Would you vote...for a camel?
By Erin Burnett
I love camels.
It's the reason we do a segment called "The Camel Report" on (some/too few) Hump Days.
So, you can imagine my surprise and delight when on Super Tuesday I heard Rick Santorum say, "The reason that Karen and I ultimately decided to get into this race was because of that issue, and in particular one issue. I've said it almost every stump speech I've given. If it wasn't for one particular issue that to me breaks the camel's back with respect to liberty in this country, and that is the issue of Obamacare."
Camel!?
Look, I know he was probably just using a popular expression – "broke the camel's back" – to illustrate his frustration with President Obama's policies. But it could have also been his attempt to seem more presidential.
Because – and you might not realize this – there's a proud tradition of members of the U.S. administration hanging with camels.
Last year, Vice President Joe Biden got up close and personal with some camels in Mongolia.
In 2009, Obama met some camels while visiting Egypt.
First lady Laura Bush was on a camel in Jordan in 2007.
First lady Jackie Kennedy rode a camel in Pakistan in 1962.
FDR reportedly smoked two packs of Camels per day. (OK, this is a stretch.)
In 1909, President Teddy Roosevelt rode camels in the Sudan.
And, in 1897, a 23-year-old Herbert Hoover went to work for a mining company in Australia. While he was there, he traveled by camel.
And it goes back even further than that.
In 1787, George Washington, our first president and a huge fan of exotic animals, paid 18 shillings to have a camel brought to his home for Christmas.
We've been stuck with two parties – the donkey and the elephant – for a long time. But if we finally want some real change, maybe it's time to consider a new political animal.
Is The Camel Party the answer?
Are you satisfied with the current crop of candidates? Would you consider voting for a third party candidate? Who are you planning to vote for in 2012?
On Twitter
If Zeeba the Syphilitic Camel is on the ballot against Obama, I'm voting for Zeeba.
seems to me a buffalo would be more fitting for one of our political parties than a camel.
I'd vote for a camel if he was running against a Muslim.
Who's running on the camel party ? Someone who truly represents the 99% ? Then we'll get the Horse Party but oh excuse me, they've been Oked by Obama to eat .S1176 No Horse Slaughtering For Human Consumption in the USA !
Vote for a camel? I wouldn't even vote for a Marlboro!
1790's – The Republican Party, led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, emerged. They believed in a
modest central government, limited commercial activity, and strong farming communities.
This was the original Democratic Party.
1790's – The Federalist Party, led by Alexander Hamilton, emerged. They believed in a strong national
government with centralized authority. Although George Washington never embraced a party,
he leaned toward these ideals. This was the original Republican Party.
1796 – The first election with two dominant parties occurred. Republican Thomas Jefferson was elected
vice-president and Federalist John Adams was elected president, prompting Congress, in 1804, to pass
the 12th Amendment, which prevented the election of a president and vice-president from different parties.
1816 – After this election, in which Republican James Monroe became president, the Federalists never
again offered a candidate for election.
1820 – Economic growth and rapid territorial expansion caused the Republican faction to change from
Jefferson's agrarian ideal. Many Republicans began to adhere to Federalist principles. By 1828, the
Republican faction had split into two, fully formed political parties.
1828 – The Democratic Republican Party, led by Andrew Jackson, was formed. Supporters favored a limited
national government and were opposed to an economic aristocracy. Eventually, this party changed its name
to the Democratic Party, which is now the oldest political party in the United States.
1828 – The National Republican Party, led by John Quincy Adams, was formed. Supporters favored strong
economic nationalism, much like the former Federalists.
1832 – A group of National Republicans who resented Andrew Jackson's membership in the Society of
Freemasons formed the Anti-Mason Party, the first independent third party.
1848 – The Free Soil Party formed. Free Soilers supported the Wilmot Proviso, which proposed to prohibit
slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico.
1852 – The Know-Nothing Party (also known as the American Party) was formed. Supporters were former
Democrats who objected to the wave of Catholic immigrants entering the United States.
1854 – The Whigs and Free-Soilers joined to form the Republican Party, which strongly supported the
abolition of slavery. Some Republicans believed in freedom for blacks, while others merely believed
slavery would keep white men from available labor and create laziness.
1856 – The Know-Nothing Party was weakening. Most members joined the Republican Party.
1860 – The Democratic Party split into two factions:
The Southern Democrats, who supported the federal protection of slavery in the western territories; and
The Northern Democrats, who wanted all questions of slavery left up to the U.S. Supreme Court.
1865 – At the end of the Civil War, the Democratic Party's two factions joined back together.
1865 – Civil War Reconstruction caused the Republican Party to split into three factions:
The Conservatives, who wanted the confederate states to quickly rejoin the union with no consideration for racial relations;
The Radicals, who wanted to punish the confederate leaders, confiscate confederate property, and protect the rights
of former slaves; and
The Moderates, who didn't want to punish the confederate leaders, but did want some protections for former slaves.
1890's – The Democratic Party was firmly entrenched in American politics. The party consisted of many Catholics, immigrants, and poor workers.
The Republican Party was firmly entrenched in American politics. The party consisted of many northern Protestants who wanted to restrict immigration and who supported the temperance movement.
1892 – A group of small farmers, sharecroppers, and tenant farmers formed the Populist Party. Populists rallied against large-scale commercial agriculture that would put them out of work, and they supported federally regulated communication, transportation, and banking systems.
1912 – Theodore Roosevelt, a former Republican, formed the Progressive Party (also known as the Bull Moose Party). Progressives supported women's suffrage, environmental conservation, and the concepts of initiative, referendum, and recall.
1932 – Democrat Franklin Roosevelt became president and helped lift the country out of the Great Depression with his New Deal programs. His Democratic supporters became known as social liberals, while his Republican opponents became known as social conservatives, beliefs that shaped the parties as we know them today.
1992 – After capturing 19 percent of the popular vote in the 1992 presidential election, H. Ross Perot formed the Reform Party. Still active today, Reformists seek to limit the power of special interest groups and return political power back to the people. In 1996, Perot again ran for president, but lost. In 1998, by winning the Minnesota gubernatorial race, Jesse Ventura became the first Reform candidate to win an election.
Several other parties have come and gone including the Libertarian Party, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Green Party, and the Natural Law Party among many others…
And your point is...
hopefully the Camel Party will have better candidates.
Camel Party – I'm in as long as it is the extreme leftist answer to the Tea Party. I don't want the Right Wingers going any further to the right! I heard Santorum wants to make masturbation illegal...
When I look at the Camel the first thing that comes to mind is the Middle East and frankly, that's not a particularly appealing visual.
Why? Leaders from both of your country's political parties make out and bow to many Middle Eastern leaders.
You're really admitting that this bothers you?
I would vote for JAY – Z
Confederate President Jefferson Davis, while U.S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce in the 1850s, brought camels and handlers into the U.S. from Egypt and Turkey for the U.S. Army to use primarily in the American Southwest.
They let you guys drink at work on Fridays?
Get all the Teabaggers to join it and call it the Buzzard Party.
santorum's totem animal should be the Rook.
The Republican in second place is the opening on the end of the camel opposite its mouth.
Rick Santorum is the opening on the back end of the camel.
It depends on what the camel stands for, but if it has those Satanic upside-down stars on the logo (like the GOP elephant!), definitely not.
Here's a better idea: take the advice of Washington and abolish political parties altogether!
Personally I think and Ostrich with it's head in the sand would be more appropriate. That symbolizes the Tea Party Rick's desire to deny that the world has moved on from the 1950s.
Actually I don't think the expression refers to 'breaking the camel's back', but that he is ineptly referencing the expression letting the camel's nose into the tent... sometimes used in reference to the government getting more involved in our private lives.
I would vote for a dead camel before I voted for Obama. A dead camel would spend less than Obama. A dead camel would have more sense than Obama. Heck, a dead camel would probably smell better than Obama.
duh, the camel party is already in the white house-think about it!
THIS is what passes for journalism?
Sounds like something she threw together at the last minute just to satisfy some contractual agreement. And, if Rick Perry needs an animal to represent his brand of politics it would be a parrot.
don't know why anyone is hating on Erin, she is only human.
she loves Camels and writes a quick essay about them and some feel the need to poke her with a stick?
as far a the political side of the picture, it might as well be a Lion party cause thats what the majority does to get a vote.
by Lion i mean Lying, i was Lion when i said i would have gas prices at $2 a gallon by 2012 😉
have a nice day everyone.
P.S. diesel is $4 a gallon What the hell?
Lion Party vs Cheetah Party? When they co mingle they become the Tiger Party (a lion cheetah)
"diesel is $4 a gallon What the hell?" We are down to our last two or three diesel refineries and no one wants to build new ones right now because we are in a crisis of consumer confidence. More refineries would mean cheaper diesel in five years when they are ready.
What about Lemon Party?
When voters give you lemons...
They should get together with the tea party...
erin ..and the rest of the media.. do you know how easy it is for anyone to pickup a felony anymore?? like it could probably happen to you anyday ..seriously. my point is.. maybe you shouldnt paint all "felons" with the same brush.
I know right… just the other day I was walking along, slipped and fell right into a felony. Talk about bad luck..sheesh.
Tom, I saw a report about five years ago saying it was almost impossible not to be arrested and booked at some point in your life. Cops have a six-month tech school degree and will bust you for entering your own house if they feel like it. Maybe they don't like your car? Or your hair? Or that message on your t-shirt or bumper? Whatever, you are probably guilty so get in the car. One got demoted for harassing my friend, saying he'd 'seen that red hair before.' Pulled him over seven times before he went to the chief and stopped it. A lot of people have red hair, you know.
love some erin
Erin is freaking hot? Are you serious, she looks like she's about to jump and bites you, she's got that pit bull look in her eyes. She's definitely not very feminine and she's very arrogant.
"She's definitely not very feminine and she's very arrogant" Smart girls are generally arrogant. We don't all like 'em shy and submissive, which is what I guess you mean by 'feminine.'
I didn't compare her not being very feminine on the submissive side, i meant she's a little on the nut side, i mean just on the verge to be one crazy nut case. Instead of her being feminine and on the smooth side rather that a woman that seem to have rabies or something.
i love erins commentary
I like CNN but I'm dumber for reading this
The little bits of history were interesting, but I was waiting to see where this was going. The destination? Nowhere. 🙁
Have a great weekend!
Erin is like a high school girl who has to make fun of someone in order to look cool. Why is it not OK to say tummy, but OK to say so many crude things on air?
I totally agree.
Given the current crop of people trying to replace Obama, I would consider looking at a third party candidate. So while I smoke my camels, the repub's still don't have a clear choice for President, too bad. Unfortuntely, the third party candidate doesn't have the money to mount a serious campaign. So far all this money WASTED by those running I find offensive. I don't know who are the bigger crooks, those in office or those charging absorbent rates to carry their debates.. What do you think?
The camel is a very American animal. I'd vote for a Camel Party!
Would this be the moose-limb party?
The party system needs to go!!! Principals FIRST!
YES I WOULD! I'm a Perl Programmer!
I'd fly 10,000 miles to smoke a camel!
NO. 2 reasons:
1) Joe Camel cigarette image
2) Camels are associated with middle east.
Try something "American" Eagle perhaps?
Scientific? Atom
Galactic? Sun
Green? Tree
You really wanted to get artsy fartsy..... YIN/YANG. Blue stars on one side. Red/White stripes on other and PURPLE dots in the middle of both. If that doesn't give someone a headache I don't know what would.
This article was rather pointless. Just ask if a third part is a good idea instead of going on some tangent about camels. In any regards, a third political party would not help. What we need is two less parties. George Washington warned that political parties would divide the country, and he was right.
Miss Burnett, please report on the specifics of the Republican Presidential Government Program ( if there is one) ...One hears comments and remarks on candidates' "personalities" and opinions about issues but little about the specifics of an hipothetical Republican Program of Government ...
Hahaha It's nice to see some nice politics I get sick of all the bashing. We all need a little humor. Thanks Erin!! 🙂
Camel Party? Why? We're already being humped!
This isn't about anything. It's free association. You suck, Erin Burnett.
It took you two minutes to read something this short?! Idiot.
Sounds like the Camel Party legalized crack.
You laughed at what Romney said and had the guts to put that crap on about RAP? How on earth did you get that job. I can probably guess.
I'd walk a mile for a camel.
Thank God something on this page was worth reading.
Give me a break. Romney was responding to a question by an idiot journalist. How can you be so dishonest? And i notice all of your guests are Democrats. You're not a journalist, you're a hack.
A new party in which the best interest of the country is first priority, and partisan bickering is obsolete should use the honey badger.
NO!!! As far as I'm concerned a camal is an Islamic/muslim symbol.We have too much of that crap here already.
Someone didn't read the article. But kudos on finding a venue for your bigotry. Git r done!
I read it and agree with seaskiff.
I consider Erin Burnett to be one of the most attractive women on TV. Great looks, super personality, witty, and until I read this I thought smart. Erin, this piece is a DUD!
It's pretty clear Erin's daddy knows all the right people at CNN, because she did not get this job by being a good journalist. What a joke, the mainstream media in this country doesn't have a liberal or conservative agenda, it seems interested only in dumbing all of us down so we don't question anything anymore.
This article makes me not want to come to CNN.com anymore. Seriousely
You took the words out of my mouth, Dan. Have you ever seen her show? Believe it or not, this is one of the smartest things to come from it.
Because no news site should do anything the least bit light-hearted or silly AMIRITE? I DEMAND ONLY DRY ARTICLES.
hey dan... oh and you to taylor...
DONT COME TO CNN ANYMORE!!!! stop your complaining and go play in traffic... we dont want you here any way
I'd vote for the camel party over the Rat Party =D
Which equally bad rat, the DemoRat or the RepubliRat?
@ Sonic10158
Both are rats to be sure, however one is far more fanatical than the other. Anyone that disagrees with me is sl.ut!
I say this as an independent.
Another very lightweight waste of time by Erin Burnett. CNN should bring back the best newscaster in the business, Aaron Brown.
We need a Rhinoceros Party like the one Canada used to have. Look it up, you'll enjoy it.
The U.S. needs a vehicle to deliver change to America. The Dems and the Repubs have sold out over the last 40 years since LBJ. Yes; I would vote for a third party. The 99% declaration org is preparing to present delegates in Philadelphia for the Continental Congress July 4th 2012.
I heard that the camels first appeared in North America, then spread out – oldest fossils and whatnot.
Um, what, exactly, was the point of this article? An attempt at satire concerning the current political state in the U.S., I get that; but really, camels?
If you want a third party to vote for you should move to the next superpower country (Canada) where we have three parties to vote for.
If CNN had a "humor" section, this would have been just fine. The historical camel references were interesting. I would give her an "A" this time on humor.
Whatever happened to that "The rent is too damn high" party lunatic? he was hilarious.
If a camel was running in this election, I would seriously consider him or her to be the most honest, capable candidate in the race.
I would vote for the camel to make a point that our choices suck!
One thing is for certain: the camel would be the most likely one of the bunch to understand the plight of working people since he has carried a heavy load for most of his life.
To answer the question, I will be voting third party. Exactly for whom depends on who gets what nominations.
The Camel is the logo of the Prohibition Party, so since Santorum is talking about policies from 50 years and back when it comes to women, we may as well reenact Prohibition while we're at it!
You know the irony is is that even with the so called female advancement over the last fifty years, women in todays world are actually treated much crappier then fifty years ago. Back then, it would be inconceivable to have called them the names that morons like Rush and Bill Maher were willing to use, and they were treating with much more respect that actually bordered on reverence. What's most ironic is it is the complete fault of the feminists that women are now considered just people instead of women.
Hey anon.
Thank you for your enlightening reply. Bravo. Women were treated better back then? I'm sure that's true, considering who women with a college degree got paid across the board, less than men with only a high school diploma. But that's okay, of course it's okay. Also, I'm sure you believe that women, being women, should also be restricted to being in the home like they were "back in the day". That's awesome. Thank you. Also women are being treated as people instead of as women. What a radical idea. This is terrible. Someone give me back my ovaries. Equality? Not important. Not at all. Congratulations. And the award for the most intelligent person goes to.... ANON! Would you like a cookie?
"Back then, it would be inconceivable to have called them the names that morons like Rush and Bill Maher were willing to use, and they were treating with much more respect that actually bordered on reverence." You must be crazy. Sixty seconds of research would have saved you from making a fool of yourself. Only a young white guy could possibly imagine that what you said was anything like true. Is this based on a sermon you heard?
lots of people profess they want to go back, they want a country they are familiar with.
no can do. we must and will keep moving forward.
why do you want to go back when there are so many more options to explore? that we must explore.
onward and upward –not backward.
I would vote for anything or anybody that could beat Obama !!
but there isn't anyone (or any thing) that can beat the prez.........
Not even a unicorn could beat the president.
This does not need to be displayed on the front page. CNN needs to address real stories, and not just ridiculous 'fluff' stories to get more clicks. Be a worldwide leader in news.
This is a blog. See?
Joe Camel for President!
NO!
isn't this the same person who said Obama will be reelected since the Artist won the Oscars? get back to the kitchen
LAME
I'm sorry – what did I just read?
Right now, anything would beat a donkey or an elephant
Amen to that! We need real choices for real people.
The camel was the symbol of the Prohibition Party. And we all know how that worked out.
Yeah, it's been done, and it handed the country over to gangsters.
Worst article ever.
Actually we need to disband political parties period. They only serve to a) keep the people out of the political process, limiting potential candidates to the party's selections, and b) serves as a shortcut for lazy voters to not have to bother actually researching candidates and their stance on an issue, by letting them simply vote for the party instead of the candidate.
RON PAUL FOR CAMEL PARTY 2012!!! YES I WOULD ABSOLUTELY VOTE FOR THE CAMEL PARTY IF RON PAUL WAS IT'S HEAD!!! He gets support from smart people in either of the other two tyrannical big-government parties, and he could split the votes into three and win the Presidency to become our 45th President!
President Paul! President Paul! President Paul 2012!!!
http://www.ronpaul2012.com
"(Ron Paul) gets support from smart people" Obviously, dude.
CNN, would you like to give me a job? I can write much better than this in my spare time.
Amen to that. Why not a cat? dog? parakeet? a platypus? hippo? There are literally a BILLION better things to write. If the "Camel Party" were a real third party, this article would make sense, but its not. Therefore, this is purely a case of mediocre journalism. Erin Burnett is probably the least original, least skilled, and most out of touch reporter I have ever seen. It's a real shame to because CNN has some insanely qualified reporters and contributors. I'm not a journalist, but I doubt this is a very good example of it.
Erin Burnett just needs to do what CNN hired her to do and look pretty in front of a camera. She is trying (and failing horribly) to break into CNN's fantastic team of female journalists and contributors like Candy Crowley, Christine Amanpour, Gloria Borger and Donna Brazile. Her attempts to do this have produced results that would be classified as an off day for Jeanne Moos' comedy show.
I'm sure if Erin Burnett reads this she'll sue me. She took Colbert's satire of her reporting very poorly, and it only made her look worse, and Colbert's bit even funnier.
Reporters report stuff. She makes deadline and has a story. Where are these other people? Sorry, we have to go by results.
I would settle for just about any strong 3rd party about now. The only thing both parties agree on is that their shouldn't be a third. As long as their are only two parties this country will remain divided and gridlocked.
this is the dumbest piece of trash I have ever read.
I'm confused. Were you referring to Rick Santorum, or this article?
A third party is something the US has been needing for a long time, I believe. But I would only be for a party that is moderate and willing to take stances that are pragmatic and not dogmatic.
I was trying to think of an animal to go with that but I can't, anyone else have any ideas?
Dolphin?
But then again does is really have to be an animal. Personally I think scales (for balance) would work, as in the kind used by Lady Justice.
Our President gets accused of being muslim because of his middle name. Can you imagine what the right would do to members of a camel party?!
A camel as a party symbol? Hasn't everyone heard the old joke that a camel is a horse designed by a committee?
Camel Party? Nah. Besides, we've had more than two parties in place for quite some time, not just the elephant and the donkey. There exists the party of the tree, the party of the eagle, and the party of Lady Liberty as well, so if anyone has problems with the party of the elephant and the party of the donkey, how about checking out those three alternatives?
I'd love a third party. but not 'tea party' spin offs of the right. itd be nice to see center leaning members of both parties together, you know using both ideals to come up with successful solutions. like how bipartisanship is supposed to work in the first place...
There already is a camel party. The prohibition party has adopted the camel as its logo. Not the point of the story, but an interesting fact.
Really? Amazing, though actually just knowing there exists such a thing as the Prohibition Party today amazes me. One would've thought people would remember the lesson learned from the debacle of the 18th Amendment.
Why not just bring back T.R.'s Bull Moose Party? As you probably recall, he was shot before giving a speech, and then still gave the speech because you just cannot stop the bull moose party.
Vote Sand Party!!!
Come on now...why would we vote for an animal other than one that is for the US?
Camel...right. Then the Right will call them the party of Sharia because, you know, camels are Muslimy and stuff.
I woud vote or a camel or a duck or my cat to get a change in the current administation.Obama has to go before we have a country we do not know.
a little dramatic, aren't we drama queen?
I would even vote for a Mormon!
"Obama has to go before we have a country we do not know." You mean one where a poor black kid can grow up to be president? I like my country just fine, lady. Go back to where you came from.
First of all I understand what Erin's trying to do here is ask a question- but in a very round about way.
Another party is not necessarily the answer (case in point the TEA Party) but a reasonable dialogue from both sides without the overwhelming need to do each other in all the time.
The way government is designed to work in this country is on the premise of representation and where there are opposing interests, progress can only be made through thoughtful compromise. Until we get to a point where politicians on both sides remember it isn't about how many points they have on the board and we as people learn to engage more and hold all levels of goverment (The Presidency, The Judiciary, Congress, States) accountable, we will slowly but surely chip away at what makes this country great.
What's your opinion of owls? The Modern Whig Party uses that. 🙂
"What's your opinion of owls? The Modern Whig Party uses that" They are hoping to have a parliament of owls.
First post. No.