Anti-virus software tycoon John McAfee plans to run for President, the developer confirmed on Tuesday. He will run under his own newly created "Cyber Party."
http://time.com/4025991/john-mcafee-running-for-president/?xid=tcoshare
The self-described "eccentric millionaire," known for a strange run-in with authorities in Belize three years ago, said his primary motivation to enter the race was the government's problems with security and surveillance.
"We are losing privacy at an alarming rate — we have none left. We've given up so much for the illusion of security and our government is simply dysfunctional," he said, adding that he plans to release an explainer for his new Cyber Party.
McAfee, developer of the first commercial anti-virus program, has said he is going to announce a bid for the White House, and will create the Cyber Party to do so. "I have a huge underground following on the web," he told CNN. The website McAfee2016.com has also popped up.
(Score: 1) by WalksOnDirt on Thursday September 10 2015, @04:39AM
Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton have good chances of becoming president. Bernie Sanders and Ben Carson are long shots, but they have some chances. John McAfee has no chance, but if he wants to waste his money and run he's welcome to.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 10 2015, @05:06AM
Bwahahahaha, I don't know if I should laugh or cry at that one.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by VortexCortex on Thursday September 10 2015, @05:27AM
John McAfee has no chance, but if he wants to waste his money and run he's welcome to.
So, when you run for office, you can take campaign donations. A certain percent can go to you for managing the campaign. One can't just take ALL the money and run. However, after having collected your war chest, if you realize you won't make it to the election, you can bow out and GIFT your campaign funds to another candidate. IMO, McAfee is running for the same reason Hillary is, not that they think they can actually win, but leverage their name recognition to collect some money and give the rest to the candidate they actually want to win. It's like using your popularity to vote by proxy, or a form of indirection such that when you dereference the pointer to the candidate you support it turns out to be a different one.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 10 2015, @06:05AM
"spend his money and run" != "take money and run".
I believe the implication was about spending his own money and run (the campaign) rather than receive donations and run (away).
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Thexalon on Thursday September 10 2015, @01:25PM
I'm quite certain Hillary Clinton really believes she can win. She definitely believed she could win when she started to run back in 2013 (she didn't officially say that's what she was doing, but that's what she was doing), and until a few weeks ago she thought she had the Democratic nomination and general election both within easy reach.
For folks who really don't stand a chance like Carly Fiorina, it's either an exercise in ego, effectively an interview for a job at a media outlet, and at least temporarily a job of repeating all the correct shibboleths for the next few months. And since Fiorina hasn't been able to work in any real jobs since wrecking Hewlett Packard, she's looking for something she can BS her way through doing. That she or most of the 17 candidates vying for the Republican nomination have no chance of winning is besides the point.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 10 2015, @11:54PM
Fiorina ran for gov of calinfornia too. I think she believes she has a chance and that the notoriety is just a nice consolation prize.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Thursday September 10 2015, @05:50PM
you can bow out and GIFT your campaign funds to another candidate.
Good lord, how hilarious would it be if Donald Trump was making this play then ends up giving his warchest to the Democrats? He's a convicted Dem donator afterall....
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 10 2015, @11:51PM
the same reason Hillary is, not that they think they can actually win, but leverage their name recognition to collect some money and give the rest to the candidate they actually want to win.
Dude, Clinton is the front-runner. She announced before any one else in her party and it is her second run at the office. Her margin has narrowed because she's bungled the email stuff, but man if that's your analysis of Clinton I have to doubt anything you might say about politics.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Thursday September 10 2015, @02:19PM
"Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton have good chances of becoming president."
I'm hearing that they are both bleeding in the polls. Which pleases me to hell and back - we don't need to continue any failed dynasties, either republican, or democrat.
I'm going to buy my defensive radar from Temu, just like Venezuela!
(Score: 3, Insightful) by dyingtolive on Thursday September 10 2015, @02:26PM
I'd still vote for him before a Bush or Clinton.
Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!