“˜I am not a witch”™: Buffalo Beast editor running for Congress to replace Rep. humiliated on Craigslist
by Stephen C. Webster
The Raw Story
March 29th, 2011
Exclusive interview: Journalist behind prank on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is on the ballot in New York’s 26th congressional district
Ian Murphy has been at the lonely work of gonzo journalism for a while now, but it’s only recently that he’s achieved a level of national notoriety from his perch atop New York publication The Buffalo Beast. Others might call it infamy.
You may remember his last hit: prank calling Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, pretending to be billionaire tea party supporter David Koch.
Well, Murphy has a new project: He’s running for Congress.
When Gawker published shirtless photos that New York Republican Congressman Chris Lee sent a woman he contacted on Craigslist, Murphy didn’t see red like so many other voters living in New York’s 26th congressional district. He saw green.
Today, less than two months out from a special election, Murphy has secured a place on the ballot as the Green Party’s nominee: a nod he won by a unanimous vote.
In his candidacy announcement, Murphy sits by a fireplace smoking a pipe, reading off his hand (à la Sarah Palin) and intentionally flubbing his talking points for laughs.
This video is from YouTube user MurphyCanHasCongress.
“My platform is threefold,” he explains on YouTube. “Number one, tax cuuuu … Two: Reduce the de … the decibels. And three: Anger. Is that right? Yeah. Anger.”
On his website, Murphy Can Has Congress, he goes into more detail.
“So, you probably want to know some other stuff about me,” Murphy wrote. “Well, I”™m an art school dropout who”™s done some drifting both geographically and career-wise. I”™ve worked as a landscaper, cashier, shopping cart pusher, butcher”™s assistant, janitor, cow-milker, milkshake engineer, building manager, drywall installer, plumber, carpenter, painter, illustrator, door-to-door salesman, dish washer, paperboy, paperman, and some other illustrious gigs.
“The narrative is bound to be that I”™m not qualified to serve in Congress. Bullshit. I”™m a blue-collar guy from Buffalo. I have common sense and authenticity on my side. I”™m a real guy who won”™t sell you out for a quick buck. And I”™ll fight like a cornered wolverine to make the voice of the people heard.”
It’s not (entirely) a joke
Though he doesn’t expect to win in the largely Republican district, Murphy told Raw Story in an exclusive interview that he plans to use his temporary platform to give voice for more than just comedy.
“I want to make the country better,” he said. “I mean, it’s corny, but that’s actually the truth.”
Read the rest of the article at The Raw Story.
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