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Jimmy McMillan On His Gloves, Being Cool, Rent
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 19, 2010
Modified Oct 19, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 19, 2010
Modified Oct 19, 2010
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Last night, Jimmy McMillan of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party debated his way into the hearts of many Americans (if not the voting preferences of New Yorkers). He's on fire (according to Google) and his mustache and gloves are making statements. Oh, and why was he wearing gloves? He told the Daily News, "I’m a war vet. Don’t forget I was in Vietnam for two and half years and I have three Bronze Stars, but the chemicals of Agent Orange -- dioxin and a lot of other chemicals mixed up -- I would get sick. When I get home tonight, I know I’m not going to be able to breathe if I take them off. It could be psychological, I don’t know, but I just put em on and wear them anyway."
McMillan, 64, has also—naturally—won the endorsement of the American Mustache Institute ("Indeed, as a person of Mustached American heritage, you represent all that is good and decent about America, and clearly, someone who should be leading the great state of New York") and professed that his role model is Ronald Reagan. He discussed his debate performance with the Observer, "To be honest with you I was cool as hell. Even with my gloves on I was freezing, it was like I was in the North Pole!" noting he's been "endorsed by 200 different radio stations across the country and has received 40,000 emails of donations through his website."
McMillan added he had some help, "My niece called me this morning and said 'Uncle Jimmy, you've got to slow down!' But no, everything goes so fast- they put that little yellow light on and you have to make your point. So I thought to myself: 'I'm a karate expert and a musician: I have 15 seconds. Now its time for the humorous Jimmy McMillan to come out.' I used my humor to get my message out. And I got every person on that stage to say the rent is too damn high- it worked."
Tagged
debate
election 2010
globes
jimmy mcmillan
ny governor's race
rent is too damn high
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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