Clay Aiken (D-NC) for US Senate 2008

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

From this week's "Indy Week" a Clay Aiken ad announced his run for US Senate ad.
Clay asks for your vote and for donations.

Aiken '08
Independent Weekly.
Will Clay Aiken's Cary concert make him a frontrunner for Elizabeth Dole's Senate seat?

BY GRAYSON CURRIN, BOB GEARY and MARIA BILINSKI SHAIN

We recently received a postcard from the Clay Aiken for U.S. Senate 2008 campaign....

Clay says he is a proven vote getter - with 119,935,000 votes as American Idol:

Download the "postcard" in pdf

I know what you’re thinking: “Clay Aiken is too young to run for Senate.” But that’s not true.
I turn 30 on Nov. 30,2008, which—according to Article 1, Section 3 of the U.S.

Constitution—means I can be a Senator if I want to be a Senator!
Betcha didn’t know I was so smart, huh?

Let’s face it: I’m young, vibrant, energetic and popular.
I’m a proven vote getter: Sure, I respectfully and cheerfully lost American Idol,
but—in route to a second place finish, the cover of Rolling Stone with my shirt seductively unbuttoned,
and a debut album that topped the charts and sold 613,000 copies in its first week—
I received more than 119,935,000 votes.

In 2002, Elizabeth Dole received 1,229,822 votes, which—if you’re keeping count at home—
is a little more than 1 percent of my total votes.
Now, she’s the 95th most powerful lawmaker in Senate.
I continue to sell out arenas and state fairs. Thanks for trying, Liddy!

Now move along before I put my foot up your armrest.

I am more than the Measure of a Man. I should be the Senator of a State.
Vote for me, please.

I’m a registered Democrat, so send campaign contributions in my name to: Clay Aiken for Congress,
c/o N.C. Democratic Party,
220 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27603.

Is this a joke?

The North Carolina Democratic Party Chair has been told about this.

Clay is doing a concert tomorrow in Cary, as stated.

He is a registered Dem. His birthday is correctly stated.

It's on the page headed "MUSIC" where one might expect to see articles about upcoming events.

It is attributed totally to members of the Indy Week staff.

There is no registered Aiken for Congress (or Senate) committee.
NCDP has no instructions what to do with checks in the mail for the committee.

No doubt that Clay could beat Liddy Dole and be an American Idol again.

[supernova]

1. Might not be as goofy as it sounds

He continues to to volunteer work here, despite having gone Hollywood.

[durrrty libby]

4. Aiken unseats Dole? That would be something.

[SteppingRazor]

2. Of course it's a joke.

I mean, isn't it obvious? :shrug:

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. but he could win!

It would be worth it to replace Liddy Dole.

I mean, do you think we Tar Heels really deserve her?

[SteppingRazor]

12. It doesn't change the fact that you're being punk'd.

It's a joke. The fact that people are taking it seriously just shows that:
1) It's not a very good joke.
2) People really, really don't like Liddy Dole.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

15. I live in NC - wonder what'l happen when the checks roll in

I didn't write the article, so yes - a bunch of us Tar Heels
are wondering what is going to happen next.

It IS in the Independent Weekly this week.

[SteppingRazor]

17. Yeah, but who did write the article?

Answer: A bunch of Indy Week staffers, which tells you that it was created in-house as a spoof. As I said in a post below, I'm a journalist at an altweekly myself. These sort of spoofs are hardly unknown.

As for the checks ... well, I'm kinda curious to see that myself. :)

[Cha]

31. But, who is the joke

on?

[NoGOPZone]

3. Isn't he too young to be a Senator?

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

6. He turns thirty just in time

From the post card:

I know what you’re thinking: “Clay Aiken is too young to run for Senate.” But that’s not true.
I turn 30 on Nov. 30,2008, which—according to Article 1, Section 3 of the U.S.

This really was printed in the Independent Weekly, a regular paper.

Its not the Onion.

[SteppingRazor]

14. Yeah, it's not The Onion, but it's still an altweekly. I've worked at them for almost a decade...

we tend to do these sort of spoof stories now and again.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

19. this paper normally does some heavy investigative stuff

so they really shocked a bunch of readers.

Some have already called the State Party Chair, because it probably
will result in checks being mailed to Clay Aiken at the NCDP.

Bob Geary is one of the go to guys to do investigative journalism
there, and writes some very indepth and groundbreaking pieces.

[knowledgeispwr]

7. North Carolinian here...

Is this a joke?

I checked local news websites from the Triad (Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point) and the Triangle (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill) as well as the Winston-Salem Journal and have not seen a thing about it.

Right now, I'm going to doubt the authenticity of this story. That said, we need someone to knock out Liddy Dole in 2008.

[supernova]

8. The Independent is distributed here in the Triangle

and Clay's mom lives in Cary. So it might just be a local ad.

:hi: Welcome to DU!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

11. oops here is the link

and I have edited the OP to provide the link to the Indie Weekly

http:////www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A158379

[meow2u3]

9. Isn't he too young to run for the Senate?

The Constitution states a Senator has to be at least 30, and last time I checked, he doesn't look a day over 25!

[Donnachaidh]

10. oh puhleeeezzzzze!

Guess he's still trying to drag out that 15 minutes of fame he had from I-DULL? And if THIS doesn't work, he can always do the Surreal Life. :eyes:

[wicket]

23. He's gone multi-platinum

I'm not a fan of his music but that's certainly not 15 minutes.

[Donnachaidh]

26. so have countless others who are no longer on the front page of People Magazine

When your last big news piece is about sticking your foot on someone else's seat?

But some phony news item about him running for office doesn't sound a wee bit desperate to get back in the headlines, does it? :shrug:

[proud patriot]

13. Wonderful , Good for him

:)

[mmonk]

16. As a former neighbor (he lived in our neighborhood when on Idol)

I would vote for him (of course I'd vote for a dog before Dole).

[bamacrat]

18. Maybe this is how we should elect our representatives.

Make them compete and vote one off each week. Or not.

[wicket]

20. Go for it Clay!

:D

[juajen]

21. This would be wonderful. Hope it's not a joke.

BTW, he is one smart cookie.

[grasswire]

22. I'd vote for him over Liddy, for sure.

He's a moral guy. I've read parts of his book. My niece had a huge crush on him and we have lots of things with autographs.

[redqueen]

24. Is a a blue dog?

We're stocked up on those... otherwise, why the heck not?

:bounce:

[VP505]

25. Joke or otherwise

I like the notion of younger candidates prying some of those old fossils out of their seats, people who are more in tune with technology in the 21st century.

[mikelgb]

27. it is a spoof

"TEXT BY GRAYSON CURRIN WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BOB GEARY
DESIGN BY MARIA BILINSKI SHAIN"

[taterguy]

28. Way to be a buzzkill

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

29. lets enjoy it anyway! and who knows what will develop

lets enjoy.

He would make a heck of a replacement for Liddy Dole.

She is never seen in NC, thats the only good thing about her.

[Touchdown]

30. I thought he was invisible.

That's what he keeps saying on my radio.:shrug: