Presidential Candidate Bio

The following information pertains to the presidential candidate representing the American Taxpayer party in 2008. You should know him much better after you read this information.

Full legal Name: Anthony Jay Christopher

Birth place and date: St. Louis, Missouri; April 14, 1956

Siblings: one older brother; four step sisters

Education: Grades 1-12; 1 year Junior college; U.S. Navy training (fireman training, ships turbo generators, main propulsion, auxiliary equipment common to all ships in the 1970's)

{Even as this campaign is beginning I have had remarks made about my lack of higher education, as if I wasn't smart enough to be president. The idea being that a president should have a college education. Generally speaking, I have to admit that is not a bad idea. But at this time in our history isn't it those with their higher education who have gotten us into the mess that we are in? Aren't most of our leaders college educated? And aren't they the ones, with their great intellect and years of education, who have brought our nation to the point where the people are looking for something different? Isn't now the time to put someone in office who understands life and who will look out for the interest's of the U.S. - as opposed to the head strong, know-it-alls who have taken us down the wrong path, with all of their globalism and war hostilities? It will be your choice. But I can guarantee you that I will do a better job at running this country than those who have done it for the last 16 years (Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush). By the way, The U.S. government owed me 5 years of college - free - via the G.I. Bill after I got out of the Navy. I did not use it as I was one of those people who got bored in school.}

Military service: U.S. Navy from 1974 to 1978 (U.S.S. Bryce Canyon AD-36; U.S.S. Inchon LPH-12); Machinist Mate

Military note: American Legion member in good standing for 10 continuous years (Vietnam era qualified).

Criminal record: None

Occupation: These days I'm a semi-retired car enthusiast. My whole life has revolved around automobiles - buying, selling, repairing and painting them (I've been self employed most of my career). My fascination with machinery includes motorcycles, boats, trains, airplanes (probably in that order) and machines of all types. Whatever the designation, it comes from many years of experience and I still enjoy all of it. It's never dull. As a little kid I remembered adults by the automobiles that they drove. This was when the factories were getting into drag racing quite heavily (late 1950's to mid 1960's) and it influenced me greatly as it did many youngsters (along with the car scene in southern California back then). When I went in the Navy I did very well on all of the tests and they told me that I could take any schools that I wanted, but I just wanted to work on machinery. In my spare time I was racing. Like Popeye said, "I yam what I yam!". As I look back, I guess that I've always needed a challenge and machinery offers that constant challenge. Cars have always been a big part of my life and always will be. Those who have raced or been involved with Hot Rodding understand that a love for cars is something that gets in your blood. True car enthusiasts can't shake it - not that they would want to. However, I may have to retire completely for a while as the presidential race heats up.

Financial status: Secure

Health: I'm in good shape except my hearing's not the best in the world. I need one of those big funnels that they used to use in the old days. They used to stick it in their ear and aim it at whoever was talking. I'll have to get one of those for the (televised) "Meet and Vote" meetings so that I can hear the questions from the audience. EH? Speak up! That'll get a few laughs. Normal blood pressure; cholesterol a little high; general good health

Marital status: Single; never married. Everybody wants to know why I never got married, so let me explain it here. As I look back, I can honestly say that I just never took the time. I realize that sounds strange. It was never a big enough priority I suppose. I've always been working on a project of some sort that has required my time. My response to family members when they ask me when I'm going to get married is that I'm not old enough yet.

Religion: multi-denominational Christian; What does that mean? That's sort of an all inclusive term that I made up so that I don't get in trouble for taking sides. Pretty diplomatic wouldn't you say? All kidding aside, I have been a Christian since 1979, when I went through a trying time in my life. Having a good understanding of the Holy Bible, I have come to the conclusion that there is no one denomination that has all of the truth concerning the Christian walk. No denomination has all of the truth to the exclusion of the others. I have been to many types of churches and have found true and false teaching in them all. I have also found hypocrites in them all. Most of all I have found good people in them all. People with doubts and fears and lots of questions about life that society has no answers for. People clinging to God and eternal salvation through His son, Jesus Christ (yes, I really believe all of that stuff) because this life is so hard and offers no other hope. Despite all of the hypocrisy and problems that I have seen in church through the years I have come to this conclusion. I would rather hang around with people who are at least trying to be closer to God, than people who don't care for God. I know that I'm a better man for it. And so, I go to church - wherever I want to. As president I may show up anywhere. Since I will be spending so much time with the people I may be in one state one week and a different state the next week. My travels around the country will be at least once a month because of the "Meet and Vote" meetings being held in a different state each month. I will also be spending a lot of time visiting the military bases (that will probably be a once a month occurrence also). When I travel I'll flip a coin to see where I may go to church!

Travels: All U.S. states except the northeast; Foreign travels include (but is not limited to) Japan, France, Liberia, Italy, Brazil, Haiti, Spain, Philippines, Senegal, Guam, Monaco, Sicily, Ivory Coast, South Korea, Cuba, Canada, and Mexico.

Lived in: Hawaii, Florida, Washington, Oklahoma, Virginia - but home has always been Kirkwood, Missouri where I have lived at 6 different locations since age 4. I've lived at my current residence for 13 years as of 2006.

A list of favorites to help you know "President Tony" better

Food: Italian, bar-be-que, spicy

Sport: car racing and football

Dog: Golden Retriever, hands down

Movie: To Kill a Mockingbird (but oddly enough, the only scene from a movie that I have individually taped is the 10 minute car chase scene from the movie "Bullitt", which I watch quite often)

Book: The Holy Bible, which I read daily (portions that is)

Actor: That's tough. Maybe Groucho Marx or Gene Kelly. Groucho Marx was too funny, but I have always been fascinated by the dancing of Gene Kelly. A more current actor might be Sean Connery.

Actress: There are too many. The first name that comes to mind is Doris Day. I always liked her acting and singing and her spunky screen persona. She just "scratched me where I itched".

Singer - male: Nat King Cole is the first name that comes to mind.

Singer - female: Karen Carpenter (even though Barbara Streisand's name comes to mind as the best voice). There are many other names that come to mind right after Karen Carpenter's, but she is probably my favorite.

Sitcom: I don't really identify with the ones now days so I rarely watch them. My fondest memories are of the early ones like The Andy Griffith Show, Leave it to Beaver, and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. I can still remember my favorite television program when I was four years old called "The Texan" with Rory Calhoun. This was 1960 and cowboys on TV were still very popular with the youngsters. That program was not really a sitcom though. Those were better times and they were better people. The sitcoms of today don't interest me.

Place to be: at home; by or on the ocean; at a car auction

Music: I like different types of music depending on the mood and time of day. I guess that I prefer the old music sung by Johnny Mathis, Rose Mary Clooney, Andy Williams, Doris Day and, of course, Nat King Cole. Other names, who represent other styles, would be Gladys Knight, James Taylor, and Alison Krauss.

Song: There are too many to have to choose one. One from Nat King Cole comes to mind, but I can't remember the name.

Sports hero: Can it be anyone other than Stan the Man, being that I'm from St. Louis? Okay, I have to throw Michael Jordan in there.

City: I have to say that my home town in the middle of May is as pretty as a city can be that is not in the tropics. It was the first planned suburb west of the Mississippi river back in the 1850's. It is known as "the Queen of the suburbs" and the "Greentree City" in the St. Louis area.

Beautiful woman: There are always plenty of women around who have physical beauty. The woman that immediately comes to mind is Sophia Loren who still stands out in my mind after all these years. Since outer beauty is fleeting and since charm is deceptive, the real beauty of a woman comes from the inside out. Two names come to mind that the average reader can identify with. One would be Norma Zimmer of Lawrence Welk fame. The other name that comes to mind is Ann Kurry, the news reporter on NBC. Both are attractive inside and out. Both are also married. Did you notice how I danced around that one? Maybe I could be a politician!

Attractive man: I'm not good at figuring out attractive men. I'm not attracted to any of them. For the life of me I can't figure out how Brad Pitt is considered to be such an attractive man. I don't get it. I just wish I had his hair - or anybody's hair!

Political affiliation: I have always voted since I was eligible (1976). Through the years I have voted Democrat, Republican and Independent (for president). I'm not a diehard anything. I tend to vote Republican now days because they tend to be more conservative. Political parties do change over time, history bears that out. My father is a hard core union man, so he considers himself a Democrat. But the Democratic party of today is not the same Democratic party of FDR or even JFK. However, they do seem to be getting the message that they were getting way off to the extreme left. Is it time for them to shift back toward the center? Time will tell. As for the Republicans, they have been making their own bed and now they're having to sleep in it, as the saying goes. (This is being written right after the mid term elections, when the Republicans got spanked by the Democrats.) Both parties need a wake up call from the voters. These days I'm an American Taxpayer party man, of course. And I'm planning on being the one who wakes them up when I implement the "Meet and Vote" program - which will force them to listen to the people and work together.

INDEX 1 - AGENDA

INDEX 2 - ISSUES