COMMENTARY | Could this campaign season get any crazier? Perhaps not, but it could get a lot funnier. Roseanne Barr, the popular comedienne and star of the now much-syndicated "Roseanne" sitcom, announced Thursday she was running for president.
She tweeted: "I am running for Green Party nominee for POTUS. I am an official candidate. I am4 the Greening of America&theworld. Green=peace/justice."
According to CNN, Green Party national coordinator Scott McLarty acknowledged Friday the 59-year-old comedian had completed the required paperwork. He said Barr showed a "great understanding" of the Green Party and its values and he thought it was "great" someone "so well known is campaigning not just in the party but for the party."
So far, no indication of whether she'll sing a patriotic song or two at her rallies. And why not? Can the nation hold it against her forever that atrocious rendition of the national anthem? Besides, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama have entertained with songs at events.
Still, she is serious -- in her always nonserious manner -- about running for president. She's been talking about it since an appearance on "The Tonight Show" last summer. Along with filling out the formal papers, she uploaded a video where she proclaimed her candidacy, stating that after years of acting and raising five children, she was ready to pursue a "less stressful life" by "fixing everything that is wrong with the world."
She then blamed most of the world's problems on the 99 percent (her words) of all the world's leaders (males) who run everything.
But Barr isn't breaking new ground here. Comedians have been making faux runs at the White House for decades, as ABC News shows. Gracie Allen (George Burns' wife and comedic partner) ran for the Surprise Party in 1940. Comedian Pat Paulsen of "The Smothers Brothers" fame ran in several cycles in the 1960s and 1970s. Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert attempted to run in 2008 but was denied access to the Democratic ballot in his home state of South Carolina. More recently, he announced his run for the presidency of the United States of South Carolina and, since he couldn't get on the Republican primary ballot, asked that voters choose businessman Herman Cain, who had dropped out but was still on the ballot.
Most often, their attempts have been used to spoof the process or call attention to certain aspects of platforms and the shortcomings of candidates. Pointing out the candidates' shortcomings in a humorous way has been pretty much taken care of by the candidates this campaign cycle.
So if you think one more joker in the deck won't matter, a vote for Barr might be in order. Or if you find Barr's Green Party candidacy a credible alternative to the never-ending verbal debacle that has become the Republican Party, not to mention the endless platitudes of the Democratic Party, voting for Barr could at least signify symbolic protest.
That is, if she can get selected as the Green Party nominee. The Green Party holds its convention in July. At present, Barr has only one other serious contender: Jill Stein, a medical doctor and environmental and health advocate. There are four other candidates who have filled out the paperwork but have yet to fulfill all requirements of candidacy such as submitting tax returns.
Even Mitt Romney found out that disclosure of one's income was no joke.
But what kind of chance does Barr have of winning? She might get the nomination and represent the Green Party in November, but the presidency might be a bit more difficult. Economic activist Ralph Nader was welcomed as the party's nominee in 1996 and 2000. He and his running mate, Winona LaDuke, pulled in nearly 3 million votes in the latter race. In 2008, former Georgia congresswoman and alleged Capitol police assaulter Cynthia McKinney led the ticket and barely received more than 160,000 votes.
Barr should be able to pull that many votes just from avid TV fans and Occupy Wall Streeters (she has participated in several events).
Perhaps now the Republican candidates can take it easy on themselves.
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