Hailing from Durango, "Pablo the Cat" is tossing a furball into the 2024 presidential ring — declaring that he's deeply concerned "for the direction our nation is taking" and wants to do something about it as our country's new commander-in-chief.
Obviously, the campaign is a joke (Pablo won't actually be on next year's ballot), but it's one that his owner, Liz Glantz, is taking quite seriously.
"Pablo is a passionate advocate for change and justice, with an unyielding commitment to fighting corporate greed, championing human rights, and advancing health equity and access," Glantz explained in an August 18 press release announcing the feline's candidacy. "With a vision of a more inclusive and prosperous America, Pablo is stepping up to lead the charge for transformative progress in the 2024 presidential campaign."
Speaking to Westword, Glantz reveals how her plans to have Pablo run for president initially started out as satire before eventually drifting into more serious territory.
"About a year and a half ago, I had the idea to have my cat run for president as a joke," she says. "I like cats. I thought my cat was pretty photogenic."
This, coupled with the fact that Glantz could possibly make money off the idea, had the Coloradan cat owner licking her chops. "A few years back, they had Grumpy Cat, and they totally made money off of him and made merchandise," she recalls. "So I was like, 'You know what? I've got student loans to pay. I'm trying to get my piece of the pie...not to be rich, but just to be comfortable.'"
As Glantz began to think more about the logistics of running a presidential campaign (even a fake one) — such as setting up a website and social media accounts; making an announcement video; coming up with a platform, etc. — she got to thinking, "What if this gains traction? What if it takes off?" That's when she decided to change course.
"I want it to have some real causes behind it to bring to light some of the issues that are really pressing these days, compared to some of the squabble that's going on with not as pressing of issues," she says.
"I want it to have some real causes behind it to bring to light some of the issues that are really pressing these days, compared to some of the squabble that's going on with not as pressing of issues," she says.
This, coupled with the fact that Glantz could possibly make money off the idea, had the Coloradan cat owner licking her chops. "A few years back, they had Grumpy Cat, and they totally made money off of him and made merchandise," she recalls. "So I was like, 'You know what? I've got student loans to pay. I'm trying to get my piece of the pie...not to be rich, but just to be comfortable.'"
Since creating social media accounts for Pablo on August 18, Glantz has racked up over 300 followers on X (formerly Twitter) and sixty more on Instagram. The press release announcing his run for office ultimately comes with a disclaimer: "This campaign and related website is not affiliated with or representative of a real presidential campaign. This campaign, website and business are purely for commercial purposes." But that's where the presidential phoniness stops.
"United today, stronger tomorrow // Pablo for President // 2024," reads a campaign sign.
In his announcement video, Pablo dons human teeth and speaks to his supporters through a human body adorned with a cat head, telling them: "It's time we refocus on what truly matters: each other, our values and the issues that affect our lives. In this time of division, let us remember that our differences should not tear us apart, but rather build us up. We must move beyond judging one another based on our distinctions, and embrace the strength that comes from our diverse perspectives."
According to his campaign website, "Proceeds from all sales go towards supporting Pablo’s comfortable existence."In his announcement video, Pablo dons human teeth and speaks to his supporters through a human body adorned with a cat head, telling them: "It's time we refocus on what truly matters: each other, our values and the issues that affect our lives. In this time of division, let us remember that our differences should not tear us apart, but rather build us up. We must move beyond judging one another based on our distinctions, and embrace the strength that comes from our diverse perspectives."
Additionally, Glantz writes that Pablo "shares a small portion with his two brothers, a cat and a dog, and his human pet mom." Ten percent of profits are slated to go to "non-profit organizations whose efforts support humans well-being, climate change solutions and animals," according to the website.
For $7.75, online supporters can get themselves a "Pablo the Cat" campaign sticker. For $33, they can get a whole flag. Two dollars more will get people a sweatshirt showing Pablo with his new human body (wearing a suit) as he stands atop a flying bald eagle — American flag in one hand and Statue of Liberty torch in the other.
Pablo's not the first animal to jokingly run for president, nor is he the first Coloradan.
While the Centennial State hasn't ever had anyone actually become commander-in-chief, at least half a dozen people who were born in Colorado have had their names on the ballot. The list includes former U.S. senator Gary Hart, late congresswoman Pat Schroeder, former governor Richard "Dick" Lamm, Aurora native and 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry, former congressman Tom Tancredo, and Colorado Springs native Scott Walker, who ran as a Republican in 2016 while he was governor of Wisconsin.
Earlier this year, Joseph Maldonado — aka Joe Exotic from the Netflix show Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness — claimed that he would be on the Colorado ballot for president in 2024. But state officials later denounced his candidacy, saying Exotic would have to wait until the official 2024 presidential paperwork was filed before becoming a candidate. Also, he's required to be a member of a major political party, which he reportedly is not.
Those going for the nation's chief executive spot next year will be clashing with former president and possible jailbird Donald Trump and current POTUS Joe Biden, along with a gaggle of other big names. But no cats so far besides Pablo.
In the 2016 election, the campaign for Limberbutt McCubbins — a kitty from Kentucky — grabbed headlines and spurred Politifact to look into whether or not an animal would actually be constitutionally allowed to become president.
Their finding: probably not, but there's no explicit rule that says so.
What ultimately stopped McCubbins from going all the way was his failure to spend or receive $5,000 in campaign funds, which is a requirement in order to be considered an official candidate by the Federal Elections Commission, the agency says.
In Colorado, it's not just cats running for president: Dogs Pirate and Lady ran as write-in candidates in 1984, with disgraced quiz-show contestant Stoney Jackson acting as their campaign manager.
Jackson came to Denver in 1980 and died in 2002. He spent time in and out of homelessness and — with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union — sued the city to give homeless people the right to vote. Denver settled the case in 1986 and allowed people without an official address to register to vote by designating a shelter, church or other service agency as their legal residence.
Pirate and Lady's four-legged campaign slogan: "Better for a dog to go to the White House than for the White House to go to the dogs.”
Canine candidates have actually been a thing here in Colorado: A Bernese Mountain Dog named Parker currently serves as the honorary mayor of Georgetown; a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog named Piper served as the unofficial mayor of Divide from April 2020 until she was replaced by a donkey named Clyde in 2022.
While Pablo does not yet have a running mate, he is set to announce one soon, according to Glantz.
"I have faith in Pablo," she concludes.
