Lance Armstrong as TX Governor?

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

In this month's issue of Outside magazine (http://www.outsideonline.com) he ambigously answers to a rumor that he might consider a run for Texas governor.

Now, I think that's interesting. Anyone know about his partisan affiliations? I'd immediately bill him as conservative, except for the fact that Sheryl Crow is an outspoken liberal who once performed in a t-shirt that said "I DON'T SUPPORT YOUR WAR, MR. BUSH."

Could be interesting. If he's a Dem, or at least a moderate Republican, it might be worth looking at. I mean, who WOULDN'T vote for Lance Armstrong? (The guy would probably be a lousy politician, but if Californians didn't care, neither will Texans.)

[Kolesar]

1. I would expect an enlightened drug policy from Lance

Considering that you practically cannot compete in cycling without just a little help for nature from the pharmaceutical cabinet, I would think this man could dispose of all the bullshit in drug policy.

[efhmc]

2. No, a thousand times no. What we do not need is any person

who know even LESS about running an efficient government.

[Orangepeel]

23. IIRC, the governor of Texas is pretty much a figurehead,

except for that ability to grant pardons and stop people from being executed thing, which would be pretty important if it were ever used.

[efhmc]

30. sixth generation Texan here. Stand by my statement. Still has

power to sway what happens or in the case of the last 2 idiots does not happen.

[ashling]

3. I believe he is a Bush supporter

and a conservative.

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

16. Apparently not, read chimpsrsmarter's post

...lower in this thread.

[Bouncy Ball]

4. I thought I remembered reading he is a bush supporter.

Also, good luck to him if he decides to do it this time around. He'll be involved in a fight to the death among Hutchison and Goodhair if he goes in as a repuke and the Dems have Chris Bell already. Then there's Kinky who decided to go as a third party person. So he'd be yet ANOTHER.

Geez, it's like ever since Dim Son was governor, people think ANYONE can do it!

:rofl:

[chalky]

5. And maybe Sheryl will be Lance's Maria Shriver?

:shrug:
It really disturbs me this trend (starting with that old fart, Reagan) in celebrities who don't have a CLUE about government or social issues, running for office--AND WINNING.
That being said, the office of Governor in Texas is a weak one. Lance couldn't do too much damage. (Hey, how do you think the Chimpster got away with pulling it off?)

[phaseolus]

14. We dodged a bullet in Wisconsin

A former Green Bay Packer star, Mark Chmura, is a right-wing loony who was eyeing a political career after retiring from pro football. As a former Packer he would have been a shoo-in for U.S. Representative with no prior political experience -- those guys are demi-gods here.

Thankfully, his chances at a political career are now zero, thanks to an incident a few years back sharing a hot tub with some high school girls...

[FreedomAngel82]

24. With that

the only reason why they win is because they are celebrities. As in Schwazeneger's case. I don't know much about Reagan personally. I also remember hearing a rumor that Martin Sheen was going to run in Ohio for governor. Does anybody know about that? The thing with Sheen is I've read he's been involved in politics for years behind the scenes and being involved. :shrug:

[La Coliniere]

34. It's been said they're grooming Jim Kelly here in WNY

to run for Congressman in 2006. I believe this is more than a rumor. He was prominently featured waving a beach flip flop during the repug convention and has been a ubiquitous presence at local repug events here in the Buffalo region. Although this is a very Democratic area, the feeble minded here worship him and he's never been held even partially responsible for the 4 consecutive Bill's Super Bowl loses we had to suffer through. If he runs and wins, this town would really be LOSERVILLE. We finally have a decent progressive (Brian Higgins) in the House after many many years of repugs like Jack Kemp (ugh, another Bill) representing one of the most downtrodden and economically depressed areas in the northeast. Kelly has little intellect and no political experience at all. Yet I fear that he would prove to get many votes purely because of his celebrity status. God help us here in the land of chicken wings and beef on weck.

[AlCzervik]

6. read this and then decide

Once we settle down to talk at a long wooden table, we are swapping stories about George W. Bush, his fellow Texan. We agree that our politics are different to Bush's, but that the President is smarter, funnier and more likeable than the caricature. Even Sheryl, whose politics Armstrong describes as "way out Left", says that it's hard to meet Bush and not like him. I had assumed, because he and Bush were Texans and I'd seen pictures of them laughing and joking in the Oval Office, that Armstrong was a Republican. But he says his politics are "middle to Left". He is "against mixing up State and Church, not keen on guns, pro women's right to choose". And very anti war in Iraq.

So the "summit" has begun and here I am, thinking that I'd be getting hours of top-quality insight for my triathlon training, and, instead, it's like I am back in my old job, defending military action, defending the Bush-Blair relationship, insisting we did the right thing and saying, long term, it will make the world a safer place. But Armstrong is screwing up his face and he won't have it. "I don't like what the war has done to our country, to our economy," he says. "My kids will be paying for this war for some time to come. George Bush is a friend of mine and just as I say it to you, I'd say to him, 'Mr President, I'm not sure this war was such a good idea', and the good thing about him is he could take that."
http://www.lancearmstrongfanclub.com/uktimesonline.html

he'd be better then Perry or Hutcinson, good luck Texas!

[AX10]

9. The fact that he's soft for Bush tells me that I would not vote for him.

he'd be another DLC/Blue Dog type who is too busy making friends with the enemy to effectivly fight for us. I'll take Chris Bell!

[Massacure]

25. Just because your friends doesn't mean you agree on everything politically

[K-W]

27. Liking Bush's personality does not make one a DLC/BlueDog

unless one's response to liking a personality is to agree with them. For all we know Bush shares some manarisms with Lance's uncle who was a great guy or something.

[ChiciB1]

12. Well Bono Is A Critic Of The War... But Has Been Hob-nobbing

with the WH these days! What about that?? I always consider Bono as liberal, but his actions don't exactly appear that way.

So sometimes, what you see isn't what is real. Sheryl Crow is most definitely NOT a Bushie! There's an old saying... "a nickle and a piece of ass go a long way"!

But Lance's problem may be the "Frenchie" thing. For my two cents, I've always wanted to visit France. What do I know???

[sendero]

20. You've got to be kidding me...

.... " 'Mr President, I'm not sure this war was such a good idea', and the good thing about him is he could take that."

He could take that? That is the most absurd thing I've read today. Bush cannot take ANY criticism and he's shown that over and over and over again.

My ex wife had cancer treatments at the same clinic in Plano that Mr. Armstrong used with his testicular cancer.

Let's just say that the staff of the clinic do not have a high opinion of Mr. Armstrong.

[AlCzervik]

28. like i said-read it and decide, i'm not endorsing him for anything

i live in California so i have Governor problems of my own although i did live in Texas when Bush was Gov.

[sendero]

33. Oh, I understand...

.... I was not directing my comment at you - merely pointing out that what Mr. Armstrong said here is um.. debatable.

[FreedomAngel82]

26. At least with Lance

we wouldn't be seeing him sign an anti-gay bill in a church since he likes the seperation.

[Mojambo]

7. He's spent way too much time in France to get elected in Texas. n/t

[Aviation Pro]

8. Gee....

...an outstanding, gifted bicycle rider as Governor. I've got a better idea, HOW ABOUT IF WE STOP ELECTING CELEBRITIES WITH ZERO EXPERIENCE AND EVEN LESS KNOWLEDGE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TO POSITIONS OF POWER AND INSTEAD GO WITH PROVEN INDIVIDUALS WHO COULD, YOU KNOW, GOVERN EFFECTIVELY.

Just a thought.

[chalky]

10. There you go, thank you, amen, right on, damn skippy, and see my post #5.

n/t

[Bouncy Ball]

11. Hear, hear.

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

15. What it appears to be is this.

I hate to even mildly promote someone with no political experience whatsoever. In fact, it makes me want to puke. But so does the current situation in Texas -- what was that headline earlier about the governor holding an anti-abortion bill-signing in a church? (It was linked on Daily Kos, maybe here too.) If Lance Armstrong is the only non-fundamentalist who can win the state house, then I'd have to say that I'll back him if he proves to be intelligent (which he has to be, cycling is far too strategic for a dumbass to succeed in), honest, and free of corruption.

There are lots of stupid people in Texas. No, not all Texans are stupid, but there are a lot of stupid people in Texas. And a lot of stupid people are waffly enough to go against their "family values" creed and vote for a "moderate-to-left" person (as Armstrong says he is in the article that chimpsrsmarter linked to above), but only if he's Lance Armstrong. He's already got a leg up on Schwarzenegger because he's actually a native Texan.

Besides, he says he won't run in '06, so maybe he'll do something productive until the race after that, assuming he does run, that'll give him more experience in something that isn't bike riding.

[chalky]

18. Don't get me wrong--If I have to choose between Lance, Gov. GoodHair

or KayBailey, Lance would get my vote hands down.
It's just sad that we'd have to go the celebrity route.

[fricasseed_gourmet_rat]

21. Yep, it is sad.

But so is Texas! (Again, no offense to any TX Dems.)

[chalky]

29. Hey that's me, and believe me, none taken.

:-)

[pstans]

13. I'd vote for Lance

[PuraVidaDreamin]

17. I would certainly listen to his schpeil

Anyone who is that tough and can put their mind to it to learn french/spanish on their own, and knows the inticasies of the human body- with a very good pention for business...
I would listen very keenly

[stevans_41902]

32. I think he'd have a hard time getting elected

just b/c he is an athiest. I saw a poll once that even most athiests would not vote for a political leader who was an athiest and a lot of Christians (unfairly) believe that athiests have no morals. I think that I would agree with his politics (based on the interview) but that doesn't mean that he would make a good politician. I personally know some Democrats who would not vote for someone who did not believe in God...would this influence anybody on here? (disregarding the fact that he is a celebrity...)

[Lori Price CLG]

19. He's a troll for pharma-terrorists and Bush. I think Sheryl Crowe...

split w. him - not sure.

Lori Price

[chalky]

31. From your keyboard to Yahoo's ear:

This just popped up on my main page.

Armstrong considering marriage, more kids after retirement

And no, no split. They're sooo happy. So very, very happy!

[FreedomAngel82]

22. Should be interesting

Especially him being with Sheryl. On election night she performed at the party Kerry had in Boston.

[Neshanic]

35. Political bent? Toby Keith on a bike. When the wind blows...

or the checks from Bristol-Myers Squibb come.

Anyone who could laugh with that monkey has no personality or a view, other than what's best for them.