2004 ad for TiVo
TiVo, March 31, 1999 (San Jose, Calif.) -
VP candidate for Yes I Will! (2004)
Running mate with nominee: Will Markson (b. 2003)
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Bill Shein, a humorist and newspaper columnist in Massachusetts, became the founder and President of a nonprofit organization called Yes I Will, with a nonpartisan mission of using "creativity and humor to educate citizens about voter participation issues and to encourage active participation in American democracy."
Will Markson was a fictitious character and Shein's (age 36) alter ego. Markson was brought into the world in July 2003 at a press conference in Great Barrington, Mass.. As Markson/Shein quipped, "As Great Barrington goes, so goes the nation."
The campaign included fundraisers, an active website, a small staff, videos, and "Markson" pounding the pavement in search of voters.
In Sept. 2004 "Markson" named TiVo as his running-mate. This is a digital video recorder which in 2004 was still pretty esoteric to most Americans, me included. One has to assume there was some corporate sponsorship involved in the naming of a commercial item as a Vice-President.
Here's the official press release announcing TiVo's place on the ticket--
TiVo Joins America's Favorite Fictional Presidential Ticket as VP Nominee!
Markson promises "a vice president who understands my agenda, knows America's priorities, and who can regularly suggest democracy reform ideas that I'll like"
MONTEREY, MA -- Pro-democracy presidential candidate Will Markson today named the revolutionary digital video recorder TiVo as his vice presidential running mate, finalizing the team that will barnstorm the nation and Internet between now and Election Day.
"What a president needs more than anything else is a wise, loyal vice president who truly knows the president's priorities and concerns," Markson said, moments before the new ticket headed out for its first day of campaigning. "My good friend TiVo knows me that way, and if need be, could step in as president without missing a beat," Markson, America's favorite fictional candidate, said.
Available for just a few years, TiVo has already grabbed the nation's attention -- and affection. According to his web site, more than 98 percent of TiVo users say they "can't live without him" -- a favorable rating that far surpasses that of every candidate for president or vice president in the history of the republic.
Asked about joining Markson's non-partisan campaign to expand voter participation and promote common sense democracy reform, TiVo said: "Bleep! Boop, boop, bleep! Gabock gabock whomp, pling!"
Translating, Markson said: "TiVo says he is thrilled to work toward our common goal of enhancing American democracy with ideas like an Election Day Holiday, Election Day Registration, Instant Runoff Voting, public financing of elections, and the rest of our 'Democracy Agenda 2004.' And that turning up the volume of the voice of the people with massive voter turnout is something all Americans -- TiVo users or not -- can support."
Markson continued: "TiVo also said that based on his analysis of the interests of everyone attending this political rally, he has recorded several hours of C-Span that you might like to view later."
In announcing his choice, Markson noted that TiVo enables users to skip over commercials, dramatically reducing the power of big corporations in American life. He also explained that more than any other potential running mate, TiVo has a demonstrated ability to pay close attention to what Americans are doing, and what they might want and need in the future.
"TiVo is the perfect choice for a candidate who aims to restore power to the people in the American political process," said one advisor to another campaign who asked to remain anonymous. "TiVo is all about taking control, and Will Markson's non-partisan campaign has been creatively spreading that message for over a year," the operative added. "For putting democracy reform on the nation's radar screen, there's no better ticket this year than Markson-TiVo."
In the campaign's remaining few weeks, Americans will get to meet Will Markson and TiVo as they travel the nation, speaking out about ways to bring our democratic structures into the 21st century.
Asked about what he looks forward to most as he prepares to campaign with TiVo, Markson smiled, looked at TiVo, and said, "Gabock!"
In response, TiVo -- and the capacity crowd of supporters and media -- burst into sustained applause that carried the duo out the door and into America's heart and heartland.
--30--
Naturally there would have been quite a number of Constitutional hurdles in the event of a Markson/TiVo victory.
Election history: none
Other occupations: digital video recorder
Notes:
Shein ran for US Congress (Mass. 1st Dist.) 2012 in the Democratic primary.
