Kevorkian to run for office
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/03/12/art.kevorkian.gi.jpg caption="Kevorkian is planning a bid for Congress."](CNN) - Jack Kevorkian, the assisted suicide advocate currently on parole from prison, is planning a run for Congress, a Detroit newspaper reported Wednesday.
According to the Oakland Press, Kevorkian is planning to mount an independent bid in Michigan's 9th District seat currently occupied by Republican Joe Knollenberg.
"We need some honesty and sincerity instead of corrupt government in Washington," Kevorkian told the paper. He also said his plans are in the "formative stage" and he would make a formal announcement next week.
Nate Bailey, a spokesman for Knollenberg, told CNN "the congressman is working on turning Michigan’s economy around and bringing jobs to Oakland County...He’s focused on working for the people of Oakland County, not on politics."
The one-time pathologist needs to gather 3,000 signatures in order to appear on the ballot as an independent candidate.
Kevorkian has said he has helped well over 100 people die during the 1990s. In 1998, he was formally convicted on second degree homicide for assisting in the death of Thomas Youk, who suffered from Lou Gehrig's disease.
He was released from prison on parole in June.
Oakland County Prosecutor Dave Gorcyca, who was responsible for sending Kevorkian to jail, told the paper he thinks the candidacy is merely a "publicity stunt."
CNN has been unable to get a comment from Kevorkian.
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can a felon run for public office?
Run-Jack-Run. I've been out of work for a while, but, where can I send him a couple of bucks for his campaign? Like of the separation of church and state, I feel that NO ONE should tell me when I'm ready to die. I tell me! I make that choice. Fate can also make this choice for me. Not the government. If they believe in God so much, why don't they make sure that people that are in pain with crappy or no health care at all, get help to lessen their pain? But they are going to tell me I can't do "Jack"? Punn intended.
So now we have political suicide
I think he should resume his medical practice.
A suggestion for his first patient: Some woman named, Hillary. After all, her campaign is already Dead on Arrival.
As if Washington wasn't strange enough already.
I think that they were wrong for putting him in Jail. If I had a sickness where I wasn't gonna live long and was suffering, I would call for Jack.
He would definatel;y get my vote.
How is this even possible? You mean to tell me that you can be elected to Congress with a felony on your record but you possibly can't become a police officer with a misdemeanor DUI on your record? This country has some major issues and fuziness about what is and is not allowed. It's pathetic that it really all boils down to money. We supposedly decide who we want to be the next President. That is completely incorrect...the candidates with the most money and pull from big businesses and government officials are the ones who get elected. This country is going to hell in a hand bag...from the rising costs of every thing, to other countries hating us, to school and mall shootings. I need to seriously pack up and move to somewhere like Switzerland. It's sad that kids have to be raised during these times.
I understand Pro-Choice and Pro-Life but what will Jack put on his bumper sticker? Maybe he can get the seat by not sleeping around in airport bathrooms or fancy hotels. I'd vote for you jack I'll call it 'Pro- nothing else is working so why not.'
Terri:
Kevorkian is running for CONGRESS, not the presidency. Your inability to process the basic facts of even this story is indicative of persons like yourself blindly following Hillary. Perhaps it is time to engage your brain and re-evaluate your choices regarding who you would like to select as president of our country.
Obama 2008! Let's stop apologizing to the world for being Americans!
(1) Shouldn't anybody have the right to stand, after they've served their time, and then the people decide for themselves if they want to vote for that person or not. Isn't that in the spirit of democracy?
(2) It's not as though the justice system is perfect (nobody's system is perfect). Think OJ. OJ could stand if he wanted.
(3) Helping someone with Lou Gehrig's disease ease their way out of their misery is legal in some other countries, you know.
Fits right in with the Dems "Pro-Choice" platform.......
For those that feel that the government should choose when you should die, that's okay -for you. How about making it where, if you have a terminal illness and in pain but mentally alert, you can choose to suffer but I can choose to call it a life. I went to the hospital in 1996 or a simple gallbladder operation. The doctor screwed up somewhere. When I came to, I was in so much pain I was praying for death and the morphine did absolutely nothing! Thirteen days later the torture was partially over. I went home with a collapsed lung and in a lot of pain until it subsided weeks later. You may say that I'm alive today because I didn't do a "Kevorkian", but, with the pain I endured, I would vote against any law that would make a human being suffer such torture during a terminal illness because the government knows best. Right.
GOOD FOR HIM. 24/7 PAIN IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY AND HE HAS HELPED RELEAVE SOME OF THAT. HOPEFULLY THE NEXT PRESIDENT CAN ALSO HELP RELEAVE SOME AS WELL.
Yup!!!
He's obviously gonna bring CHANGE to the country.
This is clearly an example of what we all are missing.
The real question is NOT who's gonna bring CHANGE to the country (becauce anyone who is not following Bush is a change agent).
The REAL question is CHANGE TO WHAT?
DO WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE GONNA CHANGE TO?
OR ARE WE ALL JUST CRAZY PEOPLE WHO SHOUT "CHANGE!" BUT REALLY HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THE DIRECTION?
There are so many Americans that agree a person has the right
to terminate their own life, particularly when the alternative is
and Kervorkian was a saint to help them
end their pain. It was sad he was convicted and sent to jail.
I'd vote for him in a heartbeat to
There are so many Americans that agree a person has the right
to terminate their own life, particularly when the alternative is
a slow and painfull "natural" death by incurable disease.
Kervorkian was a saint to help them end their pain.
It was sad he was convicted and sent to jail.
I'd vote for him in a heartbeat to send him to congress and change that law.
All you bashers, at least he had the guts to do what he believed in instead of crying and waiting for someone else to do something.
This is old news for us folks here in Michigan.He was talking about that when he was in Prison.At least he is a better candidate than Spitzer.While we are at it I believe WWE wrestling star,s KANE and THE UNDERTAKER should run for congress.How about folks, anyone agree with me on this one?
I'd probably vote for him. He's a progressive thinker, a little ahead of our times.
To answer a lot of people's question about candidate disenfranchisment laws, most states don't allow convicted felons to hold a state office, but the federal government, with rulings by the Supreme Court, upholds the right of most citizens to run for a federal office.
He only helped those decrepid old people who were going to die anyway, he just saved them and their families lots of money...money that was being sucked out 'em quicker than they could die. He was helping, dammit.
Ha ha ha!
People, people, people, don't strain the brain over the misbehavior of the lost leaders of who place disenfranchise their voters, the Primarycontest will be over before Florida and Michigan.
And guess who the winner will be, not the 'inevitable candidate' but the reputable candidate? lol
I don't think Bush would allow it. He wouldn't want anyone showing him up.
Has Bush asked him to help him out at the end of his political career?
Kevorkian rules. As someone who spent two years caring for a loved one that died of ALS (Lou Gerigh's Desease), I think all Kevorkian has ever done is spare people pain most of know nothing of. So, go Jack, you have my vote in spirit since I don't live in Detroit.
But, I am in Florida so it's sort of like the same right now!