What politician would you consider unusual?

[Timur]

Bob Katter

[Timur]

Just now, Patine said:

That's a pretty broad and ill-defined word...

Super unusual, like a strange anomaly...

[Pringles]

Tulsi Gabbard?

[jnewt]

Fella by the name of Donald Trump. Odd looking duck, something about his eyes... hypnotic

[mark2]

Andrew Yang.

[Fbarbarossa]

Jerry Brown in the 70s and 90s

[WVProgressive]

James Traficant

[vcczar]

Secretly the weirdest Calvin Coolidge

Overtly the weirdest Claiborne Pell

Weirdest looking Donald Trump

Self-proclaimed weird Bill Clinton. He responded, "I AM weird." When someone said, "Don't do _________ or people will think you're weird." I think it had something to do with his sleep schedule--something not really that weird. 

There are definitely weirder people, but this is out of major figures. I think most of the overtly-theocratic socially-conservative, so called "Christian" politicians are among the weirdest people every to walk on American soil--Michelle Bachmann, Christine O'Donnell, Pat Robertson, etc. 

I think a lot of 3rd party-minded politicians are often weird because it seems like they're inconsistent with their own values-- An example with Eugene McCarthy is that he was arguably the most progressive person running in 1968. Anti-war and very New Deal. He voted for Reagan in 1980. 

On a more personal note, I have a friend who has inconsistent political views. My best friend (maybe just friend now) used to be much more left wing. When he was my roommate from 2001-2003, he was anti-war, pro-humanitarian domestic policy, opposed to authoritarianism, pro-labor, non-nationalistic, critical of the policy, a believer in anti-bullying efforts, pro-immigrant. He deviated only in that he seems to have always been critical of abortion, gun control, and he supported 9-11 Conspiracy Theories from the start. About 2004 or 2005, he started listening to Alex Jones and his political focus was almost entirely in regards to conspiracy theories and "exposing" the government.

From 2008-2013, he pretty much accepted every conspiracy theory by anyone approved of by Alex Jones. I was his roommate again in 2013-2014, and he was just different. He also started becoming religious, which also made him more pro-police/anti-BLM and pro-military. 

Since Trump became president, he's been basically drunk on Trump. He's written songs that mention having faith in Trump. His Twitter (if he still has it), mentions Trump before God in his list of things he likes. Ultimately, he supports 100% of what Trump says and supported the Jan 6th Insurrection, hoping it would see the capital taken and the election overturned while watching it on live TV. He's into all that Q-Anon crap. 

Yesterday, he texted me to say that he thinks the US should invade both Canada and Mexico for oil and that an invasion should be justified because Canada has been "using us" and Mexico keeps sending drug cartels into the US which is a national security issue. He's also very pro-corporate and anti-labor now. Doesn't support any sort of safety net for poor people. 

It's kind of heart-breaking. He used to be one of the kindest most empathetic people I knew. He's also extremely creative and intelligent. Can Speak like 10 languages (only 1 fluently but can get by in the others) and can play every instrument. Writes well. Soaks up information. But he's also more of a mimicker than an original thinker. He's attempts at originality and and uniqueness are more often through the model of someone that inspires him -- Ezra Pound, Velvet Underground, Alex Jones, Trump. I think he probably cried and was irate when Trump lost, possibly believing Trump was to win all 50 states. He and I used to get along perfect. It's so weird. 

I think the first sign might have been when we watch Triumph of the Will (Nazi propaganda) in c. 2002. I was watching it because it's considered a groundmaking documentary work. My friend got really excited when Hitler shows up for the first time, even though he--like most people--didn't like Hitler, but he was somehow transfixed by his sudden appearance. Propaganda works on him, despite his intelligence. 

Anyway, that was a tangent. I was actually going to make this last part it's own post, but I'll leave it here. I should also mention that I don't think he's ever voted except for the 2016 and 2020 election. I think Trump's strength is tapping into non-voters, which would be lost with DeSantis or anyone else. However, I also think Biden's only chance at victory is if he faces Trump again.