A 29-Year-Old’s Diary Entries From Mid-November, 1980 | Thought Catalog

A 29-Year-Old’s Diary Entries From Mid-November, 1980 | Thought Catalog

A 28-Year-Old’s Diary Entries From Late October, 1979 | Thought Catalog

A 28-Year-Old’s Diary Entries From Late October, 1979 | Thought Catalog

A 28-Year-Old’s Diary Entries From Early August, 1979 | Thought Catalog

A 28-Year-Old’s Diary Entries From Early August, 1979 | Thought Catalog

New York Times letter by Richard Grayson: "Anderson Carter's Lot"

Today, Wednesday, May 28, 1980, the New York Times published a letter by Richard Grayson, "Anderson Carter's Lot":

To the Editor:

A recent report noting that Ronald Reagan's field director has resigned speculates about the reasons for the abrupt change in campaign personnel.

It seems clear to me that the former field director, Anderson Carter, probably left because his name, Anderson Carter, combined the surnames of Mr. Reagan’s two opponents for the Presidency. Through no fault of his own, Anderson Carter obviously was an embarrassment to the Reagan campaign.

RICHARD GRAYSON
Rockaway Park, N.Y, May 23, 1980

Chicago Sun-Times features Roger Simon column on Richard Grayson's registering the Nixon/Agnew in '80 Committee with Federal Election Commission

Today, Wednesday, May 14, 1980, the Chicago Sun-Times features a page 4 column by Roger Simon, "Dick, Spiro: The Look-Back Ticket," about Richard Grayson's registering the Nixon/Agnew in '80 Committee with the Federal Election Commission.

A related item appeared on the New York Post's Page Six.

Miami Herald's People Column features item on Richard Grayson taking refuge at the Pervuvian Consulate and demanding passage to Miami

Today, Saturday, April 19, 1980, the Miami Herald's People Column, written by Jay Maeder, features an item, "Candidate Wants Passage to Miami":

IN NEW YORK CITY, meanwhile, vice presidential candidate Richard Grayson -- Grayson is the guy who has promised that if elected he will name Fred Silverman to the presidency -- has taken refuge at the Pervuvian Consulate and is demanding safe passage to Miami. "I can't take these horrible conditions any more," says Grayson, citing "the brutalities of the Mayor Koch regime" and a general standard of living comparable to "being trapped in a room with Tom Snyder." He urges Miamians to express solidarity by honking their car horns.

San Francisco Chronicle reports on Richard Grayson's plan to neutralize Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini

Today, Saturday, February 2, 1980, the San Francisco Chronicle features an article, "A Drive to Put Khomeini in Congress":

Washington - A New York City author believes he has found a way to neutralize the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini: elect him to Congress.

"Then he would be as ineffective as any other congressman," said Richard Grayson, treasurer of the "Ayatollah for Congress Committee."

Grayson has duly registered the committee with the Federal Election Commission here, declaring the Iranian religious leader a candidate for the 11th Congressional District in Brooklyn. Grayson also complied with the FEC's campaign financing rules, reporting, "we have taken in no money and spent even less."

The ayatollah was listed as a Democrat.

- Associated Press

Anchorage Daily News reports on Richard Grayson's Plan to Run Ayatollah Khomeini for Congress

Today, Saturday, February 2, 1980, the Anchorage Daily News features an article, "Ayatollah Runs for Congress," about Richard Grayson's plan to neutralize the supreme religious leader of Iran:

Associated Press

Washington - A New York City author believes he has found a way to neutralize the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini: elect him to Congress.

"Then he would be as ineffective as any other congressman," said Richard Grayson, treasurer of the "Ayatollah for Congress Committee."

Grayson has duly registered the committee with the Federal Election Commission here, declaring the Iranian religious leader a candidate for the 11th Congressional District in Brooklyn. Grayson also complied with the FEC's campaign financing rules, reporting, "we have taken in no money and spent even less."

The ayatollah was listed as a Democrat.

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports on Richard Grayson's Candidacy for Vice President

The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports today (Thursday, January 10, 1980) on Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President.

Miami Herald reports on Richard Grayson's Candidacy for Vice President

The Miami Herald today (Sunday, January 6, 1980) reports on Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President in an article in the Political Scene column by Michael Silver and Pat Fisher titled, "Him, Vice President? Is This Some Kind of Joke?" on page 14BR":

The campaign is in full swing now. It's easy to tell because Richard Grayson has at last become adept at throwing out this timeworn phrase whenever he can't answer a question that needs an answer: "I'll have no comment on that." Six words dear to the heart of every politician ever caught in a bind, whether it be intellectual, moral or criminal. That's where the similarity between Grayson - writer of satire, teacher of English at Brooklyn College in New York City and your everyday politician ends. 

GRAYSON, IN case you haven't heard, is a candidate for vice president.Of the United States. He's not running for president because being the country's top leader takes too much out of a person. "Look how Carter's aged," he said. Grayson was in Broward last week campaigning. He'll be here this week too. And maybe the week after. But don't hold your breath waiting for his pitch. He's hardly on a whirlwind popularity-seeking mission. 

AFTER A week in Broward he'd made only one public foray. He went from his parent's home in Davie to the Broward Mall, where people laughed at him, he said.

This is a man who'd be too young to be vice president even if, by some twist of fate, he were elected. Grayson is 28, seven years too young to live in the house that the Navy built. Grayson has these plans, should he somehow land in the lap of power in Washington D.C.: Fred Silverman, president of NBC television, would be president political scene michael silver pat fisher of the United States. Silverman may not comply. "He seems unwilling to take a salary cut to become President," said Grayson.

Gloria Vanderbilt, whose signature adorns the blue-jeaned derrieres of women everywhere, would be Secretary of the Treasury. "The dollar bill may go In if her signature was on it." Little funnyman Gary Coleman would be United Nations ambassador because "he says cute things." Honorary titles would abound: Things like Baron of Broward, Duke of Davie, Marquee of Miami Beach .... • Governors of states would compete for gasoline allocations on a TV show called "Bowling for Gallons," hosted by James Schlesinger, former U.S. energy czar. An evening with Tom Snyder would replace the death penalty as the most severe punishment meted out to the county's Godless criminals.

THE HUMOROUS platform is nothing new. Every big election year joke candidates air their unbalanced philosophies and expend energy on haphazard missions to win highest re offices of the land. Maybe they're frustrated or angry or just crazy. For his part, Grayson is sick of the system. The system, he says, stinks.

The campaigns are too long, "Politics is now show business, completely,' and politicians care more about "popularity polls than programs." 

"WE DON'T elect the best person, we elect the best candidate," he griped. Something ought to be changed, but Grayson doesn't know what. So he's poking a little fun. Would he like politics if he won? "I'll have no comment on that," he said.

New York Post reports on Richard Grayson's Right to Be the Life of the Party Party & Gloria Vanderbilt's Candidacy for U.S. Senate

In the New York Post today (Tuesday, December 11, 1979), Jack Martin's Headliners column features a story about Richard Grayson's new New York state political party, The Right to Be the Life of the Party, and his plan to draft socialite Gloria Vanderbilt to run for the U.S. Senate in 1980.

US Magazine covers Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President

US Magazine in its current (November 13, 1979) issue features an article on political candidates in the 1980 election that includes a section on Richard Grayson's campaign for Vice President.

The Kings Courier reports on Richard Grayson's Candidacy for Vice President

The Kings Courier this week (11/5/79) reports on Richard Grayson, Brooklyn's candidate for Vice President.

VARIETY reports on Richard Grayson's plan to draft NBC President Fred Silverman for U.S. President

Today, October 31, 1979, Variety features an article, "Stand Aside, Jimmy and Teddy," on Richard Grayson's attempt to draft NBC President Fred Silverman to run for the Democratic party nomination for President of the United States.

The National Examiner reports on Richard Grayson's Candidacy for Vice President

The National Examiner this week (October 27, 1979) has a feature story on Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President and his plan to draft as a Presidential candidate the head of NBC, Fred Silverman, and "run America like a TV network."

The National Enquirer reports on Richard Grayson's Candidacy for Vice President

The National Enquirer this week (October 20, 1979) has a feature story on Richard Grayson, candidate for Vice President, photographed campaigning on Ninth Avenue at West 19th Street in Manhattan and promising to appoint Charo as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Federal Election Commisson issues advisory opinion on Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President

The Federal Election Commission has issued an advisory opinion to Richard Grayson regarding his candidacy for the Vice Presidential nomination in the 1980 New Hampshire Democratic primary:

October 5, 1979

CERTIFIED MAIL
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
ADVISORY OPINION 1979-43

Mr. Richard Grayson
1607 East 56th Street
Brooklyn, New York 11234

Dear Mr. Grayson:

This is in response to your letters of July 21 and 31, 1979, requesting an advisory opinion on the applicability of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, ("the Act") to your candidacy in the New Hampshire Presidential Preference Primary.

Your letter states that you are a candidate for thenomination of the Democratic Party for the office of Vice President of the United States. You add that you are planning to circulate petitions to have your name on the ballot in "the 1980 New Hampshire Vice Presidential Preference Primary on the Democratic side." Since you are a candidate for Vice President, and since SS 100.6(b) (1) (ii) of Commission regulations speaks only of presidential preference primaries, you ask whether the "New Hampshire Vice Presidential Preference Primary" would be considered an "election" under the Act.

An "election" is defined in the Act to include a "general, special, primary, or runoff election". 2 U.S.C. SS 431(a) (1). Commission regulations go on to state that a primary election is an election held prior to a general election" as a direct result of which" candidates are nominated for election to Federal office, or which "is held to elect delegates to a national nominating convention." See 11 CFR 100.6(b) (1) (i), and (iii).

Under New Hampshire law, its presidential primary shall be held "for the purpose of determining the preferred candidates for president and vice president to be selected at the national conventions of the various political parties."1/ While New Hampshire law permits the separate designation of presidential and vice presidential candidates, the allocation of delegates among candidates is based upon the percentage of vote received by presidential candidates only, and only presidential candidates may designate delegates to be certified.

2/
The candidate of the Democratic Party for the office of Vice President is nominated at the Democratic National Convention, and not "as a direct result" of the New Hampshire Vice Presidential Primary. Furthermore, because the New Hampshire Vice Presidential primary does not elect delegates to a national nominating convention, the Commission concludes that such Vice Presidential primary is not an "election" under the Act or Commission regulations.

In the circumstances presented here, the "primary election" for candidates for the Democratic nomination for the office of Vice President is considered to be the Democratic National Convention since that convention has the authority to select a nominee. See 11 CFR 100.6(d) See also Advisory Opinions 1976-58, and 1978-30 copies enclosed. Therefore, limitations on contributions to Democratic Vice Presidential candidates apply separately with respect to two "elections", the Democratic National Convention and the general election.

See 2 U.S.C. SS 441a. Similarly reporting requirements relating to the filing of 10 Day Pre-Election and 30 Day Post-Election Reports would be met with the timely filing of such reports before and after the two "elections" noted above. 2 U.S.C. SS 434(b). See also Commission regulations at 11 CFR 104.4.

This response constitutes an advisory opinion concerning the application of a general rule of law stated in the Act, or prescribed as a Commission regulation, to the specific factual situation set forth in your request. See 2 U.S.C. SS 437f.

1/ N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. SS 58:1
2/ See N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. SS 57:5, SS 57:8

New York Daily News reports on Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President

In "Hats in the Ring: A Soap Box Derby," an article by White House correspondent Frank Van Riper, the New York Daily News today (September 9, 1979) discussed the Vice Presidential candidacy of Richard Grayson.

Sarasota Herald Tribune Editorial on Richard Grayson's Candidacy for Vice President

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune published an editorial on Friday, August 10, 1979, on Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President.

Asbury Park Press features news article on Richard Grayson's campaign for Vice President: "He'll Be No. 2 on Anybody's Ticket"

Today, August 6, 1979, the Asbury Park Press features a story, "He'll Be No. 2 on Anybody's Ticket," about Richard Grayson's candidacy for the 1980 Democratic nomination for President.