The death of a candidate that is too fringe for the AIP

[unapatriciated]

http://community.adn.com/adn/node/142398


Plenty of people can recognize Daniel DeNardo, one of the city’s more prominent conspiracy theorists. He’s been a perennial political figure for 20 years and filed nearly 100 lawsuits against everyone from Sarah Palin to Congregation Beth Sholom. But in two days of calling around, I could not find one person who called him a friend.
DeNardo died June 28 at Providence Alaska Medical Center. He was 62. His body is sitting in a funeral home, waiting to be buried. It appears nobody can find his next of kin.

I encountered DeNardo last fall while watching the political debates. He was running against Rep. Bob Lynn for a seat in South Anchorage. DeNardo looked normal enough when the camera panned his way. He was silver-haired and mustachioed. He wore a sport coat and an eagle on his bolo tie. Then he opened his mouth.

"The major problem that faces Alaskans today is the most serious problem that any nation can face," he said. "That’s what’s referred to, I refer to it, as the Sovietization not only of the United States, but of Alaska in particular."
Plenty of people can recognize Daniel DeNardo, one of the city’s more prominent conspiracy theorists. He’s been a perennial political figure for 20 years and filed nearly 100 lawsuits against everyone from Sarah Palin to Congregation Beth Sholom. But in two days of calling around, I could not find one person who called him a friend.........

For several years he was affiliated with the Alaska Independence Party. I dialed party chair Lynette Clark, a gold miner who lives outside Fairbanks. I told her he was dead.
"He is?" she said. "Well, there’s a burr out from under AIP’s saddle."
Turns out he kept calling himself an AIP candidate, but people from the party thought he was too fringe. Things got ugly, and he sued. I asked her if he had any friends or family. She didn’t think so.


Alaska seems to have more than it's share of Rwingers, hard to believe there is someone too fringe for the AIP.
With DeNardo it seems something happened during his time in Vietnam that affected him profoundly.

[sharp_stick]

1. DeNardo was a total whacko

in a sea of whackos. The weird thing about him is that he seemed so normal until he opened his yap. Just toally fricking nuts, really fricking nuts.

Everyone was a commie to this guy and he couldn't even tell you what communism was.

[unapatriciated]

2. That's what I read, I'm curious to know why.

What makes people believe in such extreme political views. In his case I thought it was his war experience or his lifestyle of isolation, but it seems his views may have been the reason for his isolation and his service was not on the front-lines.
I have a fellow employee who has similar views (not quite as extreme but close) who seems normal until he starts talking politics. This guy at work never had any type of hardship but is so full of hate and mistrust for his fellow man. I don't understand it.

[sharp_stick]

3. I don't know anybody that actually knew him

I have an old friend that came across him occassionally but that's it. This was from a few years ago but from what I understand Denardo came across as a nice enough guy but it quickly got weird whenever he started to talk. His views were clearly delusional and the normalcy of his demeanor and dress made it even stranger to interact with him. If you're going to talk with a nutjob it's a lot easier if they at least look the part of a nutjob.

I really don't know if anybody knew this guy and it would be interesting to find out what made him tick. Thanks for the article link btw I wasn't aware that he'd died and wasn't aware that nobody really knew about it.

Strange strange man, I feel sorry for him.

Many people have extreme views, the ones that look normal and provide a normal exterior to the world are the strangest IMO because they are able to cover up the cause of these views.

[unapatriciated]

4. .