February 9, 2010, - 6:25 pm

Playing the Nerd Card

By Debbie Schlussel

****  SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATE  ****

As you may know, this year, Michigan will pick a new Governor.  There really aren’t any good choices on either side of the aisle (and I’ve changed my mind on Pete Hoekstra–which I’ll let you know about in an upcoming post).  One of the unknown candidates seeking the Republican nomination for Governor is multi-millionaire businessman Rick Snyder.  During Sunday’s Super Bowl, he ran this ad in Michigan, in which he characterizes himself as “One Tough Nerd.” (It cost him $1 million, and it was worth it ‘cuz he’s getting a ton of free media out of it.)

It’s cute.  But do I want a policy wonk boy wonder nerd genius as Governor?  Maybe.  Not sure. Far too many conservatives have dismissed smarts and intellect as “elitism” and the domain of the Democrats (and they’ve gone for a few select bubbly airheads full of ignorance instead), which is a mistake and doom for the movement and for America.  Still, I like the business angle better, but that’s been done and didn’t work when an airhead named Dick DeVos ran four years ago and got trounced by Democrat incumbent Jennifer Granholm.  He needs to combine “nerd” WITH “successful biz.” So, would you vote for a guy who plays the Nerd card?  It reminds me of that famous line in “Revenge of the Nerds”:  The Nerds saw me naked! And then there’s, “I’m not kissing a nerd.”

Not sure how conservative Snyder is because his answers haven’t been forthcoming on some stuff, but he has some good mainstream conservative people behind him. We’ll see. I don’t rule him out.

**** UPDATE: So, I was thinking. If Rick Snyder calls himself a nerd because he got his college degree, MBA, and Law Degree by age 23, what does that make me (since I earned all three by age 24–and no, I didn’t do any joint degrees; earned ’em all separately)? Who you callin’ “nerd,” Rick? Just kidding (but I was never a nerd, never!). And, of course, I don’t have his junior Bill Gates bankroll, though I don’t think that’s the nerd part.

ricksnyderrevengeofthenerds




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23 Responses

very cool

Winston on February 9, 2010 at 6:31 pm

I’m prepared to move to Michagan just to vote for him. Maybe he has a brother to run for President.

Sic Semper Tyrannus on February 9, 2010 at 6:35 pm

I don’t know anything about Mr. Snyder, but there is one potential problem with ‘outsider’ candidates. With no experience, once they get in, they tend to rely on the bureaucratic apparatus of their party,and that’s no good. The ideal candidate would be a conservative with some political experience, who knows what he will do when he gets elected.

Little Al on February 9, 2010 at 7:06 pm

As long as Hoekstra(who would sell his soul to the devil for cash) or Mike Cox(What Party?) don’t win, I could care less. I’m interested to see what Snyder’s position’s are. Hopefully he’s not some religious wack job (DeVos).

Jedi3129 on February 9, 2010 at 7:55 pm

Wow. You get to choose candidates in MI? Here in IL they are appointed, either by a relative passing on their seat to a son, or by the Democratic Committte, who forces elected officilas to reisgn and then appoints the (policically connected) person the President of the IL Democratic Party wants.

dm60462 on February 9, 2010 at 8:11 pm

If not Pete,how about Mike Bouchard?

D: HUH? You must be a new reader. Mike Bouchard is a Dhimmi pan-Islamist more interested in getting in touch with his Arab roots than anything else. Feh. I’d vote for an uber-liberal over him in ad heartbeat.
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/2609/no-surprise-extremist-muslim-group-endorsed-gops-bouchard-for-senate/
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/2592/gop-candidates-attend-extremist-muslim-confab/
DS

Darlene on February 9, 2010 at 8:52 pm

Pete Hoekstra is a card-carrying member of the Saudi Petrochemical Lobby. He hides it better than most; I’ll give him that.

There is NO Santa Claus on February 9, 2010 at 9:18 pm

It didn’t work for Adlai Stevenson, “eggheads of the World, unite.” Americans all want their kids to get college educations then criticize brainy people and the illegal immigrants they hire to do the grunge jobs. Just remember, the Founding Fathers you all idolize were educated men who owned slaves. What you have now is a slightly nicer version of that but not much and the alternative is socialism which is a sham because there are still “leaders and followers.” The thing is, Republican or Democrat, the ideas and platforms won’t change that much unless people get out and hold elected officials’ feet to the fire. It’s necessary to define the qualities you want to see in a leader, qualities that reflect the best within the majority and go with someone who possesses them. Those are whatever qualities the society as a whole possesses and holds dear not some Hollywood version of a “leader” and I’m NOT referring to RR.

mk750 on February 9, 2010 at 10:34 pm

Debbie it would be great if you held an elected office. That would be refreshing. I know it isn’t in your future. However, my choice for governor in California is also a computer nerd Steve Poizner. If Queen Meg Whitman wins the GOP primary I will vote for Jerry Brown. It is better to vote for a known liberal than a closet liberal in Whitman. She is a major political dunce and is leading in the polls. Who said Republicans aren’t star struck? They put in Arnold and root for Palin, Fiorina and Whitman. All never been tested and public policy very suspect but all get large poll numbers. Hey Darrel Issa supports Meg Whitman. Good enough reason not to vote for her.

Revenge of the nerds in Michigan and California.

CaliforniaScreaming on February 9, 2010 at 11:17 pm

Thanks Debbie for the info on Bouchard. I’m glad I ask what you thought of him. I am a recent reader so I wasn’t aware of his history. Thanks again.

Darlene on February 9, 2010 at 11:28 pm

Since you put it out there. Debbie a Nerd? I can’t see that but you have a very impressive resume. Way more impressive than those other pundits and bloggers.

CaliforniaScreaming on February 10, 2010 at 12:12 am

Hey. I got my degrees by 23 also. But i guess I was called a nerd or equivalent sometimes.

pat on February 10, 2010 at 1:18 am

You said the word “Lawyer” in there. That’s enough for me to consider him more of a spazmatic, and less of a “Nerd”.
Politicians are Politicians, I don’t call earthworms the “Beastly Kings of the Loam”……I call them what they are.

Plus, we are talking Michigan here. They could technically secede from the Union, and nobody would notice….

And from the comments, I am guessing that they are still handing out degrees and MBA’s for $20 at the liquor store. Send him to be the Boss? Hell people, send all of ’em some Anthrax…

CaptainSlappy on February 10, 2010 at 9:33 am

    (See my reply at 11:46 pm)

    skzion on February 10, 2010 at 11:47 pm

The Politicians’s Dilemma:

America’s problems are caused by the behavior of registered voters.

Good luck pal…

The Terrorist's Advocate on February 10, 2010 at 10:07 am

Debbie you talked about Chuck DeVore a few days ago. He’s looking to run against that dumb broad Boxer for the GOP. Well despite the snow here in CT, the mail came and in it was a letter from DeVore’s campaign asking for money. I intend to give him money to beat the crap out of that SCUM FREAKCISCO WHORE!

Bob Porrazzo on February 10, 2010 at 11:20 am

I don’t jack about Snyder, but I like the approach of his ad.

The new guy from Mass, I can’t even recall his name now–Scott Brown is it? He showed quite well that even idiot Taxachusetts people want an outsider whe they think may be competent. In doing this ad, Snyder takes his perceived biggest negative–nerdiness–and makes it a positive. Smart man.

I say–Go Nerd Snyder!!

and as far as the label of nerd for you Debbie, I typecast you as more of a Charlie’s Angel–I’d like your new home page graphic to include you shooting your glock (or whatever) with your ear muffs on–and one of you in your hijab going undercover. That is the “real deal” Debbie–don’t mess with me–Schlussel.

BB on February 10, 2010 at 12:04 pm

makes you want to move to Michigan and vote for the guy.

BobKatz on February 10, 2010 at 12:26 pm

Tim Rujan looks like the best candidate for Governor based on his platform “Restore FREEDOM, EMPOWERMENT OF THE PEOPLE and Restore Michigan’s full promise – see
http://www.timrujanforgovernor.com/index.html

ramjordan on February 10, 2010 at 1:21 pm

His schtick sounds like a gimmick. If he isn’t making the issues the main attraction, then I’ll pass on supporting him. He’s likely hiding some innate liberalism, such as crony corporatism.

jcm on February 10, 2010 at 1:41 pm

Most guys his age were either in the Vietnam War, or protesting against it. Seems he didn’t have the courage to do either?

Truth on February 10, 2010 at 2:51 pm

The LAST THING Michigan needs is one of the Amway Dutchman running this state. Hoekstra HATES Detroit with a passion. hell, deep down, he probably wanted to see the Detroit Big Three fail. Michigan needs a businessman/woman running the show. Not Bouchard or Cox or Hoekstra. Those three are all too divisive.

Amy on February 10, 2010 at 8:46 pm

Just a note about CaptainSlappy. Attentive readers have already figured out that he’s an anti-Semite. Here is what he said in a now-archived item:

“I was taught to tolerate Islam, Israeli, Palestinian…well, just take any of your pick of “Non-American Religion” with an M-16A1, with attached Bayonet. They called it “Close Quarters Combat”, or just, “Hey, I outrank you, go stab on that guy”.”

CaptainSlappy, you are stupid as well as being an anti-Semite. Stupid because you have shown your hand here so quickly. Surely there is a Stormfront meeting for you to attend.

skzion on February 10, 2010 at 11:46 pm

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