Richard Milhous Nixon (Spirit), physical body: January 9, 1913 (Yorba Linda, Calif.) – April 22, 1994 (New York, NY) / spirit form, April 22, 1994 - present
VP candidate for Independent (2008, 2012)
Running mate with nominee (2008): Satan
Running mate with nominee (2012): Betty Marion White Ludden (b. 1922)
Popular vote (2008, 2012): 0 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2008, 2012): 0/538
The campaign (2008):
A Los Angeles comedy group called Big Game Hunters ran a Youtube on Nov. 3, 2008 advertising a Satan/Nixon ticket--
Tired of the same old human? Why not vote for a candidate with the power of a thousand suns? A demon that has stormed Evil in it's stupid face? And laughed. With enough fire and brimstone to power homes for 98% of eternity. Plus, he loves babies! Babies! Babies! Hail Satan! Hail Nixon! Satan/Nixon '08!
The campaign (2012):
It would seem that the "Draft Betty White for President" movement started around 2010 by fans of the actress. Although White herself certainly didn't need to be President in order to claim an impressive career, she announced on Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show in Oct. 2011 that she was indeed running for the White House (pun intended). Roseanne Barr had earlier announced she was running while also a guest on a late night talk show with Jay Leno in her case, so perhaps White was also inspired by that.
White, who turned 90 in 2012, said she was running because she needed the money. When asked about her view on immigration reform she said, "Eh, that's a tough one. I'll pass."
Most interesting of all was that she declared Richard Nixon was her choice for a running-mate. Ferguson pointed out that the former President had been dead for quite some time. "No wonder he doesn't answer my emails!" White responded with mock surprise.
Later, when asked about defense spending, she said, "Can I phone a friend? I think Richard Nixon would know the answer."
White produced a giant campaign poster with her face and the slogan "White Power," displaying it with a cheerful cluelessness. Ferguson reacted with, "I don't think you thought this one through, Betty. I'm not going to hang this one up."
In life, Nixon himself was involuntarily named in three third party Presidential efforts after he resigned in 1974--
--Richard C. Collins, a mail carrier from San Ramon, Calif. ran for President as an independent in 1976. He made news when he offered the Vice-Presidential slot to disgraced former President Richard Nixon. "If he repented, it would be a story of the prodigal son, which is the best way to get Watergate behind us." But Mr. Nixon apparently never answered his letters, meaning (at least for the purposes of this blog) that he was the running-mate by default.
--Also in 1976 the Elvis Presley/Richard Nixon campaign appeared to be limited to a novelty poster promoting the Memphis American Party. It included a photo of the bizarre event where Elvis paid a surprise visit to the White House in Dec. 1970. Oddly, when I visited Graceland a couple years ago I looked but did not find any mention in the exhibits of this historic meeting. Perhaps I just missed it, there was a lot to see. But Elvis' collection of law enforcement badges, which was connected to his visit with Nixon, was part of the Graceland gallery of artifacts.
--In 1980 Richard Grayson (self-described moderate radical) and Jerry Weinberger (self-described radical moderate), two twentysomethings from Queens, NY formed the tongue-in-cheek Nixon-Agnew in '80 Committee and said they registered the ticket with the FEC. Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew were listed under the Nostalgia Party.
Betty White endorsed Obama in May 2012. There would be efforts to draft her for President in 2016 and 2020 as well.
Election history (physical body):
1947-1950 - US House of Representatives (Calif.) (Republican)
1950-1953 - US Senate (Calif.) (Republican)
1953-1961 - US Vice-President (Republican)
1960 - US President (Republican) - defeated
1962 - Governor of California (Republican) - defeated
1969-1974 - US President (Republican) - resigned
1976 - US Vice-President (Independent) - defeated
1976 - US Vice-President (Memphis American Party) - defeated
1980 - US President (Nostalgia Party) - defeated
Other occupations (physical body): grocery worker, soldier (WWII), attorney, author, Commander-in-Chief
Buried (physical body): Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum (Yorba Linda, Calif.)
Notes:
Quaker.
Played the piano
