Lance Armstrong Eyeing Political Race? Champion Cyclist Hires Political Aides

The Dallas Morning News reports on Lance Armstrong potentially running for office:

Lance Armstrong, fresh from steering state cancer research bonds to passage, is now ready to press the presidential candidates on how they'll help in fighting the disease.

Political professionals, however, are more intrigued by what may lie beyond 2008 for the seven-time Tour de France champion.

Several said the 36-year-old cyclist and cancer survivor has impressive political talent. And, they say, he took noticeable steps this year to make his public appearance more professional and to grow more steeped in public policy. Few find it hard to imagine an Armstrong candidacy. ...

This week, spokeswoman Katherine McLane explained, "For the coming year, his focus is on making cancer a national priority and a front-burner topic in the presidential election. What happens after that, who can say?"

Jeff Danzinger, who recently resigned as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's speechwriter, penned Mr. Armstrong's election night remarks, a polished 10-minute speech.

"Let us send a message to the federal government," he said to rousing cheers in Austin. "It's time to elevate the priority of cancer in our funding and our national debate on curing life-threatening diseases.

"Let it also send a message to the federal and state governments ... that the reach of our health-care system will determine the worth of our society."

Shortly before the bus tour, the Lance Armstrong Foundation hired as its communications director Ms. McLane, who also worked for Mr. Schwarzenegger.

Read more here.

Comments

[CoultersEnlargedProstate]

I heard that Lance is now courting dakota fanning.

[SCharb]

Awww, come on guys... Why all the hatred?

I mean, at this point it seems as though Lance has pretty bipartisan support. He's an inspirational figure. He's moral and successful, a combination so baffling that the paparazzi has been constantly trying to break it down. Everybody hates a hero, right?

[bunkle $am]

I have a feeling that his (Lancet's) former best pal Frankie Andreu and Frank's wife Betsy won't be voting for Mr. Cheatstrong.

Emma O'Reilly won't, either, even if she could. Emma really blew the whistle on her former employer, and I'd take the word of a woman who's selflessly sacrificed half of her adult life caring for her seriously-ill/disabled partner before I'll put any blind 'fanfaith' in the carefully scripted corporate-speak of a compulsive day-trader who runs out on the women who've borne his babies as well as his lies and infidelities.

Why did LanceCorp drop their libel suit against the authors of "LA Confidential The Secrets Of Lance Armstrong" ?

Why has Lancet avoided any questions about his carefully-hidden relationship with Dr. Michele 'rEPO' Ferrari?

To awaken from their rubber bracelet-induced slumber, LancetFans might read:

"From Lance To Landis, Inside The American Doping Controversy At The Tour De France"

by David Walsh.

As Greg Lemond said: "in cycling, there ARE no miracles, only scientific explanations."

Of course, there are some sheeple who avoid looking into the 'scientific explanations' at all costs.

[viper123456]

What does Lance Armstrong see in the arms of the Republican party...it's the same party that has not exactly been focused on science for medical research for diseases such as cancer...they'd rather pray. I am a little bit surprised Austin produces such upstarts...it's like Berkeley producing Guiliani or something. (posted at skewz.com)

[loki]

He has been talking about this for the last couple years. He is a hard core neo con republican. Loves and supports President Bush. Ive head him talk about this on tv shows long before Cheryl Crow dumped him. He sounded to me like he admired Bush's political career so much, he would emulate it as his own.

[Counterglow]

If there was even the slightest evidence that this guy had an IQ that ranged into three figures, maybe he'd deserve a vote or two.

Why is it that if I found a cure for cancer, I'd have zero chance of getting elected to public office in the U.S. If I 'roided my way to a Super Bowl MVP title, my odds would be better than even.

[cuchi6869]

He's half nuts!

[paige]

Remember when Armstrong and Bush went for a bike ride? Bush must have given him some political pointers and got him onto it. Wonder what else they got on to. hmmmmmmmmm

[whizkid]

As Roxy Music said.
"Out of the Blue".

This is serious?

[MsLiz]

Right now Lance Armstrong sounds like a great candidate. No one knows his views, so they can imagine he agrees with them.

Will the voters ever learn that celebrity doesn't mean a person makes a good public official? Haven't we had enough bikers from Texas?

[David423]

No one seems to have the courage to tell him that the parade's gone by and it's time to do something else.

Please, God, just one week without Lance in the news.

[insanityfollows]

I used to admire Lance. I stopped admiring Lance when he went into remission, won the tour, and promptly dumped his wife who nursed him back from the brink of death and supported him through that and then a strenous athletic career and gave him three children. Then, he broke Sheryl Crow's heart when she got cancer. I'm not convinced he didn't dope (and may be why he got cancer in the first place-it can do that). What tore it was when he started courting the republicans, and the fact that he is one of their darlings. Just one more example of the two-faced hypocrisy of the GOP now.

[NeoConDeath]

With some HGH this Texas wonderboy could be unstoppable.

[bikerdude]

My impression is that he's just another right wing hack. Think he can get his ex wife and/or Cheryl to campaign for him? Having beaten cancer doesn't make one a political winner, just as being a POW who got back doesn't...

[WilliePilgrim]

Guess it is no surprise since national politics long ago ceased being a pinacle in a career in public service and is now just another way to power through celebrity. The first taste of which, evidently makes it impossible for one to detect one's own BS.