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.

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.

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.

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.

Washington Star covers Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President

The Washington Star today (August 3, 1979) covered Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President in a short article.

New York Times & New York Post cover Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President

The New York Times and New York Post cover Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President today (Friday, August 3, 1979).

New York Post publishes article on Richard Grayson's campaign for Vice President

Today, August 2, 1979, the New York Post features a page 4 story on Richard Grayson's candidacy for Vice President.

Prof Flips Hat into 3-Ring Circus

By Joanne Wasserman

A Brooklyn College English professor, who says he's protesting the country's "circus-like" political campaigns, has decided to take a leave from the ivory tower and run for Vice President.

Richard Grayson, 28, is even officially recognized by the Federal Election Commission.

The federal agency has been flooding him with campaign finance forms since the day he wrote them--and they've never questioned his eligibility.

"I just wanted to see if the FEC would take anybody seriously and apparently they do," he said.

Grayson's biggest concern now is raising the bus fare to New Hampshire to campaign for the nation's first primary.

He's already begun a furious campaign.

He held a $10-a-plate bagel dinner, which brought in $10. His brother was the sole guest and contributor.

A rock singer friend, Wesley Strick, will hold a benefit concert for him tonight at Eric's at 8 p.m.

And, he's drafted his entire family for a Principle [sic] Campaign Committee.

The U.S. Constitution puts the age for holding the office at 35. While Grayson is too young for the job, his political spirit has not been dampened.

Not particular about his political party, Grayson is waiting for an offer from any ticket.

"Jimmy, Jerry, Teddy, they're all the same to me."

A health-conscious candidate, Grayson has no objection to the country's second best seat - especially when he found out there are already 64 contenders for the presidency.

"The President tends to get old a lot quicker," he said. "And Mr. Mondale looks thinner lately."

The serious side of Grayson's candidates involves his belief that the country's leaders are in a "perpetual state of campaigning on non-issues."