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Presidential candidate Joe Schriner and his family made a campaign stop in Fallon on their way south on U.S. 95 Wednesday. From left, wife Liz, daughter Sarah, son Joseph, candidate Joe and son Jonathan on his shoulders.
By BURKE WASSON
LVN Staff Writer
Who would ever believe an "average Joe" driving through Fallon in a 1971 Dodge Xplorer van could be president of the United States? Apparently, 142 voters, including the man himself, do. That man is Joe Schriner.
Schriner, who finished 18th overall in the 2004 U.S. presidential election with those 142 votes, parked his "makeshift mobile home" Wednesday in Fallon as part of a four-month trek through the West to campaign for the 2008 general election.
Part campaign trail and part family vacation, the 50-year-old former journalist's trip is made whole with the company of his wife, Liz, and three children: 9-year-old Sarah, 7-year-old Joseph and 2-year-old Jonathan.
LVN Staff Writer
Who would ever believe an "average Joe" driving through Fallon in a 1971 Dodge Xplorer van could be president of the United States? Apparently, 142 voters, including the man himself, do. That man is Joe Schriner.
Schriner, who finished 18th overall in the 2004 U.S. presidential election with those 142 votes, parked his "makeshift mobile home" Wednesday in Fallon as part of a four-month trek through the West to campaign for the 2008 general election.
Part campaign trail and part family vacation, the 50-year-old former journalist's trip is made whole with the company of his wife, Liz, and three children: 9-year-old Sarah, 7-year-old Joseph and 2-year-old Jonathan.
But what could easily be mistaken for a family road trip from Schriner's native state of Ohio is actually a full-fledged presidential campaign.
"Part of this story has been the average family on the backroads," Schriner said. "In the smaller towns, people say, 'What do you stand for?' Then you start to explain what you stand for, and people are like, 'Whoa, this really is serious.'
"At times, out of their own skepticism, people will sluff us off because the money's not there. That's not my fault. The system is set up in such a way that money tends to drive not only politics, but the perception of politicians. So, as a result, sometimes we get dismissed right away."
The only evidence of spending on Schriner's presidential campaign can be seen in writing painted on the back of his van with messages like "White House or bust" and "GOT JOE?" greeting following drivers.
Besides passing out the occasional campaign button and encouraging people to visit www.voteforjoe.com, Schriner believes he can reach people through personal interaction and his own platforms rather than by spending gross amounts of dollars.
"We're face to face on a daily basis with humanity," Schriner said. "You hear politicians sometimes talk about going on a listening tour. We, in all earnestness, are. We go out and we look for people in need and we try to fill those needs. That kind of a vignette right there sticks out to me as far as what is maybe the most significant step in campaigning."
"Part of this story has been the average family on the backroads," Schriner said. "In the smaller towns, people say, 'What do you stand for?' Then you start to explain what you stand for, and people are like, 'Whoa, this really is serious.'
"At times, out of their own skepticism, people will sluff us off because the money's not there. That's not my fault. The system is set up in such a way that money tends to drive not only politics, but the perception of politicians. So, as a result, sometimes we get dismissed right away."
The only evidence of spending on Schriner's presidential campaign can be seen in writing painted on the back of his van with messages like "White House or bust" and "GOT JOE?" greeting following drivers.
Besides passing out the occasional campaign button and encouraging people to visit www.voteforjoe.com, Schriner believes he can reach people through personal interaction and his own platforms rather than by spending gross amounts of dollars.
"We're face to face on a daily basis with humanity," Schriner said. "You hear politicians sometimes talk about going on a listening tour. We, in all earnestness, are. We go out and we look for people in need and we try to fill those needs. That kind of a vignette right there sticks out to me as far as what is maybe the most significant step in campaigning."
His political platform seems to center on his belief that people should take a more community-minded or worldly view to life than focusing on material or consumeristic interests.
His trip is a perfect example of that, as the Schriners go without something in their van that many drivers take for granted in the summer - air conditioning. Schriner said the use of freon for that luxury is too harmful to the ozone layer for him to consider running the air in his vehicle or his Cleveland, Ohio, home.
Besides that, he says his money can be better spent in other areas.
"We ask American people across the board to consider cutting back on some of their consumeristic lifestyle," Schriner said. "Take the savings and funnel it into projects that help people in our country and people in the third world."
Schriner's belief in more charitable spending doesn't go along with Nevada's gaming lifestyle. While Nevadans continue to pump money into casinos year after year, Schriner said he believes that gambling can lead to damaging behavior.
His trip is a perfect example of that, as the Schriners go without something in their van that many drivers take for granted in the summer - air conditioning. Schriner said the use of freon for that luxury is too harmful to the ozone layer for him to consider running the air in his vehicle or his Cleveland, Ohio, home.
Besides that, he says his money can be better spent in other areas.
"We ask American people across the board to consider cutting back on some of their consumeristic lifestyle," Schriner said. "Take the savings and funnel it into projects that help people in our country and people in the third world."
Schriner's belief in more charitable spending doesn't go along with Nevada's gaming lifestyle. While Nevadans continue to pump money into casinos year after year, Schriner said he believes that gambling can lead to damaging behavior.
"Nevada's known for its casinos, but I don't think in any way that it's a good industry because of the addiction," Schriner said.
"I did drug and alcohol counseling and also worked with people that are gambling addicts. The devastation that goes to not only the individual, but the family and the system itself is just damaging. Systemically, it comes with too many problems."
After traveling 70,000 miles through campaigning for president each year since 1999, Schriner has seen and heard a gamut of responses ranging from "You're running for president of what?" to disbelief to surprised awe.
But one thing has remained constant - his family traveling at his side. The campaign is scheduled to continue south along U.S. 95 with stops in towns including Hawthorne, Las Vegas and Yuma, Ariz. The Schriners have already been through Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana and Idaho on this trip before they reached Nevada.
To 9-year-old Sarah Schriner, all of those destinations add up to one word - fun.
"We go out to lots of towns and my dad hands out literature and we campaign a lot," she said. "We do whistle stops and get to see new places. It's fun."
"I did drug and alcohol counseling and also worked with people that are gambling addicts. The devastation that goes to not only the individual, but the family and the system itself is just damaging. Systemically, it comes with too many problems."
After traveling 70,000 miles through campaigning for president each year since 1999, Schriner has seen and heard a gamut of responses ranging from "You're running for president of what?" to disbelief to surprised awe.
But one thing has remained constant - his family traveling at his side. The campaign is scheduled to continue south along U.S. 95 with stops in towns including Hawthorne, Las Vegas and Yuma, Ariz. The Schriners have already been through Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana and Idaho on this trip before they reached Nevada.
To 9-year-old Sarah Schriner, all of those destinations add up to one word - fun.
"We go out to lots of towns and my dad hands out literature and we campaign a lot," she said. "We do whistle stops and get to see new places. It's fun."
