All great politicians have their creation stories. There was Washington, not being able to tell a lie. Lincoln, wood-chopping his way to greatness. And as history may well show, there was Basil Marceaux, and the Internet. Basil’s ascent from humble veteran and obscure candidate for Tennessee governor to Internet superstar began last week, when a news station in Chattanooga ran his stump speech because, according to the anchors, “we have given all five candidates from the major parties time to express themselves in their own words.” Soon after, Basil’s video went viral. Why? Because on the Internet, if not in real life, watching a possibly drunk war veteran unintelligibly describe political goals that include “stopping traffic stops” and “get rid of the goldfinch flags and replace them with a REAL flag with three stripes” is hilarious.
Here is the video:
Like the jerkoff bankers in Dinner for Schmucks, bloggers reveled in Basil’s kookiness, though it was hard for them to say what their favorite part about him was. Was it where he said he wanted to “plant grass or vegetation cross the state on any vacant lot so that we can sell that land … to pay our expenses”? Or the part where he said “if you kill someone you get murdered?” Or just his constant red-faced swaying back and forth? TPI called the video an “Instant Internet Classic.” Wonkette did further research that yielded even more gems. “Now do we talk about Marceaux’s Web prescence? (sic) It’s pretty impressive …. everything he says or writes is absolutely amazing … It is indescribably perfect.”
Eventually, as with Pabst Blue Ribbon, Basil Marceaux became so ironically popular, people forgot they liked him ironically. They started taking him seriously.
And that’s how ironically popular candidate Basil Marceaux might just be ironically elected.
Meet Gubernatorial Candidate Basil Marceaux: Proof America’s Democracy Is Still Healthy [Mediaite]
Basil Marceaux Is Your New, Even Better Ernest J. Pagels, Jr. [Wonkette]
