Gene Amondson
Encyclopedia
Gene Amondson, was a landscape painter, woodcarver, Christian minister and prohibition activist
who was the 2004 US presidential candidate for one faction of the Prohibition Party
(Concerns of People Party) and the nominee of the unified party in 2008.
Amondson was known for his anti-Alcohol activism and reenactments of sermons by preacher Billy Sunday
. He was an active member in the community of Vashon Island, Washington, and was described as a "colorful" character. During press inquiries, he often repeated such prohibition slogans as: "Prohibition was America's greatest 13 years" and "drinking responsibly is like teaching a pig to eat with a spoon. Can't happen." He died in 2009 after suffering a stroke.
near the city of Centralia
. His mother was a German American
homemaker, originally from Nebraska
and his father, who was nicknamed "Red", was a Norwegian American
logger
, an industry which at the time was rampant with alcoholism. When he was a child, neither of his parents drank, but young Gene was exposed to drunken logger fights, attended school with children who were neglected by alcoholic parents, and witnessed the molestation of a five year old by a drunk logger. Gene was also exposed to politics. His uncle, Orville "Porky" Amondson was elected and served as sheriff in Lewis County, and his brother Neil later served in the Washington State Senate
as a member of the Republican Party
. Amondson attended Warner Pacific College
in Portland, Oregon
, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology
. In college, he occasionally drank wine. His anti-alcohol views did not take root until he attended Asbury Theological Seminary
in Kentucky
in 1966, and learned about temperance leader and preacher Billy Sunday
. Amondson estimated that after divinity school, he drank beer about twice a year. In the 1970s, he moved to Vashon Island, Washington, a liberal
community, and preached at Cove Road Church. He described himself as a "red-neck, Bible-thumbing preacher."
In the years that followed, he grew closer to the Prohibition movement, and went on tours throughout the nation reenacting the Billy Sunday sermons Get on the Water Wagon, Booze, and The Sermon Against Alcohol. In his later years, Amondson split his time between Vashon Island and Alaska
, where he would hunt and find landscapes to paint. He cited painters John Singer Sargent
and Joaquín Sorolla as influences on his painting, and his lifesized woodcarvings were found scattered throughout Vashon Island. Along with painting and woodcarving, Amondson was an avid pie baker and published a book that compiled his mother's pie recipes.
Amondson was known to drive around in a Honda Civic
accessorized with a fake elk head on the front and a license plate that read "Vote Dry." The car was also decorated with homemade bumper stickers that read "Dumb People Drink" and "Your Kids Need You Sober." In 2008, the car was installed with a "hydrogen conversion kit
" that allowed it to be fueled by gasoline and water using electrolysis
, significantly improving gas mileage. Amondson's car was one of the first in the nation to be fitted with such a kit.
Amondson was married for 23 years and had four sons and one daughter, before divorcing. One of his sons died in infancy, and his remaining four children all became involved in the motion picture industry upon adulthood. In 1993, he appeared as a guest on Oprah
after writing a letter to the show expressing his interest in the 40,000 single women who hoped to win a date with five widowers from Seattle. He wrote that he would take the women that the widowers passed on, and explained that he was lonely and wanted someone that was "willing to work to help pay the taxes...and my child support." The Oprah staffers who received the letter, commented that they were "quite interested" and "surprised" by Amondson's persona. On the show, he discussed his artwork, and was later invited for a second appearance. Counting repeats, Amondson appeared on the show four times. Afterwards, he received hundreds of letters from interested individuals.
meetings to spread his anti-Alcohol message. As a protest, he often stood outside liquor establishments dressed as the Grim Reaper, and once stood outside a courtroom to protest Jim Beam
after a couple sued the company claiming the drink caused their son to be mentally retarded. During a 1989 interview, Amondson explained that he did not protest the individuals that drank, but the large corporations that distributed liquor. Each time he passed a tavern in his car, he would honk his horn twice in protest.
In the early 1990s, Amondson traveled to New Zealand
and discussed the temperance movement. The trip was financed by the Women's Christian Temperance Union. He also traveled to Africa on a similar trip. In 2005, he led a movement to stop the Washington legislature from allowing alcohol to be sold on Sundays. He remarked: "One more day a week in limited areas will mean a lot more alcohol will be sold, a few more children will suffer." Amondson also provided low rent housing for low income individuals on Vashon Island. He appeared in court a few times for zoning difficulties relating to the housing complexes and was aided by the Interfaith Council on Homelessness.
, the Tax assessor for Thompson Township, Pennsylvania
, and the Prohibition Party's only elected official. He convinced Amondson to seek the nomination of his faction of the Prohibition Party, which split over perennial presidential nominee Earl Dodge
's leadership of the party, believing that he was more interested in his campaign button business than advancing the party's goals. Dodge had run as the party's nominee in every election since 1984
, and received only 208 votes in the 2000 election
, down approximately 1,000 from the 1996 election
. Amondson soon began his campaign and was nominated as the Presidential candidate of the Prohibition Party faction. Dodge was nominated for president by the other faction, and explained that Amondson was "probably a very nice man...[but] he may not have known exactly what he was getting into." Amondson would not criticize his opponent, whom he previously contacted to serve as the Vice Presidential nominee, stating that "Dodge is a good man. I am a good man...We both have the message that alcohol is for dumb people." "But Dodge is just not getting the job done. He's too old. We need to send it to an earlier generation." He went on to discuss the Prohibition issue, responding to concerns that Prohibition causes crime, stating that he would "rather have 100 Al Capone
s in every city than alcohol sold in every grocery store."
During the campaign, Amondson made an appearance on The Daily Show
with comedian Jon Stewart
. He spoke with correspondent Ed Helms
who joked with the candidate. Amondson played along, but was serious when he remarked that "alcohol cuts the supply of oxygen to the brain and puts you in a kind of retarded state." A short clip followed that showed Amondson in his Grim Reaper attire. Earl Dodge also appeared on the show.
The race between Amondson and Dodge was seen as a way of determining which faction would lead the party in the future. Amondson achieved ballot access in Louisiana as the nominee of the Prohibition Party and in Colorado as the nominee of the Concerns of People Party. Dodge achieved ballot access only in Colorado, where he was listed as the nominee of the Prohibition Party. Overall, Amondson won the contest, collecting 1896 (1512 of those were from Louisiana
) votes compared to Dodge's 140. As expected, Amondson placed well behind both major candidates (George W. Bush
received 1.1 million votes, and John Kerry
received over 1 million votes). He placed eighth in a slate of 12 presidential candidates on Colorado's ballot (Dodge placed last, even though it was his home state). Amondson's third place finish in four Louisiana parishes was the first time since 1960
that the Prohibition Party candidate for President out polled all other minor party candidates for President in any county.
; about 10 to 15 people attended the event. Earl Dodge died late in 2007, which reunified the split party. Similar to 2004, Amondson's campaign was based on interviews with the media. He interviewed with Wikinews
in June 2008, and admitted that third party candidates such as himself have no chance of winning elections. Instead, he remarked, they "say wise things." He commented that he would favor the election of a Republican candidate over a Democrat because of the difference in justices nominated to the Supreme Court
, and the policy of the candidate toward Israel
. Amondson stated that he would have liked to have former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
as his running mate
, but the designation went to Leroy Pletten. Pletten was incapacitated for some time during the campaign after suffering a stroke.
During the summer, Amondson campaigned in Louisiana
and walked Bourbon Street
dressed as the Grim Reaper to protest alcohol. While in New Orleans, he filmed a documentary with his three sons. Amondson also took a stand on issues other than alcohol; he declared his support for the War in Iraq and tougher immigration laws, and advocated limits on divorce, more religion in schools and a decrease in public welfare. In an August interview he explained: "We want to have protected borders and keep our gun rights and a lot of conservative things, but the main thing is help America realize that 95 percent of violent crime is connected with alcohol." After John McCain
selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
to be his running mate, Amondson complimented the Republican for picking a "beautiful woman". Despite his own campaign, Amondson effectively endorsed McCain, and stated that he would probably vote for him. Amondson attained ballot access in Colorado, Louisiana and Florida by Election Day
, and received a total of 653 votes.
, suffered a brain aneurism which caused him to fall into a coma. He died on July 20, 2009 at Harborview Medical Center. His death came two days after marrying a couple and attending a local strawberry festival. He was survived by his mother, his two brothers, his sister and his four children. The funeral was held on July 25 at the Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Vashon Island and was followed by a "pie and ice cream social".
Prohibitionism
Prohibitionism is a legal philosophy and political theory often used in lobbying which holds that citizens will abstain from actions if the actions are typed as unlawful and the prohibitions are enforced by law enforcement...
who was the 2004 US presidential candidate for one faction of the Prohibition Party
Prohibition Party
The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement...
(Concerns of People Party) and the nominee of the unified party in 2008.
Amondson was known for his anti-Alcohol activism and reenactments of sermons by preacher Billy Sunday
Billy Sunday
William Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some...
. He was an active member in the community of Vashon Island, Washington, and was described as a "colorful" character. During press inquiries, he often repeated such prohibition slogans as: "Prohibition was America's greatest 13 years" and "drinking responsibly is like teaching a pig to eat with a spoon. Can't happen." He died in 2009 after suffering a stroke.
Biography
Gene Amondson was born to Owen and Ruby Amondson in Morton, WashingtonMorton, Washington
Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,126 at the 2010 census.-History:Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher. It was later named after Benjamin Harrison's Vice President, Levi P. Morton, in 1889. Morton was officially incorporated on January...
near the city of Centralia
Centralia, Washington
Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 16,336 at the 2010 census.-History:In pioneer days, Centralia was the halfway stopover point for stagecoaches operating between the Columbia River and Seattle. In 1850, J. G. Cochran came from Missouri with his...
. His mother was a German American
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
homemaker, originally from Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and his father, who was nicknamed "Red", was a Norwegian American
Norwegian American
Norwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
logger
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
, an industry which at the time was rampant with alcoholism. When he was a child, neither of his parents drank, but young Gene was exposed to drunken logger fights, attended school with children who were neglected by alcoholic parents, and witnessed the molestation of a five year old by a drunk logger. Gene was also exposed to politics. His uncle, Orville "Porky" Amondson was elected and served as sheriff in Lewis County, and his brother Neil later served in the Washington State Senate
Washington State Senate
The Washington State Senate is the upper house of the Washington State Legislature. The body consists of 49 senators, each representing a district with a population of nearly 120,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olympia....
as a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. Amondson attended Warner Pacific College
Warner Pacific College
Warner Pacific College is an urban, Christian liberal arts college located in Southeast Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1937, the college is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities...
in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. In college, he occasionally drank wine. His anti-alcohol views did not take root until he attended Asbury Theological Seminary
Asbury Theological Seminary
Asbury Theological Seminary is a multi-denominational, graduate institution that offers a variety of master degree and postgraduate degree programs through the schools of Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation, Theology and Formation, Practical Theology, World Missions and Evangelism, and...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
in 1966, and learned about temperance leader and preacher Billy Sunday
Billy Sunday
William Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some...
. Amondson estimated that after divinity school, he drank beer about twice a year. In the 1970s, he moved to Vashon Island, Washington, a liberal
Liberalism in the United States
Liberalism in the United States is a broad political philosophy centered on the unalienable rights of the individual. The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion for all belief systems, and the separation of church and state, right to due process...
community, and preached at Cove Road Church. He described himself as a "red-neck, Bible-thumbing preacher."
In the years that followed, he grew closer to the Prohibition movement, and went on tours throughout the nation reenacting the Billy Sunday sermons Get on the Water Wagon, Booze, and The Sermon Against Alcohol. In his later years, Amondson split his time between Vashon Island and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, where he would hunt and find landscapes to paint. He cited painters John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
and Joaquín Sorolla as influences on his painting, and his lifesized woodcarvings were found scattered throughout Vashon Island. Along with painting and woodcarving, Amondson was an avid pie baker and published a book that compiled his mother's pie recipes.
Amondson was known to drive around in a Honda Civic
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded...
accessorized with a fake elk head on the front and a license plate that read "Vote Dry." The car was also decorated with homemade bumper stickers that read "Dumb People Drink" and "Your Kids Need You Sober." In 2008, the car was installed with a "hydrogen conversion kit
Electric vehicle conversion
An electric vehicle conversion is the modification of a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle to electric propulsion, creating an all-electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.-Elements of a conversion:...
" that allowed it to be fueled by gasoline and water using electrolysis
Electrolysis
In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of using a direct electric current to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction...
, significantly improving gas mileage. Amondson's car was one of the first in the nation to be fitted with such a kit.
Amondson was married for 23 years and had four sons and one daughter, before divorcing. One of his sons died in infancy, and his remaining four children all became involved in the motion picture industry upon adulthood. In 1993, he appeared as a guest on Oprah
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
after writing a letter to the show expressing his interest in the 40,000 single women who hoped to win a date with five widowers from Seattle. He wrote that he would take the women that the widowers passed on, and explained that he was lonely and wanted someone that was "willing to work to help pay the taxes...and my child support." The Oprah staffers who received the letter, commented that they were "quite interested" and "surprised" by Amondson's persona. On the show, he discussed his artwork, and was later invited for a second appearance. Counting repeats, Amondson appeared on the show four times. Afterwards, he received hundreds of letters from interested individuals.
Activism
Amondson would often visit churches, prisons, schools and attend Alcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
meetings to spread his anti-Alcohol message. As a protest, he often stood outside liquor establishments dressed as the Grim Reaper, and once stood outside a courtroom to protest Jim Beam
Jim Beam
Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It is currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 , seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand, which was given the name...
after a couple sued the company claiming the drink caused their son to be mentally retarded. During a 1989 interview, Amondson explained that he did not protest the individuals that drank, but the large corporations that distributed liquor. Each time he passed a tavern in his car, he would honk his horn twice in protest.
In the early 1990s, Amondson traveled to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and discussed the temperance movement. The trip was financed by the Women's Christian Temperance Union. He also traveled to Africa on a similar trip. In 2005, he led a movement to stop the Washington legislature from allowing alcohol to be sold on Sundays. He remarked: "One more day a week in limited areas will mean a lot more alcohol will be sold, a few more children will suffer." Amondson also provided low rent housing for low income individuals on Vashon Island. He appeared in court a few times for zoning difficulties relating to the housing complexes and was aided by the Interfaith Council on Homelessness.
2004
In 2003, Amondson was approached by James HedgesJames Hedges
James Hedges is a Prohibition activist and the former Tax Assessor for Thompson Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania. He holds the distinction as the only individual to be elected to public office from the Prohibition Party in the twenty-first century, and the first since 1959...
, the Tax assessor for Thompson Township, Pennsylvania
Thompson Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania
Thompson Township is a township in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 998...
, and the Prohibition Party's only elected official. He convinced Amondson to seek the nomination of his faction of the Prohibition Party, which split over perennial presidential nominee Earl Dodge
Earl Dodge
Earl Farwell Dodge, Jr. was a long-time temperance movement leader and a politician of the Prohibition Party, from the U.S. state of Colorado.-Biography:...
's leadership of the party, believing that he was more interested in his campaign button business than advancing the party's goals. Dodge had run as the party's nominee in every election since 1984
United States presidential election, 1984
The United States presidential election of 1984 was a contest between the incumbent President Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate, and former Vice President Walter Mondale, the Democratic candidate. Reagan was helped by a strong economic recovery from the deep recession of 1981–1982...
, and received only 208 votes in the 2000 election
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
, down approximately 1,000 from the 1996 election
United States presidential election, 1996
The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Housing Secretary Jack...
. Amondson soon began his campaign and was nominated as the Presidential candidate of the Prohibition Party faction. Dodge was nominated for president by the other faction, and explained that Amondson was "probably a very nice man...[but] he may not have known exactly what he was getting into." Amondson would not criticize his opponent, whom he previously contacted to serve as the Vice Presidential nominee, stating that "Dodge is a good man. I am a good man...We both have the message that alcohol is for dumb people." "But Dodge is just not getting the job done. He's too old. We need to send it to an earlier generation." He went on to discuss the Prohibition issue, responding to concerns that Prohibition causes crime, stating that he would "rather have 100 Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
s in every city than alcohol sold in every grocery store."
During the campaign, Amondson made an appearance on The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
with comedian Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
. He spoke with correspondent Ed Helms
Ed Helms
Edward Paul "Ed" Helms is an American actor and comedian known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as Andy Bernard on the US version of the sitcom/mockumentary The Office and for his role as Dr. Stu Price in The Hangover films.- Early life :Helms was born and raised...
who joked with the candidate. Amondson played along, but was serious when he remarked that "alcohol cuts the supply of oxygen to the brain and puts you in a kind of retarded state." A short clip followed that showed Amondson in his Grim Reaper attire. Earl Dodge also appeared on the show.
The race between Amondson and Dodge was seen as a way of determining which faction would lead the party in the future. Amondson achieved ballot access in Louisiana as the nominee of the Prohibition Party and in Colorado as the nominee of the Concerns of People Party. Dodge achieved ballot access only in Colorado, where he was listed as the nominee of the Prohibition Party. Overall, Amondson won the contest, collecting 1896 (1512 of those were from Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
) votes compared to Dodge's 140. As expected, Amondson placed well behind both major candidates (George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
received 1.1 million votes, and John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
received over 1 million votes). He placed eighth in a slate of 12 presidential candidates on Colorado's ballot (Dodge placed last, even though it was his home state). Amondson's third place finish in four Louisiana parishes was the first time since 1960
United States presidential election, 1960
The United States presidential election of 1960 was the 44th American presidential election, held on November 8, 1960, for the term beginning January 20, 1961, and ending January 20, 1965. The incumbent president, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, was not eligible to run again. The Republican Party...
that the Prohibition Party candidate for President out polled all other minor party candidates for President in any county.
2008
Amondson was nominated for President at the 2008 Prohibition Party National Convention in IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
; about 10 to 15 people attended the event. Earl Dodge died late in 2007, which reunified the split party. Similar to 2004, Amondson's campaign was based on interviews with the media. He interviewed with Wikinews
Wikinews
Wikinews is a free-content news source wiki and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. The site works through collaborative journalism. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has distinguished Wikinews from Wikipedia by saying "on Wikinews, each story is to be written as a news story as opposed to an...
in June 2008, and admitted that third party candidates such as himself have no chance of winning elections. Instead, he remarked, they "say wise things." He commented that he would favor the election of a Republican candidate over a Democrat because of the difference in justices nominated to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, and the policy of the candidate toward Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Amondson stated that he would have liked to have former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
as his running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
, but the designation went to Leroy Pletten. Pletten was incapacitated for some time during the campaign after suffering a stroke.
During the summer, Amondson campaigned in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and walked Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street is a famous and historic street that spans the length of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. When founded in 1718, the city was originally centered around the French Quarter...
dressed as the Grim Reaper to protest alcohol. While in New Orleans, he filmed a documentary with his three sons. Amondson also took a stand on issues other than alcohol; he declared his support for the War in Iraq and tougher immigration laws, and advocated limits on divorce, more religion in schools and a decrease in public welfare. In an August interview he explained: "We want to have protected borders and keep our gun rights and a lot of conservative things, but the main thing is help America realize that 95 percent of violent crime is connected with alcohol." After John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
to be his running mate, Amondson complimented the Republican for picking a "beautiful woman". Despite his own campaign, Amondson effectively endorsed McCain, and stated that he would probably vote for him. Amondson attained ballot access in Colorado, Louisiana and Florida by Election Day
Election Day (politics)
Election Day refers to the day when general elections are held. In many countries, general elections are always held on a Sunday, to enable as many voters as possible to participate, while in other countries elections are always held on a weekday...
, and received a total of 653 votes.
Death
On July 18, 2009, Amondson, who had previously been diagnosed with hypertensionHypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
, suffered a brain aneurism which caused him to fall into a coma. He died on July 20, 2009 at Harborview Medical Center. His death came two days after marrying a couple and attending a local strawberry festival. He was survived by his mother, his two brothers, his sister and his four children. The funeral was held on July 25 at the Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Vashon Island and was followed by a "pie and ice cream social".
See also
- List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2004
- List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2008
External links
- Amondson's Myspace profile for the 2008 election
- Biography at Our Campaigns
- A short profile of him and his campaign
- Gene Amondson: Prohibition Party Candidate for President 2004 (from his official site)
- Downloadable audio interview with Free Talk LiveFree Talk LiveFree Talk Live is an American call-in radio talk show heard seven nights a week. The program is hosted by Ian Freeman and Mark Edge on Tuesday through Saturday, Mark Edge and Stephanie Murphy on Sunday, and Ian Freeman and Dale Everett on Monday. It is a chiefly libertarian political talk show and...
- Interview with Gene Amondson on Blog Talk Radio