Buddy Roemer Tells Mediaite: DC Is Bought And Sold By Special Interests…Average Citizen Has No Chance

M: Have you tried to challenge some candidates to one-on-one debates, like what Newt Gingrich just did with Jon Huntsman?

BR: Absolutely. We challenged Newt [on Wednesday] to talk about campaign reform. I said lets put all the other things aside, because they won’t get done until we do campaign reform. We haven’t heard an answer yet. We’re trying everything we can think of.

M: With regards to the special interest money — how does that actually work? You say you won’t take it, but do they approach you and just…offer things?

BR: Absolutely. ‘You’re the man, the country needs you.’ I’ve heard these speeches. ‘The country needs you, you’ve been working all your life to get ready… let us fund all your polling.’ That’s about 5 million dollars. ‘And it won’t show up on your books, you don’t have to report it. We’ll fund that.’ This is how the deal works. It works with winks and nods and [it happens] under the table and the leader is not free. He’s bought.

You know, I’m a [candidate] where $100 is the maximum. So if you give me a hundred or less, you’re right there at the top. It’s a different kind of approach, and it’s the only one I’m successful with. People say, “Well, Buddy, what if you don’t win?” I say, “Oh, we’ll win. Either I’ll be President or this issue will be the first bill of the next President.” We’re going to force this fight. We need to clean up the pig-sty. People are beginning to notice now, and as they notice that the people no longer count, as they notice that the special interests run things, Buddy Roemer is beginning to show up.

M: It seems like nobody wants to talk about campaign reform. It hasn’t really been a big issue.

BR: You know why? They’re doing the same thing. You can’t talk about shoes unshined if yours are scuffed up. It just doesn’t work. Why am I running like this? So I can talk about the problem – campaign reform. Money has washed over Washington. More money was given by lobbyists four years ago, in McCain and Obama’s race, than in 32 states combined. Your country is owned by someone else. It’s scary.

M: Whats your next move? Is there a plan to really force your way into the bigger picture?

BR: We think we’re going to qualify for two polls here if we can get 5% of the vote in New Hampshre. We’re making robocalls, we’re walking the streets, we’re doing newspaper editorials that say “Let Roemer Debate.” We’re on the radio. We’re doing this all day long to try and get our way on stage, and then we’ll see what happens.

M: You’re pretty much embedded in New Hampshire, but are you heading back to Louisiana at all for the holidays?

BR: I’m leaving the 23rd and coming back the 26th. So I’ll have three whole days to get to see my family.

M: How does that actually work, setting up shop in New Hampshire? Do you live in a hotel? Rent a place?

BR: I’m renting an apartment, month to month, about 830 bucks. I live in the city of Manchester, next to the airport. I have two suits and about ten shirts and plenty of underwear, my wife packed it carefully for me. And she comes up periodically, she’s a nurse and a concert piano player. And when her job doesn’t require her to be in Louisiana, she comes up with me.

I’m blessed, but I’m homesick. And I’m ready to go home. Christmas will come just in time for me.

You can follow Buddy Roemer on Twitter (@buddyroemer), on Facebook, or visit his website here.