CNN Money profiles “entrepreneurial” LP candidates
CNN’s financial wing, CNN Money, takes a look at some of the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination candidates in “Entrepreneurs eye the White House.”
The feature includes articles on Wayne Allyn Root, Alden Link, Michael Jingozian, Steve Kubby and Bob Barr.
In fairness, I’m not sure why Kubby and Barr are included in this type of profile when other candidates aren’t. Root, Link and Jingozian have all stood on their entrepreneurial records as credentials for the nomination, as well they should, and this is exactly the kind of feature I’d expect to see them in.
Kubby has a credible entrepreneurial record as well—he’s successfully built, operated and sold a highly regarded youth camp, a property management company, and a popular ski magazine— but the profile doesn’t even mention those biographical items, preferring to concentrate resolutely on … well, you know, even before you look.
Barr, who has spent most of his adult life working for government, serving in government, or lobbying/serving those who work in or for government, is a bit of a stretch as “entrepreneur.”
Bottom line, though: It’s always nice to see the “mainstream media,” even if only on the Internet side of the street, paying attention to third party presidential candidates.
May 17th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I agree about the inclusion of Kubby and Barr. Sometimes you just have to wonder why the media does what it does.
May 17th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Gene,
Well, as a Kubby supporter, I won’t complain as long as they spell his name right
The only problem I had with the piece is that since it was supposed to be on “entrepreneurs” seeking the White House, it would have made sense for them to summarize Kubby’s successful business career. He ran Earth Camp One. He built Homestar from the ground up, operated it successfully, sold it for a profit and it’s still an operating business today. He published Ski West magazine, which under his direction became the best-selling newsstand magazine on the sport.
If the federal government hadn’t gone after Kubby for taking the medicine that keeps him alive, and for supporting everyone else’s freedom to do so as well, he’d almost certainly be a very wealthy man right now. Court proceedings, exile and prison tend to disrupt entrepreneurial projects.
So, Kubby would have fit quite well into this profile series IF CNN had done their homework. Instead, they threw him in with no mention of it and just ran with his drug policy views.
Like I said, as long as they spell his name right, good to go, though.
May 17th, 2008 at 11:29 am
My first venture after graduate school was to launch Earth Camp One, a summer camp that was rated number one by the American Camping Association and was featured in Newsweek, National Geographic and Sunset magazines. My property management company, Homestar, was one of the first to use computers and is still in operation in Lake Tahoe. My ski magazine, Ski West, was the top selling ski magazine in 7 countries and featured Fortune 500 advertisers like American Airlines, Sprint, Hertz as well as top ski and fashion companies. We even had a twin engine private plane for my company. As the publisher of Ski West, I was the official guest of dozens of governments around the world. All of this was reported by me to the journalist, but none of it appears in the article.
May 17th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Steve,
Exactly. If the feature was going to be on “entrepreneurs,” this was good stuff they should have reported.
But, getting your mug and your ideas on CNN Money is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
May 17th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
If CNN ignores Mary Ruwart, I see that as an endorsement.
Mary Ruwart for Prez!
http://votemary2008.com/
May 17th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I am not that knowledgeable of Mary Ruwart’s professional career, but I do know that after leaving UpJohn Pharmaceuticals, she was an adjunct professor at UNC Charlotte. However, she has been a nutraceutical company consultant (adviser?) for the last few years, which I would consider to be an entrepreneurial venture.
My understanding of entrepreneurs are people who find the niches in the market and satisfy a formerly unsatisfied need in that particular or related market.
I believe that Mary Ruwart’s knowledge and experience in the pharmaceutical and health technology industries is just one of those “niches” which she had the presence to find.
Unfortunately, CNN isn’t entrepreneurial enough to find out that Mary Ruwart is an entrepreneur herself.
May 17th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Actually, Dr. Ruwart is listed as a “senior partner” in Sci-Com. I don’t know if that title reflects a capital stake in the company or not, though.
Usually “entrepreneur” implies someone who has taken specific risks—laying out startup capital, bringing rights to a product he or she developed, etc.—to start a new enterprise or reinvigorate an old one. If Dr. Ruwart is a principal who has such a stake then yes, she’s an “entrepreneur.”
May 17th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
“steve Kubby Says:
May 17th, 2008 at 11:29 am
My first venture after graduate school was to launch Earth Camp One, a summer camp that was rated number one by the American Camping Association and was featured in Newsweek, National Geographic and Sunset magazines. My property management company, Homestar, was one of the first to use computers and is still in operation in Lake Tahoe. My ski magazine, Ski West, was the top selling ski magazine in 7 countries and featured Fortune 500 advertisers like American Airlines, Sprint, Hertz as well as top ski and fashion companies. We even had a twin engine private plane for my company. As the publisher of Ski West, I was the official guest of dozens of governments around the world. All of this was reported by me to the journalist, but none of it appears in the article.”
Damn, it sucks how the government can ruin people’s lives.
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