would happen if Kenny Guinn went to the Pioneer Theater
[in Reno] and said 'Come see me,' How many people would
show up? There'd be five people in the audience.
"You think if Frankie Sue did it. And
then watch what happens when I'm there.
"We're way ahead of anybody. We're not
the underdog; we're the leader.
"That's what people have to
realize," argues Russo. "I have thousands and
thousands of supporters already. And those supporters all
want to work, they all want to volunteer.
"So... I look at myself as the person who
leads this campaign by miles. By miles. And they're going
to have to catch me."
What will make that difficult for
establishment candidates, he believes, is that the Russo
campaign already has intensely loyal support at the
grassroots.
"We have real people who want me to
win," says Russo. "We have passion, we have compassion,
we have people who are ready to put up money, people who
are verbal about what they're doing with me, You know, we
have people who are really totally supportive.
"It's like a whole new Perot thing
happening -- but from a different point of view than
Perot," he said.
As evidence of his broad, across- the-spectrum
support, Russo cites a
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recent visit to the Las
Vegas NAACP chapter.
"I mean, when I went to the NAACP meeting
the other night, they were wearing my ['Mad As Hell']
button. These are traditional Democrats," he
emphasized.
"I mean, it was amazing -- it blew me
away. I walked into the room, and I was shocked."
The button Russo referred to, 31/2 inches in diameter, is often
given away with his 'Mad as Hell' video and
bears the same slogan. On the accompanying videotape,
much of the content has to do with the increasing
victimization of innocent civilians by out-of-control
state and federal law enforcement agencies.
"They shot that kid down in Las Vegas for
no reason," said Russo, referring to a drive-by
shooting recently by two Las Vegas policemen.
"It was disgusting. And police brutality
is one place where conservatives and liberals get
together. It's a meeting point."
Russo suggests that his unique background --
Jewish, Hollywood producer, a recipient of several NAACP
awards -- allows him to be an especially effective
advocate for individual freedom in the face of an
increasingly oppressive and unaccountable government.
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