Student aims for U.S. presidency
By Eliza Escano
Special to the Daily Forty-Niner
Student Kenneth Thomson wanted to prove
anyone could vie for the nation's top job.
To do this, he got petitions to qualify
for the U.S. presidential candidacy for a class project at the University
of Minnesota. In a political science class, Thomson succeeded in getting
petitions from the states of Florida, Minnesota and Utah.
The only problem was he was 30 years old
then. To run for the U.S. presidency, one must be at least 35 years old.
"It started as a joke," said Thomson, now
a Cal State Long Beach student. "I wanted to prove that any idiot can run
for president."
The project has turned into a serious eight-year
undertaking in pursuit of the presidency of the United States.
Now, in his second attempt for the top
spot, Thomson, 34, is trying to get 300 signatures from registered voters
in California to get on the state ballot.
But even without the petitions, any voter
can elect him as a write-in national candidate.
"Now I just want to voice my opinions,"
he said. "Even if people don't elect me, more I want them to ask the other
candidates about my ideas.
There are so many career politicians out
there. That is why so many people are dissatisfied. Let's make a
real change."
Opposed to professional financing of campaigns,
Thomson's campaign is donation-free.
"I do not want to have financial ties to
anyone," Thomson said.
He has not scheduled any speaking engagements
or other public appearances. The only promotion done for his campaign is
a college club-sponsored Web site, with one member -- Thomson himself.
"I don't have all the answers," Thomson
said about his political platform. "I keep an open door. I keep in
touch and get feedback from the
general public as much as possible.
Who knows about what's good for steelworkers of America but the steelworkers
themselves?"
If elected, Thomson would like to emphasize
the importance of political science in education.
" A lot of people get screwed because they
are just not aware of what the government is about and how they can be
in-charge," he said. |
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