Bill Press read a few of DU e-mails this morning regarding the

[monmouth]

"cave in" by POTUS on the budget. Today's discussion is about "serious candidates" and the air time Trump, Bachmann are receiving and not being serious candidates. Pat Paulson used to run for Pres. all the time, people knew he was an entertainer. Paulson now looks like he could have been a viable candidate compared to the crop of "entertainers" on the republican side that are talking candidacy.

www.chicagoprogressive.com

[bananas]

1. Pat Paulson ?

[Atman]

2. He was a comedian on the Smothers Brothers show.

A Joe Lieberman-y kind of Droopy Dog guy. He ran for president in every election.

[bananas]

Yes - and he became famous for burning the flag on TV.

Right-wingers were pissed about that!

[karynnj]

6. His campaign slogan in 1968 against Nixon was "We can't stand Pat"

(That Nixon actually said first in a Kennedy debate on American foreign policy.)

[zbdent]

9. In my senior year of high school, a poll of the students in one of my classes said

who would you want for president?

Thinking it a joke, and trying to be a clown, I voted for Paulsen ... just heard his rambling campaign speech (distinct lack of a verb), and thought it made as much sense and was as legit as anything Reagan put forth ...

Imagine my surprise when the results were printed in the local paper ... (one write-in for Paulsen ...)

[earthside]

10. We Need Pat Now!

http://youtu.be/CDmvhQ-aZEE

[KharmaTrain]

3. Paulsen Ran As A Serious Candidate In 1996...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Paulsen

Sounds like Mr. Press gave his comedy writers a day off if he's quoting DU...

[Syrinx]

5. really?

I liked him, but he never ran as a serious candidate.

[KharmaTrain]

8. I Had The Chance To Meet Him...

Paulsen's name appeared on the ballot in New Hampshire for the Democratic Primary several times. In 1996 he received 921 votes (1%) to finish second to President Bill Clinton (76,754 votes); this was actually ahead of real politicians such as Buffalo mayor James D. Griffin. In 1992 he came in second to George Bush in the North Dakota Republican Primary. In the 1992 Republican Party primaries he received 10,984 votes total.

I interviewed him in '96 and yes, he was a serious candidate. He was unhappy how the Democratic party had become a mirror of the rushpublicans (especially that dreaded DLC). No doubt a protest candidate but a serious one nonetheless...and a very interesting man to boot.

[dennis4868]

4. If CNN's reporting...

Is accurate, Obama did not cave at all....the repubs caved on issue after issue....

[EstimatedProphet]

7. Which explains how they got more cuts that they asked for

[Doctor_J]

11. And will get even more in the final version

[dennis4868]

12. look at the facts....

not the hyperspeculation.....