Laying the groundwork early, eh?

January 25, 2005 11:58 AM

Matt Cooper (no, not this Matt Cooper) is a 21-year-old political science student at the University of California at Davis. He's also running for President. In 2020.
posted by Vidiot (41 comments total)

See also: 2020 Democrats.
posted by greasy_skillet at 12:10 PM on January 25, 2005

The Cooper 2020 campaign plans to redefine the term “grassroots” by spending over 15 years familiarizing America with Matt Cooper and his “Generation Y” style of progressive reforms.

That makes an awful lot of assumptions. What if by 2020 the country has gotten far too progressive, and what we really need are regressive reforms?
posted by iJames at 12:14 PM on January 25, 2005

From his blog:

So much to comment on, Tucker Carlson getting sacked, the President bribing journalists, Kevin Spacey having the number two single on the world pop charts. School has started up again which means that my free time is down to zero.

Does anyone else think this would make a terrific prime time TV series? The president as a college student? "I'm sorry my PoliSci paper's late, professor. I was busy renegotiating the missile defense treaty with NATO and didn't have time to put in the changes I'd made."

Better than Alias, man.
posted by iJames at 12:18 PM on January 25, 2005

That makes an awful lot of assumptions. What if by 2020 the country has gotten far too progressive, and what we really need are regressive reforms?

you really think we're on a progressive path right now? (laughs)
Of course fifteen years ago we had Reagan, so maybe you're riii... um.

waitaseccond, we still do have Reagan!
posted by Peter H at 12:19 PM on January 25, 2005

Does anyone else think this would make a terrific prime time TV series?

Especially if he still has girl trouble. It'd be like Doogie Howser, except as a politician.
posted by jonmc at 12:20 PM on January 25, 2005

by Reagan fifteen years ago I meant Bush, of course.
posted by Peter H at 12:20 PM on January 25, 2005

Not new Bush but old Bush. So confusing.
posted by Peter H at 12:21 PM on January 25, 2005

Going to college at the George Washington University in downtown Washington DC (i.e., between the White House, State Department and the Watergate) means I knew lots and lots of kids with the same aspirations, channeled through email addresses, screen names, web domains, and other ego-strokes. Yawn.
posted by sdrawkcab at 12:23 PM on January 25, 2005

Frames? On a website? In 2005? Weak.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 12:24 PM on January 25, 2005

I think it's a cool idea if he's really serious about it. It's fun and it will be fun to watch if he actually gets involved in politics or (more likely) shuts the blog down in 8 months...
posted by chaz at 12:27 PM on January 25, 2005

Funny - we were having a very similar discussion on LinkFilter about four months ago. It was suggested that someone should begin campaigning now for the 2020 Presidential election. I guess it's not an original idea, after all.

I think he'll need those 15 years to develop a better understanding of the issues, frankly. His explanation of the rationales for his platform planks is, well, about what one might expect. Kudos to him, though, for putting up a web site and starting to develop his thoughts.

I wonder how gentle the Internet Archive will be to him, allowing everyone to see the evolution of his position over 15 years.

BTW, I volunteered to campaign in 2020...but I'll be 52! :-)
posted by darkstar at 12:32 PM on January 25, 2005

Conservative posts predictable dismissal, most likely without having read the link.

Yum!
posted by goethean at 12:49 PM on January 25, 2005

Does anyone else think this would make a terrific prime time TV series? The president as a college student?

If this show lasts a few years, you'll have your wish. (And it has girl trouble, galore.)
posted by teg at 12:49 PM on January 25, 2005

Sorry for the bad grammar.
posted by VP_Admin at 12:51 PM on January 25, 2005

Actually, I hadn't even posted my bad grammar yet. I'm not used to the preview feature.

Anyway, this kid would make a much better pres than Bush. Likely better than Kerry too.

Running for pres in 2020 seems like a waste though. Why doesn't he do something more immediately effective?
posted by VP_Admin at 12:53 PM on January 25, 2005

trharlan, I have to disagree with the 'mediocre university' bit, Davis is distinctly upper-middle class. But otherwise, spot on.
posted by zeypher at 12:59 PM on January 25, 2005

The boy has no ambition. He should be going for election in 2017 .... he can then aim to, by dint of his amazing political powers, both change the time schedule of the elections *AND* change the age limits on candidates....
posted by devbrain at 1:01 PM on January 25, 2005

This is just a fantastic ploy to get laid. And I admire him for it.
posted by bardic at 1:03 PM on January 25, 2005

As long as he doesn't steal my campaign platform, I'm more than happy to have someone to run against.
posted by fenriq at 1:20 PM on January 25, 2005

It's fun and it will be fun to watch if he actually gets involved in politics or (more likely) shuts the blog down in 8 months...

More probably, GETS shut down in 8 months.

Generation Y? Ugh...

But on the other hand, at least he's looking toward the future...
Something that will get him nowhere fast in politics.

Unless he starts generating a following.. Then all bets are off...
posted by Balisong at 1:25 PM on January 25, 2005

Does anyone else think this would make a terrific prime time TV series?

Or a comic book?
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:32 PM on January 25, 2005

No mention of political party.

I bet he's running as a republican.
posted by chundo at 1:36 PM on January 25, 2005

trharlan, I have to disagree with the 'mediocre university' bit, Davis is distinctly upper-middle class. But otherwise, spot on.

Hey! I work for that mediocre university and live in that upper-middle class town!

Never heard of the guy.
posted by mudpuppie at 1:37 PM on January 25, 2005

This is hilarious--I'm a fan already.

Though, perhaps instead of Matt Cooper 2020, it should be 'Matt Cooper Jr. 2060: Saga of An Unborn President.' Or 'Matt Cooper III 2100: Enlightened Monarch or Tyrannical Despot? You Decide!.' We can witness generations of Matt Coopers, all leading to the inevitable Commander-in-Chief. So many Matt Coopers... so few cabinet positions. And who will be the lucky great-great-great grandmother of the President-to-be?

Only time will tell.

Fantastic.
posted by schambers at 1:42 PM on January 25, 2005

I'm with schambers, but I bet that Matt W. Cooper will be a huge asshole.
posted by greasy_skillet at 1:48 PM on January 25, 2005

The possibilities are endless. Leading up to the reign of Matt Cooper-the-Great in 2153, we could have Matt Cooper P.I., Comrade Cooper, and even the pop star "Coop."
posted by schambers at 1:55 PM on January 25, 2005

I'm not voting for him, I do not like his last name.
posted by TwelveTwo at 1:58 PM on January 25, 2005

This is exactly like how Arnold became governor of California.
posted by TwelveTwo at 2:04 PM on January 25, 2005

He's a socialist.

On preview: what Saucy Intruder said.
posted by j.p. Hung at 2:47 PM on January 25, 2005

2020, eh?

Hope he has a viable exit strategy for Iraq.
posted by alumshubby at 2:51 PM on January 25, 2005

Ummm...the last WWII generation candidate was Bob Dole -- in 1996.

The FIRST Baby boomer winner was Bill Clinton in 1992 -- and I think he was 48 when elected.

So, this kid wants to win at 35 or so -- while bypassing what you know will be the unending supply of "we're too special to grow old" baby boomer candidates (ending 1964 births) and completely bypass Generation X (ending 1978 or so) just because he started a blog early?!

The first student of politics or political office seeker has to understand that each generation has gets its moment -- almost no matter what - -and there's barely any generation skipping.

As a Generation Xer, I'm offended and it's just like these snotty nosed spawn of the baby boomers to have that me-first attitude.

Seriously, some humility would be nice....perhaps yes, President, by why so soon? Live a bit, dude. Live a bit.
posted by narebuc at 2:57 PM on January 25, 2005

As a Generation Xer, I'm offended and it's just like these snotty nosed spawn of the baby boomers to have that me-first attitude.

Those no-good whippersnappers! In my day, we had to do all our political trolling on dial-up BBSes. And we liked it!
posted by iJames at 3:22 PM on January 25, 2005

I'm not at all sure about a guy who lurks in the shadows so that his face is practically indistinguishable... http://www.cooper2020.com/thisguy.jpg
posted by Pigpen at 3:42 PM on January 25, 2005

Everybody knows you can't be president if you use orange on your web site. Where is this lad's red, white, and blue?
posted by spilon at 3:50 PM on January 25, 2005

j.p. Hung:

In case you're serious, he's a social democrat at most. He doesn't call for a minimum living wage indexed to inflation, for greatly expanded union rights, for guaranteed employment, for universal healthcare, for free housing, or for an end to the market economy. Not a socialist at all.
posted by graymouser at 4:09 PM on January 25, 2005

Big deal, I know somebody who is running for President in 2016. The big difference: this guy will win!

(direct link omitted due to conflict of interest and Mefi rules)
posted by crazy finger at 8:06 PM on January 25, 2005

trharlan... I go to that university, and live and work in that city. It is certainly by no means "mediocre".
posted by ruwan at 10:05 PM on January 25, 2005

Damn, took my idea. Luckily ideas are free. Let's see him try and get the reality TV deal lined up before me.

Guys, if I ever start campaigning, are you going to dig up my past posts and pick them apart, looking at them in the worst light with no regard to my state of mind at the time? Or is that only if you disagreed with me?

Googling myself again...
posted by MarkO at 10:22 PM on January 25, 2005

Graymouser...just instigating.
posted by j.p. Hung at 7:06 AM on January 26, 2005

Now that I think about it, the real scandal that will dog my candidacy will be my sheer talent for ending every MeFi thread I visit.
posted by MarkO at 1:51 PM on January 26, 2005

Too bad you need to be a well-heeled amoral asshole plugged into the corrupt, bought and sold power structure of the entrenched party system to become president. Nice dream though, kid.
posted by nanojath at 7:34 PM on February 24, 2005