Sandusky to Enter Republican Primary Race
STATE COLLEGE, PA — Former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky has thrown his hat into the 2012 Republican presidential primary race.
STATE COLLEGE, PA — Former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky has thrown his hat into the 2012 Republican presidential primary race. The alleged pedophile said that Barack Obama has done “terrible harm” to the reputation of the United States, and he “felt compelled to offer myself as a new choice for the American people.”
GOP voters have responded enthusiastically to Sandusky’s announcement. Although little is known about his political views, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said Sandusky offers Republicans “an opportunity to get behind yet another delusional sociopath with no chance of ever becoming president.”
A statement released today from conservative organization Americans for Prosperity called Sandusky “a refreshing alternative to Mitt Romney’s latent liberalism.” In a CNN poll, 32% of Republican voters said that allegations of child sexual abuse would not be a factor in their choice for president.
MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell decried Sandusky’s candidacy as “completely disgusting,” calling it “nothing more than an underhanded ploy for the GOP to distract voters from the dismal choices of Rick Perry, Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann.” (The Bachmann campaign said they are looking at Sandusky as a possible running mate.)
Radio host Rush Limbaugh threw his full support behind Sandusky, referring to him as “an American icon.”
“It’s not the government’s responsibility to decide who gets to sodomize a kid,” said Limbaugh on his radio show. “This is an issue that drives liberals crazy. ‘Protect children from contaminated water. Protect children from sexual abuse. Use renewable energy.’ Blah, blah, blah.”
According to Limbaugh, Sandusky is being “unfairly targeted by the liberal-socialist elite.”
A majority of Republican voters seem to agree. The latest CBS News poll shows Sandusky supported by 23% of GOP primary voters, just edging out Newt Gingrich at 22% and Mitt Romney at 20%.
“We have to make sure Barack Obama is a one-term president,” declared Limbaugh, “and if it means we elect a child rapist, I can live with that.”
Priebus acknowledged Sandusky’s shortcomings as a Republican candidate. “Yes, the man lacks leadership skills. He knows nothing about government, has no foreign policy experience, and he’s a sexual predator.”
“In short,” added Priebus, “he’ll fit right in.”
