READY FOR CHANGE

Henderson woman believes she can win the White House

JACOB KEPLER/VIEWRuth Bryant White of Henderson is running for president of the United States in 2008. She said she?s tired of the bickering and partisan politics going on in Washington. Advertisement

Ruth Bryant White of Henderson has been an advocate for change for most of her adult life, confronting controversial issues with tenacity and faith.

The 54-year-old has proudly owned each of her titles: single mother, devoted Christian, half of an interracial couple during a time when multiracial pairings were still frowned upon, capable professional and doting grandmother of six.

Now, Bryant White is taking on a new challenge. Armed with an unconventional campaign strategy and a mindset for change, the former loan officer plans to be elected the next commander in chief.

"My feeling is that it is anyone's race in 2008," said Bryant White, who is running as an independent. "It's time for someone from the trenches, who has had to deal with what life has thrown at them who knows about the struggles of the middle class and has real solutions, to make an impact and be elected to the presidency."

Her bid for the 2008 White House came earlier this year, when after years of frustration over bickering and partisan politics in Washington, Bryant White decided to stop complaining and holding one-way scream matches with broadcasters over political misnomers.

"I decided to really do something about it," Bryant White said. "So now, I'm running for president of the United States of America."

Bryant White is not a typical presidential candidate, but her senior adviser said race and gender should not be an issue in her campaign.

"I don't like that word," said Steven White, who also is Bryant White's husband. "The word minority is completely relative to the situation. Ruth is a black woman, yes. But that has no relevance in this race."

Bryant White said she believes that focus on such surface issues has been a major catalyst in the state of world affairs to date.

"We don't focus on the things that matter," she said. "Instead, we choose to debate the relevance of sex and race. I am a candidate who cares about her country. I am a patriot who is primed to make a difference. I believe that the real issues are the war, poverty, the environment and immigration."

The defining feature of her campaign is her plan for a co-presidency, in which she and her running mate would share the duties of the presidency. Bryant White acknowledges that the practice may be unconstitutional, but said it is called for.

"Laws can be changed, and there are so many things that need to be done to fix this mess," Bryant White said. "It will take more than one man or woman to do it. I'm a multitasker. I also believe in crossing partisan lines and putting people in office not based on their careers as a politician, but on their qualifications as a human being."

Through one of her 40 YouTube.com postings, Bryant White has invited former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to share the campaign and the presidency.

"I'm running a successful YouTube.com campaign, and I personally invited Huckabee to be my running mate and partner in the co-presidency," Bryant White said. "His camp has yet to respond, but we're hopeful."

At the top of Bryant White's to-do list when elected: increase wages for teachers across the board, secure the borders with more patrol agencies and stricter visa laws, bring back American jobs with automatic deportation for workers who are here illegally, invest in nuclear energy to subsequently create a less oil-dependent America, privatize health care and allow the Iraqi people to choose whether U.S. troops remain there.

"I believe that I can do more in three years than these career politicians have done in decades," Bryant White said. "All that I need is the opportunity."

To find out more about Bryant White, visit www.rbwforpres2008.com.