This is my first photo with someone who has climbed Mt. Everest
Politico reports that former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson has earned the endorsement of Willie Nelson and the Teapot Party:
Long-haired country crooner Willie Nelson and his Teapot Party have endorsed Republican presidential candidate Gary Johnson.
Johnson, the first presidential candidate the group has endorsed, got the nod from the Teapoters because of his views on legalizing marijuana.
The former governor of New Mexico, who previously admitted to smoking pot for medicinal purposes, supported legalizing the drug when he was governor. Since he’s been out of office, he has continued to speak out for marijuana reform. Johnson said, “I advocate legalizing marijuana – control it, regulate, tax it” during the Republican debate on May 5 in South Carolina.
None of this is a surprise, of course. Where I find a story is in Politico’s reporting of the story; more precisely, what I didn’t find in their reporting of the story:
A pot pun.
With such fish in the barrel as notorious pot smoker Willie Nelson, a group called the Teapot Party, and a governor who’s appeared at the NORML Conference, the Cypress Hill Smokeout, Seattle Hempfest, KushCon, and the Texas NORML Marijuana March, you’d expect a headline like “Gary Johnson High on Willie’s Presidential Ticket” or a lede like “Legendary country music star Willie Nelson, long known to be a fan of marijuana, hopes to deliver a stash of votes to GOP presidential hopeful Gary Johnson.”
Politico covered it fairly and soberly as they would have noted a megachurch pastor’s endorsement of a GOP candidate for his views on reproductive choice or a union leader’s endorsement of a Democratic candidate for his views on labor relations. Thank you for presenting the Teapot Party endorsement with class.
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[...] to promote the cause of legalization, which in 2011 gained mainstream political coverage for endorsing Republican Gary Johnson for president, before backpedaling to account for the singer’s support of Democrat Dennis [...]
[...] to promote the cause of legalization, which in 2011 gained mainstream political coverage for endorsing Republican Gary Johnson for president, before backpedaling to account for the singer’s support of Democrat Dennis [...]
The problem with all politicians begins with their promises of what they’ll do when elected and then, if elected, the excuses begin as to why they can’t spend their political capital on the issues they promised to. Case in point, Obama.
My problem with Gary Johnson is that if he were elected, I suspect he’ll waffle like the rest and if he doesn’t, he’ll still have a hard time getting support from Congress. And when the smoke settles, we’re still left with a Republican. Dennis Kucinich mirror’s my politics much better, but I don’t think he can muster the support he’ll need. And a three-way campaign usual insures that some wing-nut gets in like it just happened here in Maine with Paul LePage. Folks thought he was a joke, but now the joke’s on us.
[...] this week we reported on the Teapot Party and Willie Nelson’s endorsement of former Republican New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson for president of the United States. The motto of the Teapot Party is “We lean a little to the [...]