(ThyBlackMan.com) Allen West enlisted in the Army nearly 20 years ago, but these days, a growing number of Tea Partiers and conservative Republicans want to draft the black GOP lawmaker from Florida to run for president.
West, the flat-topped retired lieutenant colonel and Tea Party favorite who boasted last year that he had a higher security clearance than President Barack Obama, has been getting a lot of love lately from Republican-oriented folks who aren’t impressed with the potential presidential pickings for 2012: Newt Gingrich, Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and the rest.
“WE, THE PEOPLE of the United States of America, reject the current field of 2012 Presidential contenders,” read an April statement from the Utah-based Draft Allen West for President 2012. “West has shown remarkable, unwavering leadership (in) his campaign for Congress, as well as his term as a freshman Congressman.”
Search the Internet, and you’ll find a bumper crop of sites like Allen West For President 2012, an Allen West for President Facebook page and “West for the West Wing 2012,” and so on.
Even Fox’s Glenn Beck has the fever for a West presidential bid, despite the fact that West has been on Capitol Hill barely four months.
“I want to start a draft Allen West movement,” Beck said on his nationally-syndicated radio show last month. “He’s not afraid to pull the trigger. He’s not afraid, and he takes responsibility … The No. 1 thing we need is a man of honor, who will say ‘You know what? This is happening, this is what I did, this is what I believe in, and damn the torpedoes.’ It’s time to restore honor, and I think Allen West, I think he’s got it.”
Beck isn’t the only one infatuated with West. Stephen Paul wrote on PartyofKnow.com: “I would love to see Allen West become the 1st real Black American President.”
“It would be such an honor to see someone of his caliber and ability (to) lead these United States,” Paul gushed. “Please run and help save this country from the impending catastrophe of the Pinko Socialists, sir. I salute you.”
Even the GOP presidential field has taken notice of the growing Westmania. Gingrich, who officially entered the race on Wednesday, told The Daily Caller last February that West might make a good vice president.
“Allen West would certainly be someone you’d look at,” Gingrich told Florida’s WPTV.
Jonathan Blyth, West’s chief of staff, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that his boss is flattered by all the attention, but added that “Congressman West is focused on the constituents of the 22 Congressional District, who gave him the distinguished honor of representing their voices on Capitol Hill.”
West himself didn’t rule out eventually seeking higher office, telling WPTV “We don’t know what the future holds, but I’m always willing to serve my country.”
“I have to pray about it, and I have to clear it with my wife and two daughters,” West told the station when asked about the VP spot. “I never thought that seven years ago when I retired here, I’d be a United States Congressman.”
West retired from the Army after he was fined $5,000 following an Army investigation for his firing a gun near the head of an Iraqi man while he was being interrogated in order to get the man’s cooperation. Army investigators said the incident didn’t warrant a court martial.
According to CNN, West was interrogating an Iraqi police officer who he believed had information about a plot to ambush a U.S. convoy and Kill West. West’s supporters considered him a hero, but military prosecutors said West’s actions amounted to torture.
But West’s actions in Iraq, his conservative streak and anti-Obama rhetoric made him a Tea Party darling and enabled him to become one of two black Republicans – Tim Scott of South Carolina is the other – to win House seats last year. Some entries on the draft West Web sites contain accolades like “well-spoken” and “articulate.”
As for West’s claim that his security clearance was better than the commander-in-chief, PolitiFact, the political truth-squad Web site examined it and gave it a “Pants on Fire” rating.
“That West’s clearance – either today or in the past – was higher than any president’s is ridiculously false,” PolitiFact concluded. “The president has the highest security clearance in the land.”
Written by Frederick Cosby
Via; http://BlackAmericaweb.com
Hey Chauncey are you drugged up. Obama’s an Anti-American joke. Allen West, Dr. Ben Carson and Herman Cain are more American than the terrorist Obama would ever be. Obama’s old man was the head of a terrorist org. in Kenya and Obama himself in an interview, when he was a Senator bragged about his Islamic back round. You say the democratic party is not at a loss for candidates so please tell me who those criminals are. Clinton. After Benghazi Clinton and Obama should be imprisoned for treason and murder. Reid, Pelosi, Biden and any other democrat are nothing more than liberal, socialist cockroaches that are Anti-American criminals. Your comment was nothing more than a drug induced bull out of your butt because after these 8 years there is NO DOUBT that the democratic party is anti-America. OH by the way that statement about Obama and his old man are FACTs that can be found on any web site. You might want to look up Obama’s aliases Barry Soetoro and Harrison J. Bounel and they’ll tell you about Obama’s 3 different social security numbers and none were from Hawaii. I could go on but the criminals list is long and I don’t have the time. Good luck Allen West and God Bless.
West is simply another wanna be Afrikan amerikkkn who believes he should kiss asses and disrespect his own..Like the last Sugar daddy the media will pull this fade wearing hypocrite apart and expose him for who he is..I live in Fla, and have known about this charlatan forever..He might run and win in the yr 3000
My gut tells me this man is for real, and I would love for him to run for pres. in 2012. But I fear because of our country electing someone as shallow and untruthful as Obama, a man of great character(like Mr. West)would not be elected. I hope I am wrong about our country! We need a man of his caliber! GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Seriously Chauncey? Obama does not have a chance unless the Republicans beat themselves. Allen West is the best man for the job no matter what party he runs for…..I would vote for him like a flash in a pan.
God bless this country and this man for leading us back to sanity!
OH, BY THE WAY, I AM A 69 YEAR OLD WHITE MAN!! I DON’T CARE IF HE IS A BLACK MAN. HE IS THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE THAT I FEEL HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD THIS COUNTRY BACK TO GREATNESS!!
Col. West speaks the truth and is a very honorable man. This country needs a man with the intestinal fortitude and courage that this man posses, not to mention he is a very intelligent man. If we do not elect a man of his caliber then this country is doomed.
Mr. West probably will not run for president in 2012, but I think he may in the future and baring any radical changes I will support his run.
Lack of leadership in congress. Its sad if this Obama wins re-election he will make sure we collapse. This community organizer truly is deceptive, unlike any other president in memory. First time in my life I wake up unsure of our future.
Only one individual has ever won the presidency with just the House of Representatives on their resume. In a strange four-way race. Do you see 2012 being a 4-way race and Rep. West as Abraham Lincoln?
Our so-called leaders speak
With words they try to jail you
They subjugate the meek
But it’s the rhetoric of failure
Unfortunately the Republicans and Tea Party can not find a candidate that can compete with Obama. They all have their flaws. Now they want to bring Allen West as a potential candidate. They said that Obama did not have enough experience to run for President and he is showing the Country and World that they were wrong, Allen West has only 4 months experience. I feel the Republican Party will put up a candidate as a sacrifice for 2012, like they did with John McCain and Sara Palin and wait for 2016, since Obama can not run again. Fortunate the Democratic Party is not at a loss for potential candidates in 2016,