Red Phillips: What Motivates the Harold Heards of the World to Run for President?

 

Harold Heard? Conservative Constitutionalist for President?
By RedPhillips

Conservative Heritage Times
June 4, 2011

An add for this guy popped up on Facebook so I decided to check him out. First of all, there is no “About” page, so I have no idea who he is or what his credentials are for running for President. Second, he proclaims himself “the only Constitutional Conservative candidate running.” This is a highly debatable assertion to say the least. Maybe he considers Ron Paul a Constitutional libertarian, but what about Roy Moore? Roy Moore isn’t a Constitutional Conservative? And while his rhetoric may be slightly more constitutionalist than most, his issues page is cookie cutter movement conservative.

I see nothing extraordinary about his issues positions that would mark him as noticeably more constitutionalist than many run-of-the-mill Republican congressional candidates. Of note, his national defense statement is brief, but he uses the “peace through strength” line so it doesn’t suggest he is a non-interventionist. And his pledge invokes idea nation nonsense.

I mention Mr. Heard primarily because I am curious. I have defended here dark horses like Moore and Roemer and non-traditional candidates like Cain, but at least these people have some stature and credentials upon which to offer themselves as candidates. But I can’t figure out what makes someone like Heard think he should run for President, especially when his platform really isn’t at all unique. Quite frankly, from what I can tell, he doesn’t even have the stature to run for the Constitution Party nomination even if he were sufficiently constitutionalist.

And what is interesting, there are many other people like Heard out there. Check out the list of potential candidates at politics1.com. Some of them are clearly nutty, like the fellow who wants to save the world by building dome homes. But others seem sincere, and have decent websites. What motivates them?

* * *
“What motivates them?”

‘Look at that treasonous idiot, McCain. If he can run, I can run.’

‘Look at the spineless weaklings in the field. Gingrich? Pawlenty? Let me at least shake things up.’

‘Sarah Palin is a photogenic celebrity of indeterminate beliefs. I may not be as pretty as she is, but at least my beliefs are reasonably set.’

‘In today’s Republican field, being to the right of Olympia Snowe gives one the right to dub oneself a "constitutional conservative."’

Plus, dreams of fame, fortune, and the love of beautiful women.