom Party, union activist

Buried: ?

Notes:
Winner in the 1994 race was Ron Dellums.

Richard John Walton

Richard John Walton, May 24, 1928 (Saratoga Springs, NY) – December 27, 2012 (Providence, RI)

VP candidate for Citizens Party (aka Independent aka Citizens Group) (1984)

Running mate with nominee: Sonia Johnson (b. 1936)
Popular vote: 24,236 (0.03%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

In their second, and final, national election the Citizens Party selected Sonia Johnson as the standard bearer. Johnson had an inner conflict to reconcile-- she was a devout Mormon but also passionate about the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Naturally as her ERA activism increased and she became critical of the Church she found herself excommunicated. To some she was a heretic, to others a heroine.

Barry Commoner, the 1980 Presidential nominee, endorsed Rev. Jesse Jackson in the 1984 Democratic primaries, a move that many felt took the wind out of the sails of this new third party. Another major hurdle for the 1984 campaign was that the Party was still paying off the debt from the 1980 effort.

There were three running-mates for Johnson in 1984. Richard Walton was the official VP nominee on the ballot or certified write-in in 21 states. In California Johnson had won the primary for the Peace and Freedom Party (which included defeating Dennis Serrette of the New Alliance Party and Gavrielle Holmes of the Workers World Party) and her running-mate there was Emma Wong Mar. In Pennsylvania under the banner of the Consumer Party her VP was Bill Thorn.

In addition to the Peace and Freedom Party and the Consumer Party there was another major player. The Socialist Party of the United States of America decided not run a ticket in 1984 and endorsed the Citizens Party.

Although the Citizens Party had a generally progressive platform and was comprised of the largest confederation of Leftist parties in 1984, Johnson's campaign understandably made feminist issues the central focus. Like many other third party efforts, the Johnson/Walton ticket made more news about legal challenges concerning inclusion in the debates and ballot placement than they did in promoting their issues.

The popular vote was almost evenly split three ways among the VPs. Nationally the Party grossed 72,161 votes (0.08%), a considerable decline from their 1980 performance. Interesting that 2/3 of the result came from California and Pennsylvania where they ran under the names of their host parties. The ticket with Walton did contain their highest percentage, 0.56% in Louisiana, where they actually placed third. Johnson/Walton's next highest percentages came from Utah 0.13%, North Dakota 0.12%, Arkansas and Vermont 0.11% each, and Washington 0.10%.

The Citizens Party evaporated shortly after the election. Or did it? In hindsight we see they served as a forerunner of today's Green Party, America's 4th largest political party. Walton himself become one of those who was part of forming the Green Party.

Election history: none

Other occupations: US Navy, disc jockey, journalist, author, teacher, union activist, activist for the homeless

Buried: ?

Notes:
Worked for Adlai Stevenson 1952 and 1956, and for George McGovern 1972.
Later joined the Green Party and was a 1996 Rhode Island temporary stand-in for VP nominee
 Winona LaDuke.

Naomi L. Azulay

Naomi L. Azulay, July 24, 1950 -

VP candidate for Independent (aka New Alliance Party) (1984)

Running mate with nominee: Dennis L. Serrette (b. ca1940)
Popular vote: 2,544 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Fred Newman (1935-2011) was a Maoist with pretensions of being a psychologist (he wasn't) who had formed a communal movement around 1970 combining Leftist politics with New Age pseudoscience. Within a short time he had temporarily joined forces with Lyndon LaRouche, but personality-driven political parties can only tolerate one guru at a time, so they parted company-- or so it seemed. A possible subsequent Newman-LaRouche connection would forever be a point of conjecture.

From 1975-1978 Newman's group, now called the International Workers Party and claiming allegiance to Marx, Mao, and Lenin, attempted to work with the confederation of organizations and parties that collaborated under the umbrella of the People's Party. In 1976 the People's Party ran the Presidential ticket of Margaret Wright and Benjamin Spock. Apparently Newman and his entourage were shown the door out of the People's Party in 1978 by other progressive activists who held the IWP in low esteem.

In 1979 the New Alliance Party was formed by Newman with Lenora Fulani, who unlike her mentor was a real psychologist. Critics charged that the group was using a technique called "Social Therapy," designed to keep followers in line and manipulated with techniques such as large group awareness training, social isolation, and assignment of party-oriented tasks that were so time consuming there was little room for individual pursuits or critical self-reflection. There were charges that the supposedly defunct International Workers Party was simply operating on an underground basis and involved in secret authoritarian decision-making while using the NAP as a front organization.

Their first Presidential ticket was comprised of African American activist Dennis Serrette and Newman loyalist Nancy Ross. She had the distinction of being the first of Newman's followers to be elected to public office when she successfully gained a seat on the Community School Board 3 in New York City in 1977.

Ross was also head of the "Rainbow Lobby" (the lobbying branch of Newman's "Rainbow Alliance"), an opportunistic and unauthorized variant of the term "Rainbow Coalition" as popularized by the Jackson campaign. Rev. Jesse Jackson himself had co-opted the phrase from earlier more radical political elements. Later Jackson had to clarify that he had nothing to do with the NAP "Rainbow" incarnations.

Lifting the term "Rainbow Alliance," the NAP acted as if was continuing the work of Jackson, who had failed in his attempt to gain the nomination of the Democratic Party. Note Serrette's tactical use of the term "second party"--

We want to get enough votes so someone like Jesse can win in 1988. Let me make it clear. We're not going to win by numbers but by impact. We're starting the embryo of a second party that will express the needs of the people. We are taking up the issues the Democratic party has rejected. We will be out in the streets the day after election day building this second party momentum.

Realizing that many Democrats felt their party had compromised too much and drifted to the Right in order to attract centrist voters, Serrette and Ross attempted to woo this bloc of voters by stating they were upholding the true progressive ideals. "Mondale is not the lesser of two evils," said Ross, "He is the loser of two evils." Their rhetoric was Left of center but somewhat vague on details.

There was a bit of bad press surrounding the running mate question. Dorothy Muns Blancato, an interior decorator and Jazz pianist from Vanport, Penn. was selected as the VP and planned to be listed in three states: Alabama, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Although news reports indicate she was originally intended to be a stand-in candidate, in August 1984 she withdrew from the ticket without informing Serrette first and instead endorsed Sonia Johnson of the Citizens Party. Part of the result of this complicated episode was that Serrette failed to find a place on the Pennsylvania ballot.

Amazingly well funded compared to other Leftist parties, NAP managed to gain ballot positions in DC and 31 states. A very impressive achievement for a first-time national run. Ross was the running mate in all but three states. In Kansas the VP nominee was Naomi L. Azulay. Mississippi and West Virginia voters found a blank spot in the VP slot with Serrette where other parties included the name of the running mate.

Naomi Azulay was a New York-based campaign worker for NAP when she was used as a probable stand-in candidate for VP in Kansas. An April 1984 news account found her gathering nominating petition signatures in South Dakota, where the reporter said she had been for almost a month. As it turned out, South Dakota gave the NAP the highest percentage of their popular vote of any state in 1984 so she must have been a pretty effective volunteer.

The Serrette/Azulay ticket finished with 0.25% of the vote in Kansas, placing 5th out of 6. It was the 4th highest percentage the NAP won when compared to their other states. If elected Azulay would not have been to able take office since she was just barely under the Constitutionally required of 35 at the time.

Serrette broke with the NAP shortly after the election. In a scathing article written in 1988, he concluded with:

These few pages offer but an overview of a complex, and, in my opinion, dangerous organization. Dangerous, not only to the innocent, well-intentioned people who are caught in its grasp, but to the many it will try to exploit. Dangerous, because it uses a very progressive line, and untold millions of dollars, to prey on black communities, to attack black leaders and institutions, and to assault progressive organizations at whim. Dangerous because it can lie outright— lie about being black-led when blacks do not sit on the top, do not control the resources, do not control personnel; lie to its members about its participation with LaRouche; lie about Charles Tisdale; lie about me; lie about whatever serves Newman's interests, and put forth spokespersons who come to believe these lies. Dangerous because many members will do whatever they are told to do without ever evaluating what they have been told.

In conclusion, while I believe it is important that NAP be exposed for what it truly is, it is our job not to dwell on the organization, which craves controversy, but to concentrate our energies in our communities and organize, organize, organize. It is a vacuum that has been left open that allows NAP and other oppressive organizations to abuse our communities. We must fill that vacuum with genuinely pro­gressive, community-controlled organizations.

Meanwhile, Fred Newman has been recognized by the Cult Education Institute as a historical cult figure and leader.

Election history:
1982 - New York City Council (Democratic) - primary - defeated
1982 - New York City Council (New Alliance Party) - defeated

Other occupations: physical therapist, activist with Committee for a Unified Independent Party, Texas coordinator for the New Alliance Party in 1988

Notes:
Later registered with the Independence Party of New York.

LaDonna Vita Tabbytite Harris

LaDonna Vita Tabbytite Harris, February 26, 1931 (Temple, Okla.) -

VP candidate for Citizens Party (aka Independent aka Consumer Party) (1980)

Running mate with nominee: Barry Commoner (1917-2012)
Popular vote: 222,072 (0.26%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

The Citizens Party was formed in 1979 by a group of political progressives who were disenchanted with what they viewed as the corporate centrism of the Carter administration. The headliner and chief organizer was Barry Commoner, an academic and environmental scientist who had been an activist against nuclear power. Others involved in the founding of the Party included Gray Panthers leader Maggie Kuhn, Mario Savio, and Studs Terkel. The Washington Post said the Citizens Party was "blessed by Ralph Nader." Nader had apparently been offered the CP Presidential nomination, but turned it down. Former Yippie Abbie Hoffman also endorsed the Citizens Party as well.

The lengthy platform included disarmament of nuclear and chemical weapons, constrain multi-national corporations, wider use of the United Nations and World Court, open relations with Cuba and Vietnam, abolish the CIA, progressive taxation, encourage the growth of small business and co-ops, reduce the military budget, phase out nuclear power, national recycling program, public control of utilities, pro-choice, national health service, eliminate ROTC, increase minimum wage, pro-Affirmative Action, strengthen OSHA, pro-labor unions, national gun control, pro-ERA, no peacetime draft registration, rent control, development of mass transit.

The CP also ran candidates for the US House, US Senate, and local levels.

Commoner, the Presidential nominee, while not exactly a socialist did make an effort to link the abusive side of capitalism with environmental degradation. Today's eco-socialist movements embrace Commoner's writings as part of their philosophical foundation.

The Citizen's Party was not a huge blip on the radar in the news media during 1980 as I recall-- John Anderson had pretty much sucked all the air out the room for the other third parties. But I do remember the main stunt Commoner performed in the campaign to gain attention and make his point. No doubt from frustration for being squeezed out of the mainstream national discussion while attempting to bring up serious issues, the Citizens Party used shock talk and employed the campaign motto of "Bullshit" on radio ads. "Carter, Reagan, and Anderson: It's all bullshit," a voice declared, followed by Commoner saying, "Too bad people have to use such strong language, but isn't that how you feel too?" You have to remember this was in 1980 before profanity was so freely used by elected officials as it is today and public comments in the pre-Internet world didn't immediately sink to the lowest common language denominator.

In order to qualify for filing in the early states Wretha Wiley Hanson, the widow of and fellow agitator with civil rights activist George A. Wiley, was used as a stand-in running-mate for Kentucky and Ohio. Hmm. "stand-in running-mate" sounds like a contradiction in terms, how can one stand and run at the same time?

At the contentious Party convention (where the Black Caucus walked out) LaDonna Vita Tabbytite Harris was nominated as running-mate and on the ballot in all the other states where Commoner was running-- except in Tennessee. For some reason Commoner did not have a VP on the ballot with him in that state although all the other Presidential candidates there did.

As a Comanche, Harris was touted as the first female Native American Vice-Presidential candidate-- but that honor actually belongs to Ramona Frances Crowell, part of the Assiniboine people. Crowell was one of Dizzy Gillespie's running-mates in 1964. But Harris was certainly the first to have ballot status.

Harris was also connected with DC insiders by virtue of being the spouse of US Sen. Fred Harris (D-Okla.) at the time.

Although Wikipedia states "Commoner did not garner more than one percent in any state, the party received enough support to be the first minor party to qualify for federal matching funds (about $157,000) for the 1984 election," in fact the Party did win more than 1% in Oregon (1.15%), Vermont (1.09%), and DC (1.05%). I always love zinging Wikipedia on these details.

On the ballot or registered write-ins in 30 states, in addition to the three top percentages mentioned above, Commoner/Harris' other strongest results were: Maine 0.84%, Virginia 0.75%, California 0.71%, Washington 0.54% (which I think included my brother!), and Hawaii 0.51%.

Election history: none.

Other occupations: founder and President of Americans for Indian Opportunity, author, member of way too many boards and commissions to list.

Notes:
Harris invited controversy 2012-2019 by defending and adopting Johnny Depp when the actor was
 under accusations of being a Pretendian, cultural appropriator, and perpetuating stereotypes of
 indigenous Americans through his acting roles and advertisement appearances.
Endorsed Bernie Sanders in 2016.
Full disclosure: I supported Sen. Fred Harris for President at my caucus in 1976. Here in Washington
 State the Scoop Jackson people had it all locked up, of course.
Brush with fame: I knew someone who once went a hike with Mario Savio. Those are the kinds of
brushes with fame I have.

Wretha Frances Wiley Hanson

Wretha Frances Wiley Hanson, August 7, 1935 (Abilene, Tex.) - January 8, 2013 (New York, NY)

VP candidate for Citizens Party (1980)

Running mate with nominee: Barry Commoner (1917-2012)
Popular vote: 9868 (0.01%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

The Citizens Party was formed in 1979 by a group of political progressives who were disenchanted with what they viewed as the corporate centrism of the Carter administration. The headliner and chief organizer was Barry Commoner, an academic and environmental scientist who had been an activist against nuclear power. Others involved in the founding of the Party included Gray Panthers leader Maggie Kuhn and Studs Terkel. The Washington Post said the Citizens Party was "blessed by Ralph Nader." Nader had apparently been offered the CP Presidential nomination, but turned it down. Former Yippie Abbie Hoffman also endorsed the Citizens Party.

The lengthy platform included disarmament of nuclear and chemical weapons, constrain multi-national corporations, wider use of the United Nations and World Court, open relations with Cuba and Vietnam, abolish the CIA, progressive taxation, encourage the growth of small business and co-ops, reduce the military budget, phase out nuclear power, national recycling program, public control of utilities, pro-choice, national health service, eliminate ROTC, increase minimum wage, pro-Affirmative Action, strengthen OSHA, pro-labor unions, national gun control, pro-ERA, no peacetime draft registration, rent control, development of mass transit.

The CP also ran candidates for the US House, US Senate, and local levels.

Commoner, the Presidential nominee, while not exactly a socialist did make an effort to link the abusive side of capitalism with environmental degradation. Today's eco-socialist movements embrace Commoner's writings as part of their philosophical foundation.

The Citizen's Party was not a huge blip on the radar in the news media during 1980 as I recall-- John Anderson had pretty much sucked all the air out the room for the other third parties. But I do remember the main stunt Commoner performed in the campaign to gain attention and make his point. No doubt from frustration for being squeezed out of the mainstream national discussion while attempting to bring up serious issues, the Citizens Party used shock talk and employed the campaign motto of "Bullshit" on radio ads. "Carter, Reagan, and Anderson: It's all bullshit," a voice declared, followed by Commoner saying, "Too bad people have to use such strong language, but isn't that how you feel too?" You have to remember this was in 1980 before profanity was so freely used by elected officials as it is today and public comments in the pre-Internet world didn't immediately sink to the lowest common language denominator.

In order to qualify for filing in the early states Wretha Wiley Hanson, the widow of and fellow agitator with civil rights activist George A. Wiley, was used as a stand-in running-mate for Kentucky and Ohio. Hmm. "stand-in running-mate" sounds like a contradiction in terms, how can one stand and run at the same time?

At the contentious Party convention (where the Black Caucus walked out) LaDonna Vita Tabbytite Harris was nominated as running-mate and on the ballot in all the other states where Commoner was running-- except in Tennessee. For some reason Commoner did not have a VP on the ballot with him in that state although all the other Presidential candidates there did.

Hanson had been active with third party politics earlier. In his 1972 People's Party campaign, Dr. Benjamin Spock said he wanted Wretha for his Sec. of Commerce should he win. She had been in his campaign's "Shadow Cabinet" and his advisor on employment and labor issues.

Although Wikipedia states "Commoner did not garner more than one percent in any state, the party received enough support to be the first minor party to qualify for federal matching funds (about $157,000) for the 1984 election," in fact the Party did win more than 1% in Oregon (1.15%), Vermont (1.09%), and DC (1.05%). I always love zinging Wikipedia on these details.

The Commoner/Hanson ticket earned 0.10% of the popular vote in Kentucky and 0.20% in Ohio. Nationally Commoner finished in 5th place with 0.27%.

Election history: none.

Other occupations: employment researcher, Director of the Franz Bader Gallery in Washington D.C., Chair of the Board for Washington Review of the Arts

Buried: ?

Notes:
Born Wretha Frances Whittle, married George A. Wiley 1961-1973, Bruce Hanson 1976-1996.