JUNGLE JERK NARROWLY ESCAPES VICTORY ——- by Steve Nadis
Yesterday, Jungle Jerk lost in his bid for a city council seat in his town in Western, Mass., yet the campaign was still remarkable. He was the only newcomer to that town (moving last year) who received the endorsement of both local papers. He also received 500 votes–a few hundred shy of what he needed to win–without campaigning, without printing any brochures, or putting anything in print, for that matter. He shook no hands, kissed no babies, and did not spend one cent of his own money (nor did he spend a cent of anyone else’s money). He did not raise any PAC money, any oil money, any money for that matter, which made him “beholden to no one. I never asked a single person to vote for me,” he says, and on voting day he didn’t stand outside the polling places holding a sign. “I refused to pander. I refused to grovel.”
The endorsements from the local papers, on the basis of his performance in the town debate, his sole campaign effort, took him by surprise. “That’s when I started to worry that I might actually win,” he says. That was going to be a problem because he plans on spending quite a few months in South America next year, as is his custom. When the returns were coming in last night, for awhile it looked like he was going to win. It looked like he had 1183 votes, owing to a quirk of the sign, when he actually had just 483. Once again he got nervous, “ready to demand a recount,” as he put it. But in the end, he did not win. Which was a relief. And now he’s on the road again, flying across the Atlantic for the film premiere this weekend. Bon voyage, Jungle Jerk!
A candidate who doesn’t campaign? Who states his views in a public debate and leaves it at that? How the hell did he lose?
No telling ….. he must have been campaigning in Republican territory.
You’re both right. It could have been "Mr. Smith goes to Western Mass." all over again.
Yes but doesnt he still have responsibility
for those 483 voices and ears and eyes
who entrusted him to voice opinion on their behalf
in city council..?
I mean do people do this ,, just for the heck of it??
honestly iam a baffled a bit ????
————————————-zardoz——–
The upside is that voters are turning towards candidates without image-makers, publicity photos and stunts. Could become a trend. (Let’s hope so.)
Much as I admire Jungle Jerk’s campaign strategy, I gotta agree with zardoz: Jungle Jerk shouldn’t have run if he wasn’t serious about being on the council. I mean, imagine if Bush had won the election, then said, "Ha! Just kiddin’. I don’t want to be President." Oh, wait. That would have been a good thing, wouldn’t it?
Okay, so let’s limit this "just running to see if I can win" strategy to right-wing demagogues, sycophants, and idiots. (That would take care of the entire Bush administration.)
Thanks, these are all valid comments. I was going to respond here but decided it warranted a separate [but small] follow-up post. Stay tuned.