2020 was an off-year for humanity, but strangely enough, the Netflix series “Tiger King” which dove into the lives of former Oklahoma zoo owner turned felon, Joe Exotic, and his peculiar friends (and enemies), was able to mostly unite everyone during some pretty scary days. Well, for like five minutes at least before we went back to riots, COVID-madness, UFO sightings and other dumb things.
Well, Joe Exotic is fighting to appear in the public consciousness once again, albeit while still serving time in federal prison, this time declaring that he is seeking the Libertarian Party’s nomination for President in the upcoming 2024 election.
Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado, announced on twitter over a week ago “It’s official! I am now a candidate for President of the United States in 2024.”
You’ve probably already got a hundred different questions jumping around in your head, so let’s go ahead and answer the most obvious one.
It's official! I am now a candidate for President of the United States in 2024. Visit my campaign website for information at https://t.co/1q1wARg9D3. pic.twitter.com/VtsFi2vNMf
— Joe Exotic (@joe_exotic) March 10, 2023
Can He Actually Run for President?
Yes, technically he can.
While other candidates will be attending state conventions, fundraising dinners, and pretending to like Iowa, Exotic has no other choice than to run his campaign entirely from his cell in an Atlanta prison where he is currently service a 21-year sentence for taking part in a murder-for-hire plot.
Honestly, the only difference between him and most people who served as President is that Exotic actually ended up getting arrested for his crimes while the others got away with theirs. I didn’t say which former POTUS either, you’ll have to go figure that one out.
Despite this challenge, Exotic has Nelson Mandela level aspirations. According to his website, “Yes, I know I am in Federal Prison and you might think this is a joke but it’s not. It is my Constitutional right to do this even from here.”
“So put aside that I am gay, that I am in prison for now, that I used drugs in the past, that I had more than one boyfriend at once, and that Carole hates my guts, this all has not a thing to do with me being able to be your voice.”
That is where he’s correct– felons can legally run for political office.
Joe Exotic running for president from jail has to be the most exciting thing to happen to the Libertarian Party since Jesse Ventura. pic.twitter.com/fJMVPovwZT
— Brett R. Smith (@BrettRSmith76) March 18, 2023
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The Road to the White House is Paved With… Something
As of Monday, Exotic’s campaign team is still in need of more staff according to a Twitter post asking for a volunteer graphic designer. Despite this, he’s making decent progress on other fronts.
He has outlined his platform ranging from criminal justice reform to taxes and government corruption. Otherwise, aside from a store selling shirts with his “Make America Exotic” tagline, not much else is going on.
While Exotic might be the most high profile individual to seek the Libertarian Party’s nomination in 2024, some within the third party are not pleased.
“We stand for personal and economic freedom, we are not a landing pad for former reality stars and D-list celebrities,” said Libertarian Party Chairwoman Angela McCardle to TMZ.
This isn’t Exotic’s first attempt to seek public office nor the highest office in the land though. He ran for President (kinda, sorta) in 2016 and also ran as a Libertarian for Governor of Oklahoma in 2018.
What are your thoughts on the “Tiger King’s” long shot campaign? Let us know in the comments below.
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