Meghan Markle for president!
This is not a joke.
Markle is over the age of 35, a resident of the United States for at least 14 years and a natural-born citizen. That’s more than we can say about either foreign-born John McCain or Ted Cruz.
President Obama’s birth was also questioned, of course. His birth certificate was demanded by his successor, someone rumored to have been born on another planet.
Regardless, Markle meets all the requirements to run for president. She may be looking for a new gig now that she and her husband quit their day jobs in Sussex.
Republicans need look no further than Markle for a young, fresh, future-oriented politico who is going to appeal to their conservative monarchic fantasies, sense of pomp and need for celebrity candidates. Markle is a proven disruptor. Ask Queen Elizabeth II.
Naturally, Markle also happens to be a woman and a person of color. Nikki Haley, eat your heart out.
Bonus points: Markle is the former “Suits” star who can give the “Apprentice” reality lead a run for his money and his ratings. She’s already been critical of the 45th president, calling him “divisive” and “misogynistic.”
Canada seems to be the current chosen destination for the near-abdicating, quasi-royal couple, but they should think this through a bit before snubbing the United States. After all, Canada is already run by a dynastic prince. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the scion of former PM Pierre Trudeau. Trudeau the Younger lacks a mean hockey slapshot that would endear him to a broader cross-section of Québécoise. But his snowboarding skills are rad.
The point? Skip Canada.
Come back home, Meghan! Run. Make “Megxit” great again.
If this all seems far-fetched, then imagine that the guy currently running Great Britain is a Big Apple-born mophead who won on promises to build a bigger moat and upgrade British healthcare. Prime Minister Boris Johnson not only was born in New York’s Upper East Side, he skipped out on his IRS debts. America and Britain do indeed have a “special relationship.”
Meghan, if BoJo can hop the pond to run Britain by winning a stunning majority of parliamentary seats, you can certainly come home and make a splash in D.C. You really have a shot. Your candidacy would also block any ideas Johnson might have about coming back to the United States to run for president himself. A pre-emptive strike, if you will.
Midwestern credentials are pretty key in any American electoral run — and you’ve got them! Your time at Northwestern University balances out your upbringing in the largest and most elector-rich state of the union — your native California is a good place to pick up convention delegates. Plus, you’ve got real, hands-on experience in foreign affairs, not only from your time working in a U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, but in your recent job representing Britain’s national interests abroad.
Healthcare? You used to be on “General Hospital,” for goodness sake! You may not have been a real nurse, but you did play one on TV.
The current Dealmaker-in-Chief would also have to contend with a competitor who understands that successful offers and payoffs are often hidden in briefcases. Your time on “Deal or No Deal” gave you on-stage experience in human greed and motivation. You performed under pressure, with grace in the spotlight, and learned to anticipate interested parties’ reactions to the artful reveal of the deal.
Hey, we are not living in ordinary times. Reality is now often what the electorate perceives reality to be. If a guy calls himself a great feminist, dealmaker, billionaire, and “the chosen one”—and there are enough people around him willing to validate that narrative—then that pseudo-reality takes on a life of its own. It becomes an acceptable and defensible truth for a large minority of people.
Royalty is already a fairy tale. You have unmasked the more unsavory aspects of it without making it impossible to watch “The Crown” on Netflix. Ultimately, you have the one quality that every voter in America, regardless of gender pronoun, says he or she or they want: Authenticity.
Bring your authenticity back to the United States triumphantly. Use your resources to challenge the Republican incumbent. You were not born for hereditary succession. Neither is your son, Archie.
You have always made your own breaks, followed your own heart, blazed your own path. Use whatever resources, goodwill and experience you have to run in 2020. The worst thing that can happen is that you lose. But only after you make your point, continue your advocacy for human rights and stand your ground.
Meghan Markle, you have the poise and prominence to make a difference. A royal flush is a winning hand in poker and politics.
