John McAfee Pondering Presidential Bid

An anonymous reader writes: Since this U.S. presidential election cycle clearly isn't chaotic enough already, it seems John McAfee is now considering a campaign as well. Wired reports that McAfee hasn't decided for sure yet, and he's hoping to persuade somebody more charismatic to run with his backing. He said his advisors are pressing him to run, adding, "I have many thousands of emails saying please run for President. It's not something I would just choose to do on my own." What would his platform be? It actually sounds pretty simple: "It's clear that the leadership of our country is illiterate on the fundamental technology that supports everything in life for us now, that is cyber science, our smartphones, our military hardware, our communications." He'd be a strong proponent for privacy and autonomy. We should know in a few days whether McAfee is in or out — Wired says he "seems far more concerned with having his voice heard on one particular issue than with taking a seat in the Oval Office." Something seems to have changed his mind about politics: in a 2014 interview here, McAfee said. "I would never run for office, neither would I want to be in office, of any kind. I would rather drive a nail through my foot." According to the paperwork McAfee has filed, he is founding a new party (PDF).

Comments

Must be a joke?

[Timmy D Programmer]

Wasn't he a fugitive from murder charges, and also not born in the US. Only slightly better presidential option than Trump.

Re:I guess it makes sense....

[dpidcoe]

To be fair, he's completely disowned the product that has his name on it and has made slashdot news a few times when he's gone on rants about how terrible of an antivirus it's become.

Re:At this rate

[Michael Woodhams]

Arthur C Clarke's novel "Imperial Earth" does this: The future USA have decided that anyone who wants to be in the Whitehouse should never be allowed to be there. They make a list of people who are competent and would need to be dragged kicking and screaming into the Whitehouse, but once there will do their best. Then they just choose their president by lottery from that list.