Porn Star Seeks New Stage: U.S. Senate

Stormy Daniels May Challenge La. Republican David Vitter, Whose Reputation Was Marred In D.C. Madam Scandal

(AP)  Stormy Daniels strode onstage at a downtown Baton Rouge restaurant in a tight black blouse with a plunging neckline and a knee-length skirt in the popular purple of Louisiana State University. She introduced herself with a warning.

"For those of you who don't know who I am," she told the lunch crowd at The Roux House, "I'd suggest that you don't Google that until you get home from work."

She's a Louisiana-born porn star who says she is considering a 2010 run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican David Vitter, whose family-values reputation was marred in 2007 when his name was linked to a Washington prostitution ring.

Daniels, 30, insists she's serious. She's spending her own money on a "listening tour" to hear what people have to say as she considers a possible run, and said she isn't just starting a publicity stunt to promote her work or embarrass Vitter. However, she said she hasn't lived in Louisiana for seven years - she currently resides in Florida - and would need to re-establish residency to run.

She sprinkled her presentation Tuesday with the occasional joke ("If you get any closer you're going to have to start tipping me," she told a crowd of reporters and photographers) but she kept the topics serious.

Daniels' platform contains a few issues she probably has professional knowledge of - backing efforts to remove child pornography from the Internet and keeping minors from viewing adult material - as well as the bread-and-butter issues of many other candidates: Support for a national sales tax to replace the income tax and pushing to get troops home sooner from Iraq.

She doesn't want to take questions about Vitter. "I think it's about time David Vitter started answering David Vitter questions," she said.

Vitter has steadfastly refused to discuss the "serious sin" he confessed to after his phone number was linked to Deborah Palfrey, the so-called "D.C. Madam" who committed suicide as she faced prison time for running a prostitution ring that catered to the powerful. His office declined to comment Wednesday on Daniels' possible candidacy.

Vitter, 48, kept a low profile in the months after his scandal broke but has emerged as a chief critic of government bailouts and President Barack Obama's spending plans - popular stands in a state that went solidly for Republican John McCain in last year's presidential election.

He also has been aggressively fundraising, amassing $2.5 million in campaign funds for what will be his first re-election attempt since the Palfrey scandal broke. He won the Senate seat for the first time in 2004, spending more than $7 million to defeat four major opponents for the open position.

Noting Vitter's solid conservative stances and his healthy campaign account, Ed Chervenak, a political science professor at the University of New Orleans, doesn't think a Daniels candidacy would do much damage.

"It's probably going to be fairly easy for him to ignore her," he said.

"What it really shows is the lack of any real credible Democratic challenger," he added.

Pollster and political consultant Bernie Pinsonat agreed. But he said a possible Daniels' candidacy could be a distraction if Vitter, seen at left, is challenged in next year's Republican primary.

"Is she a threat to beat him? No. Is she really going to run? I seriously doubt it," Pinsonat said. "But if I had my druthers and I was running the campaign of David Vitter, I would rather she not be there."

Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne has expressed interest in the GOP primary. Others reportedly considering a run are retired state Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor, a Republican; and state Sen. Eric LaFleur and Shaw Group CEO Jim Bernhard, both Democrats. Nobody has announced.

If nothing else, a Daniels candidacy could bring color to the Senate campaign the way adult film star Mary Carey did as a candidate for governor in California's 2003 recall race, which Arnold Schwarzenegger won. And Daniels could restore the spectacle missing from Louisiana politics since the unabashed gambler, reputed womanizer and now-felon Edwin Edwards left the governor's office in 1996.

Edwards was succeeded by the staid Mike Foster, the grandmotherly Kathleen Blanco and the young policy wonk, Bobby Jindal. All are a far cry from other colorful characters from Louisiana's political past: the windmill-armed Depression-era orator, Huey Long; country-singing Gov. Jimmie Davis, who once rode up the Capitol steps on horseback; or Gov. Earl Long, Huey's brother, who openly cavorted with Bourbon Street stripper Blaze Starr in the 1950s.

Daniels, meanwhile, has not committed to a candidacy - or a political party.

She decided to explore a possible run after a draft movement started by fans after the Palfrey scandal broke, she said. "I completely ignored the whole thing for a while, and then I just got so much encouragement and feedback that I thought at the very least I owe it to myself and to the people to come out and see what they have to say."

At Mike Serio's Po-Boys & Deli in downtown New Orleans on Wednesday, the crowd was friendly but some seemed more interested in Daniels' film career.

"You look familiar. Not your face, though," said Jody Mathern, 51, a New Orleans man who said he works in the oil industry, drawing laughs from Daniels and a table full of oil patch workers. "She's a whole lot prettier than Vitter. But I still don't know what color her eyes are."

[johndevinejr]

How would she differ from the rest of the w h o r e s in Washington?
Posted by johndevinejr at 7:49 AM : Jun 14, 2009

[johndevinejr]

How would she differ from the rest of the ****** in Washington?

[OregonJames]

It is sad to say this, but I'd have just as much faith in her being a good senator as any of the neo-con republican out there, if not more.

[bbpkr]

roadking041, your characterization of Ms. Daniels and the four ladies who happen to be prominent Democrats hints strongly of the cesspool-bottom depth of your Sleazy "character".
You make typical rightwingnut trailer-trash RepugliCON lapdogs seem a Little better than subhuman.
The only "road" you're traveling is the one leading to HELL.

[stillwaters6]

Hello Everyone.

Its a new day in the global market.

He who can produce a quality product for the lowest price WINS AND GRINS.... never mind increasing living standards...drive countries and companies out of business...after all American people are no different than anyone else. They want a high quality product for a low price. China has learned this and this is one reason why CHINA DEFLATES its currency (i.e. reduces its own standard of living) so that it can drive American companies out of business and even attract jobs from America to China. Folks, it will not be long before you purchase a GMC vehicle MADE IN CHINA.

We're not in Kansas TOTO

Whispering Thought...

When faced with NEW questions do you reply with OLD answers???

GO BO!

This is so funny!

We have every kind of fruit, nut and flake in federal government today. Why would a porn star be so unusual.

[kansas1946]

Noting Vitter's solid conservative stances and his healthy campaign account, Ed Chervenak, a political science professor at the University of New Orleans, doesn't think a Daniels candidacy would do much damage.
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Just exactly would those "solid conservative stances" be?? The Larry Craig wide stance? The "let me attack everyone's morals except mine" stance.

Yes, I suppose the Republicans will vote for this guy. After all, he represents the Republicans party perfectly. An arrogant, pompous, hypocrite. Perfect fit. Enjoy, Lousianna.



Yes, I guess the Republicans will

[trueblueusa]

If She can UN-Seat a RE-CON

GO GO GO !!!!!

[ju78iklo9]

Stormy, I think you're terrific. I thought your Google pics were erotic but bedroom normal. Perhaps consider working with a sex therapist to create a simple how-to best seller for couples seeking to keep their failing marriage hot. Are you every loving husband's dream? Just use Google pics. Although having sex with multiple partners may not be a wise idea, why not just follow your heart and teach marriage thearpy as a successful part of your future political career? Is your heart as beautiful as your body/face! God bless your ministry to marriages everywhere! Call me!

[scorp79]

endurorob, You do make some valid points and I respect them. Some of them are very clever and have added to my insight.

But I just don't view the majority of our politicians as unpatriotic people who hate the country they were born and raised in. I view them as people in a goverment who are doing what they can to preserve American dominance in the world.. fool-heartedly or not.

And I do believe America will win this economic war with China, if the right moves are made. The wrong moves would be raising interest rates to strengthen the dollar. So what if our credit rating with the chinese ends up garbage. We are at war with them economically. We want to screw them! As long as we honor our debt to everyone else.

China is sitting on the largest reserve of American currency in the world.. and as much as they'd like to convert it to the euro.. or precious metal, they can"t.... cuz the dollar is so weak they'd get nothing for all that currrency.

What they will do is continue to hold the reserves until the dollar gains strength and then convert it. But let them wait that long.. hopefully by the time the dollar is stong, you'll have an economic collapse in china that will make the great depression look like a happy song and dance.. and at that point, when our # 1 compeditor is no more, we can raise interest rates and the chinese will then enjoy the fruits of converting that currency and using it to start all over again!